Sound 'dead' on Unibody MacBook Pro

MIDI_EVIL

MIDI_EVIL

macrumors 65816
Whilst listening to iTunes, my music cut dead. I couldn't adjust the volume. There was a big delay between pressing the volume keys and the volume icon appearing on screen.

Then I got a 'kernel panic'.

I rebooted, and now whenever I press the volume up/down key I am presented with this volume icon (please excuse the composition I had to screen grab it quickly whilst on screen):
 

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Hmm... that it coincided with a kernel panic is disconcerting.

If you're lucky, the panic somehow corrupted the sound driver. The easiest way to test this would, I think, be to boot from the reinstall disc it came with and see if you can adjust the sound there (I think you can adjust the sound in the installer...). If this is the issue, an archive-and-install OS reinstall is probably the easiest solution.

If you're not so lucky, the sound chip fried, crashing the OS and then disappearing entirely. This would be the case if a reinstall fails to bring it back, though it should still be under warranty so Apple will fix it for free. Not sure if running the hardware test disc that came with the computer would show this as an issue or not, but it's not difficult to check.

It's also possible that something in the firmware just flaked out; you could try resetting the PRAM and PMU (Google or a forum search will give you instructions for both for your model). May not help, but can't hurt to try.
 
have you done SMC and PRAM reset? I some times get this with VMware fusion are you running that?
 
sorry to hijack the thread but I have a related problem.

Had my Unibody Macbook since Oct (not the new combined audio in/out) and have recently had problems with sound. There are never any problems with the internal speakers but lately when plugging into the headphone jack for external speakers or headphones i get intermittent sound problems. It affects all sound on the laptop but is most pronounced when listening to music. The music doesn't sound quite right and the vocals disappear to a whisper. By coincidence (and after the problem had already started) I recently stripped the vocals from a song by phasing (or syncing i think) both channels and this is sounds very similar to the intermittent problem I have been having.

I can only imagine what has happened is that dirt may be covering part if the inside of the jack and cutting out a channel, or the audio jack has come loose from the internal circuitry.

I would just take it to my local mac store but I am currently waiting for a good time to get all my things (including laptop bag and documentation) from my ex's house. I'm just looking at options of a quick fix or confirmation of the problem until I can get it to the mac store.
 
Did an 'Archive and Install', and now Final Cut Pro Studio won't open on my machine. Quits 'unexpectedly'...

WTF?
 
Apps that aren't installed via a simple drag and drop (that is, ones that have an installer that puts components in system folders) often need reinstalling after an archive and install. I know Adobe's CS products are in this group, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if FCP and friends are too; reinstalling it should get you back in business.

Did that fix your audio problem, then?
 
Makosuke said:
Apps that aren't installed via a simple drag and drop (that is, ones that have an installer that puts components in system folders) often need reinstalling after an archive and install. I know Adobe's CS products are in this group, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if FCP and friends are too; reinstalling it should get you back in business.

Did that fix your audio problem, then?
Click to expand...

CS3 seems to be ok, but I'm re-installing FCP Studio now.

It fixed it.

MacBook Pro back in action! Thanks!
 
Glad you got your issue sorted midi. Seems like you had to jump through some hoops to get there.

anyone got any ideas on my problem?? It will be at least half a week till I can get to a mac store. Help a broken man wallow in decent quality music or at least know why he can't, please.

liamwillib said:
sorry to hijack the thread but I have a related problem.

Had my Unibody Macbook since Oct (not the new combined audio in/out) and have recently had problems with sound. There are never any problems with the internal speakers but lately when plugging into the headphone jack for external speakers or headphones i get intermittent sound problems. It affects all sound on the laptop but is most pronounced when listening to music. The music doesn't sound quite right and the vocals disappear to a whisper. By coincidence (and after the problem had already started) I recently stripped the vocals from a song by phasing (or syncing i think) both channels and this is sounds very similar to the intermittent problem I have been having.

I can only imagine what has happened is that dirt may be covering part if the inside of the jack and cutting out a channel, or the audio jack has come loose from the internal circuitry.

I would just take it to my local mac store but I am currently waiting for a good time to get all my things (including laptop bag and documentation) from my ex's house. I'm just looking at options of a quick fix or confirmation of the problem until I can get it to the mac store.
Click to expand...
 
liamwillib said:
I can only imagine what has happened is that dirt may be covering part if the inside of the jack and cutting out a channel, or the audio jack has come loose from the internal circuitry.
Click to expand...
I didn't add anything before because your guess is exactly the same as what I'd assume was the problem. It's not software or the sound chip itself, since the internal speakers are ok. Pretty much guaranteed to be an issue with the headphone jack itself, and losing one of the contact points/wires could cause symptoms like you describe.

Speaking of which, have you tried with another set of headphones? Just to confirm it's not your headphones themselves that are broken, since they're rather prone to that. You could also try wiggling the headphone connector around to see if it kicks back in or you can affect it; if so, that'd point to either a bad jack or connector, while if that doesn't do it maybe it's just dirt.
 
Cheers for the confirmation. At least I'm not suffering a problem that wasn't me overlooking something. Tried bout 3 sets of heaphones and 2 sets of speakers and all the same. Wiggling the jack helps occasionally but don't want to make it worse, also don't want to make it look as if I have abused the jack.

Guess patience is a virtue :rolleyes:
Always heard good things about apples customer service and AppleCare but never needed to test it out. Any ideas on how long it will be in for repair?
 
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