'No output devices found' - no sound!

[doopie]

Hi everyone,

so I got my MacBook Pro (Leopard) a few weeks ago and since a few days I have the following problem. After I used earplugs and removed them to continue using the loudspeakers everything worked fine, but ever since I restarted I'm not able to play any sound, I also can't change the volume:
mac3.png

So after lots of reboots I tried to look up the Preferences, but it just simply says 'No output devices found'. As well as for input as for output...
mac2.png

Garageband also doesn't work, telling me 'Selected driver not found'.
mac1.png

I tried to google my problem, but I couldn't find any answer that helps me...

Ah by the way, the loudspeakers do play the booting sound (when the Apple logo appears)! So they work, I guess they just can't be recognized.

Alright, have nice (quiet?! ) weekend!

 

[Lifeisabeach]

Does this happen with all user accounts or just yours? Did you install anything between the time it last worked and when it stopped?

 

[Lifeisabeach]

I just learned something interesting that might help here. I earlier read about booting OS X into "safe mode" by holding down the SHIFT key, so I was just experimenting with that to see exactly what happens as a possible aid in troubleshooting. Well lo and behold... booting in safe mode gave me the exact same issue you are having. Not only are 3rd-party programs not loading (as I expected), but the audio drivers aren't either. So... this leads me to wonder if you are booting in safe mode in error, perhaps you have a SHIFT key stuck?

 

[louishen]

If lifeisabeach is right it should say Safe Mode when booting up

 

[doopie]

Thank you for your answers.
I tried using/creating different users. Doesn't help :-(
I didn't install anything - the computer might have crashed though and that's probably why i rebooted...
My Shift Key works - and everything else works too, so it's definitely not the Safe Mode. I'll try booting in the safe mode though

 

[dtravis7]

I am curious about one thing, If you look into the Jack where your headphones or external speakers plug in, do you see a RED Light?

 

[doopie]

no there is no red led, the thing is though that i never saw a red light coming out the jack, even when the sound still worked

 

[Lifeisabeach]

Thank you for your answers.
I tried using/creating different users. Doesn't help :-(
I didn't install anything - the computer might have crashed though and that's probably why i rebooted...
My Shift Key works - and everything else works too, so it's definitely not the Safe Mode. I'll try booting in the safe mode though

Well you may be booting into Safe Mode as a result of some problem from that "possible" crash and not realize it. I've found that all apps listed in my Login Items still load.... it's just stuff that's loaded/located in the Library that doesn't load, or so it seems. Just take a look at the progress meter when booting and be sure it doesn't say "Safe Mode" under the meter. That's the only sure sign I can see that says Safe Mode is being used. If you are used to Windows' Safe Mode, then it's easy to get thrown off because Windows throws all kinds of warnings at you, notes on the screen, display resolution skewed, and so forth and on and on...

Barring that... did you delete anything from the Library folder or one of its subfolders by chance?

 

[doopie]

no it doesn't say safe mode...
i tried booting in safe mode though, holding down the shift key while booting, but it just got stuck on the booting screen (with progress meter) and i had to restart.

 

[doopie]

alright problem fixed...
i was just about to reinstall everything, when mac asked me to do one of those automatic software updates. after restarting the sound suddenly worked!?!

anyways, thank you to everyone who tried to help me ;D

 

[fourshizzle]

I actually have this problem with my mac pro.....

I had headphones plugged in and now there are no input devices found except the headphones , No internal speakers or anything else found in Output devices..I have reset the P R a couple times, tryed restarts and what not...nothing has worked, still red light where head phones plug in and nothing has helped......pleasssee help me

 

[EverPresentHero]

Same Thing

I have a Macbook and I have the same exact problems as the original post. I tried updating the software and it didn't work! All I did was close my laptop for an hour and next time I picked it up, the only audio devices it had was my bluetooth headset! I am probably going to backup everything on my external and do a hard reboot because I don't have time for this! It seems like the day my apple care was over I have had problem after problem!

Help!

 

[ILL]

I had the exact same thing as the topic starter. Macbook Pro (15" model with trackpad, and 4GB RAM). Only I didn't have the start-up sound when I rebooted, so no sound at all.

