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April 6th, 2022 12:00
Precision 5550 Microphone Not Working
My Precision 5550's internal microphone(s) have worked fine until today, when I was on a Zoom meeting. I'm not sure if they were working before the meeting or quit working during the meeting.
I've tested the microphone on other apps, such as recording apps, but there is no sound coming from the microphones. I disabled the mic, uninstalled the mic and rebooted, but still the problem persists. I even uninstalled a recently installed software and rebooted, wondering if there could be a conflict, but the mics still weren't working.
Also, I disconnected my docking station and rebooted, but still the mics weren't working.
Has anyone else had this issue, and would there be something I could do? Thanks.
afalconr
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May 11th, 2022 06:00
Hi, I managed to fix it somehow.
First to first, uninstall all Realtek drivers (only Audio) and leave it with only High Definition Audio Driver. Restart your computer.
Go to device manager (control panel>device manager) and check under System devices. Go for the one saying Intel(R) Smart Sound Technology (Intel(R) SST) OED (mine was with a yellow exclamation, saying libraries did not loaded).
On Driver's tab, click on Update driver>Browse my computer drivers>Let me pick from a list... Here it will show you two drivers, one a bit old (2019) and a new one saying at the end 2021, pick this one.
Restart the computer.
Install again Realtek.
Restart the computer once again.
Go to Device manager and check the drivers if they're ok.
It should works now
DELL-Cares
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April 6th, 2022 13:00
Thank you! We have received the required details. We will work towards a resolution. In the meantime, you may also receive assistance or suggestions from the community members.
ksk206
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April 6th, 2022 21:00
Woah!!! how is this possible??? Mine (also Precision 5550) also stopped working today (04/06/2022).... Just the microphone. Speakers working fine. I did all the steps you did. I tried different apps to record, reinstalled the drivers as well. No luck. I also had to spend a couple hours googling and contacting Dell support (which was no help)... Until I read your post I thought it might have been a hardware issue but now I am not sure... It is so weird that the mic was working fine yesterday evening (my zoom meeting went past 5 PM) and yet today it just completely failed.. Had to hold my phone for three zoom meetings today...
llouis22
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April 7th, 2022 07:00
That is weird! I wonder if there could've been some update that broke it?
llouis22
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April 7th, 2022 11:00
Did you ever get your mic working again? I haven't, but I'm still trying stuff
ksk206
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April 7th, 2022 13:00
No, no luck. I tried it on zoom again this morning and no luck. Will have to use the phone call option for mic again... so annoying. If I ever find a solution I will definitely let you know, but I am not very optimistic because I have run out of things to try.
This is looking bad on Dell @DELL-Cares because I work in a laboratory and many of my colleagues have asked me about which computer to get and I always let them try my Precision (and one recently bought a precision after the "trial") but now this is embarrassing.. in a big zoom meeting with 30+ people I have to say oh yeah you know my nice Dell laptop? yeah the mic stopped working. My other colleague might go for Lenovo now..
ksk206
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April 8th, 2022 10:00
Hahahaha. At this point this just makes me laugh. @DELL-Cares contacted me and said they can help. Then they said oh no your warranty is expired, we can't help you. I said I actually want to buy the extended warranty (I had already asked three separate times prior to this time, but no one responded to my email/messages). Guess what? Again, no response. Today another rep messages me and says "oh we haven't heard back from you." what a joke. I guess another day with no microphone.
llouis22
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April 8th, 2022 11:00
I know what you mean. It looks like I will have to reinstall windows to fix this. I wonder how many other people have had the same thing happen? It's just the microphone... I've been able to record system sounds, and the output is still ok. Is it the same with yours?
ksk206
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April 8th, 2022 13:00
For me only my bluetooth headset mic worked. The Realtek(R) Audio Mcirophone was the one that used to be owrking... now that I am seeing it I wonder why it says some are not plugged in??what's that about
ksk206
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April 8th, 2022 14:00
I am going back to the hardware issue theory. Just ran Dell SupportAssist for hardware scan.
Did the microphone test (tried both microphones listed there, not sure why there are two)
I couldn't hear anything that was recorded so clicked "fail" and Dell says "failed"
llouis22
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April 8th, 2022 17:00
I've been through that troubleshooter too, with the same result.
I don't have any external mic to test with, but everything else seems similar to your case.
Does your Control Panel>Sound look like this screenshot? There's no slider on the Microphone volume slider.
ksk206
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April 11th, 2022 15:00
I apologize for the late reply. I did not see your post until today because I did not realize that I had to click page 2...
I think your problem might be more of the windows problem.
Even for my mic that works (external one), it shows no bar, unlike the speaker.
llouis22
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April 12th, 2022 10:00
Ah good old Microsoft and their sub-standard audio approach...sigh!
NorthernCoder
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May 11th, 2022 12:00
I was given this Precision 5560 laptop for work and the audio has been problematic the whole time. Bookmarking this thread with hopes Dell fixes the audio.
Pretty critical flaw during times of working from home and online team meetings. Embarrassing.
ksk206
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August 11th, 2022 14:00
For those of you who tried afalconr's solution and found no luck: it may be a hardware problem. I finally extended my warranty and I just had a Dell technician visit today. He came with the whole new screen part (rather than a mic part, I guess it takes too much time to take the screen apart to replace just the mic?). After the screen was replaced, the mic has been working very well.