-Note: Unsure if this is a hardware or software issue, depending on if the speakers don't work or the software doesn't work.-
Hey awa, had my m14x r2 for a few months now, I have a recurring issue with the sound. The sound will work for a while, then suddenly stop working after I close the program that's using the speakers. I've made sure the volume is up, and the application volume is also up. There's no sound, not even a hint of static. This issue happens with the speakers and the headphones jack. The sound is fine nromally, I performed the Alienware AlienAutopsy sound test on it, returned no problems. Normal sound quality is fine, there's no static or choppy-ness. Only way to fix it is to restart, happens often after closing a game or waking up from hibernation.

Sometime that happen to me when i'm using Skype and the headphones are connected from the jack (mic / headphones). Since i dont use this jack is working fine the audio.

Barely use the headphones, and the sound doesn't work even with nothing in any of the audio jacks.

Try reinstalling the drivers or an Upgrade.
You can try new multimedia codecs too (Like K-Lite codec Pack)
I was having something similar but it fixed itself.

said: Try reinstalling the drivers or an Upgrade.
You can try new multimedia codecs too (Like K-Lite codec Pack)
I was having something similar but it fixed itself.

I would reinstall, but when I sent my laptop back to investigate a graphics card problem, they replaced my hard drive, mobo, graphics card, etc, so they had to install all the drivers. Unfortunately, for some reason my drivers were installed in french, yet I can't read french D=. They also installed a bunch of redundant software versions, too. A very annoying example would be where they installed Alienware Command Centre for M18x R1, where it would crash when I tried to modify the AlienFX. Could there be a relationship between these software factory errors?

Try this web page

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19/Product/alienware-m14x-r2

The drivers from dell for the m14x R2

Im having the same problem just starting today as of a new BIOs update that poped up in the alienware software. wtf is going on?

ok I checked drivers on dells page for my laptop so far looks like there is new vid drivers posted for my card as of just today, as well as another bio version to update from A08 to A09.

I have been having the same problem since I received my new M14x R2 in December of 2012. From what I have found it is hit and miss with the original audio driver. But what ever you do, do not update the driver right now! each time that I have upgraded the driver the sound is permanently gone, and none on the jacks will work either. I have had to revert the PC back to a state before the Creative Sound Blaster Recon3Di update. Once I have done that my sound is back and everything is working normally until the sound conks out again and I have to restart my machine once if not several times to get it working again.

I think the only thing that we can do right now is wait until Creative comes out with a driver update that won't pooch the sound! Obviously there are some bugs to fix for them right now, and yes it is a big inconvenience to all of us, especially since we have paid good money for great machines, but this sound card problem is really getting on my nerves as I sure it is with all of you too. So all I can say to Creative is HURRY YOUR ASS, and to Alienware Light A Fire Under Creative's Ass!

I've been having this issue on my m18x r2 for about 2 months now, along with random webcam loss. I can bring back devices by flashing the bios, but that's a pain, just seems to be a temporary work around.

I found by rolling back my bios to A08 and then up to A09 I've encountered the issue less frequently and a shutdown/startup can resolve it.

I believe it could also be a driver issue with soundblaster as I've recently encountered my rdp (mstsc.exe) crashing whenever sound attempts to pass through the connection, which is a software based issue.

Most times this will occur when the PC goes to sleep or hibernates, though I can make it occur if I disconnect my mini-display port rather than turning the monitor off and having it "soft" disconnect.

Try rolling back to previous bios and then bringing back to A09.

Update: As a general update, I was on the phone with Alienware support at the time I was writing this as for the money spent I shouldn't have had to troubleshoot for as many hours as I did. They're suggesting a mobo replacement for me and arranged for an on-site tech to be dispatched. While I doubt hardware is the issue, it's the route they want to go. Will post an update post mobo replacement.

Astrus,

I agree with you that it is not the hardware but the software. I don't think that the BIOS is the problem, as it has always been working with no hiccups the entire time I have had my machine (knock on wood). The only time that you may run into some problems with the BIOS is loading on your initial boot up. If you have an external hard drive connected the computer will try to boot from the external drive by default, but that is easily changed in your BIOS boot settings.

"I believe it could also be a driver issue with soundblaster as I've recently encountered my rdp (mstsc.exe) crashing whenever sound attempts to pass through the connection, which is a software based issue."

It is definitely the Creative SoundBlaster Recon3Di driver that is the problem. My sound will always fail upon installation of there new driver that was released in January 2013. Yes my sound will go down sometime on start up, but that is totally random and can be fixed with a restart. I have also had the sound go staticky after prolonged use on Skype, but once again that is also random and infrequent.

I don't think this is Alienwares fault, but Creatives since it is their hardware and software being used. We are most likely going to have to wait until Creative fixes the bugs in the driver, since the current update available will only cause your sound to go down permanently unless you revert to a previous time before you installed the new driver.

It is a pain in the ass when you have paid good money what what is normally a great machine. Don't get me wrong the overall machine is friggin fantastic! But this problem with the sound is a big inconvenience.

If anyone can find out more info about this, please post back here as I am sure we would all like to know exactly what is going on!

this happens to me but only when im playing mass effect 3 but when i use headphones it works fine

I'm having this issue with the sound randomly saying "No Audio Device is detected" and doing a restart doesn't work but a BIOS re-install does when you get the most recent on from the Dell site.

Is there anyway I could get my sound back without having to resort to the BIOS method?

Serotonin5150 said: I'm having this issue with the sound randomly saying "No Audio Device is detected" and doing a restart doesn't work but a BIOS re-install does when you get the most recent on from the Dell site.

Is there anyway I could get my sound back without having to resort to the BIOS method?

What model do you have the problem with? And yes. What version of the BIOS is in your laptop now?

Hi all,

I've got the same problem. periodically my sound just disappears and I'm having message that sound card is not found on computer.
after restart everything backs to normal.
I uninstalled soundblaster drivers and let windows to install its own drivers.
For the time being works fine.

I have had main board changed due to this reason but that was not a problem with harware it is just software.
so I'm waiting for new drivers from creative....