My MBP had a little drop of the couch wich might've triggered the condition, although I'm not sure. It was just a little bump on the side where you can insert DVD's and it could've been I already didn't have sound before that but didn't notice because I mute my sound often.

The exact same images as the topicstarter posted aplied to my MBP.

Restart, update software, restart again.. again.. again.. didn't solve anything.

What did work for me was to run Apple Hardware Test (restart while keepin 'D' on the keyboard pressed. The test didn't find any problems. I restarted the computer and I noticed the sound icon in the right top corner was back again. iTunes also worked again, internal speakers . Then plugged in my headphones and to my surprise wasn't recognized. Restarted the MBP again and now it does recognize the headphones again, and everything seems to be back to normal. I ran this test a few days after I didn't have sound anymore, I was about to call service when I found out about this this test in the manual.

 

[oreste191]

i love how everyone feels like they have to say that they are having the same problem yet provide no answer. clearly we are all here for the same reason no need to repost the same stupid problem over and over.

if have an old power book g4 and it has to do with the bios and the battery. i guess if your battery is not holding its charge it affect the entire computer. unplug the battery and restart the computer. if that doesnt work restart like i did. unplug the power cable causing the computer to shutdown. that did the trick.

 

[luispo]

how to fix the problem of no sound

Macriot has the solution:

macriot - Apple Hardware | The Fix For No Sound From Your MacBook Pro or iPhone

Contributed by "Mac":
<quote>
For MacBook Pro owners this is commonly characterised by:

* the internal speakers still chime when your Mac is powered on
* a 'no parking' like symbol appearing below the sound icon whenever you attempt to manipulate the volume on your Mac
* the red light that continues to emanate from the audio output port
* only "Digital audio out" as the only output source displayed in the Sound pane of the System Preferences.

If you have these symptoms, we recommend a very gentle and minute tinkle of WD-40 into the audio output jack, followed by gently inserting and removing the audio input jack a few times. At least until the sound is returned to normal and red light ceases to glow from the audio output jack.

Remember, we said "tinkle" not spraying into the jack like there's no tomorrow...

Following the steps above will give you a good chance of restoring your internal audio.

</quote>

This worked for me; doubtless, there had been dust or smear or something else polluting the macintosh perfection. Everything else people are doing is incidental and only coincidentally will have effect. Sorry, but this is a mechanical issue, not a software one.

 

[Wingscofounder]

This morning, I too lost my sound on my MBP's speakers. I repeatedly plugged in my earphones and removed them (five times) and the sound w/ control returned. There is definitely something going on in the audio port, since I was using it with my earphones last night for quite some time.
Cheers,
Warren

 

[ZiggyMac]

WD-40 Caution

Thanks for the tip on the WD-40 into the headphone jack. Your solution worked for me but I slightly altered you solution. Spraying anything directly into your computer is very risky and I appreciate your words of caution. My suggestion would be to try spraying the WD-40 onto the headphone jack and then insert and pullout the jack several times. I had to do this 3 times before it worked for me. In truth I might have been able to skip the WD-40 altogether but it didn't hurt.

Anyway I agree that this is a "mechanical issue, not a software one". If you have no success with "gently" plugging and unplugging your headphone plug several times, you may have to get help at the local repair shop. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Good Luck

 

[IanChaps]

Same problem with MacBook Air

I'm having the same problems with our MacBook Air. The problem occurred during a presentation with a projector and external speakers attached. An error message flashed up on the screen and we lost all sound. I've read this thread and tried the suggestions, even went out to buy the WD40 to try to release the headphone switch. The one difference with our problem is that no light is visible in the headphone socket and we do not get any sound on start up. Tried trawling the Apple website for help with no luck.

 

[kickit301]

it worked! thats freakin amazing! thanks sooo much

 

[BobbyPaul]

Speaker Jack Problem

I tried the above suggestion from Lispo and it worked, instead of wd-40 I used some dust off (air in a can) and it worked.

Thanks Lispo for the solution!!!!

BP