I agree 100%. Part of the problem is that it's not just happening to the MacBook Air but to other MacBooks as well. I have to believe it's a software issue and I find it strange that there has yet to be a solution. Certainly this same thing should have happened to laptops being used at Apple too.
I own a regular Macbook and this problem happened to me a few weeks ago on election day.
I for one think the entire thing is a software issue, something most likely to do with Flash or an iTunes update. My computer I think has some sort of issue with a faulty sound driver (not sure if that's the correct term for Macs)
Issues:
My computer detects no onboard sound card
Movies are having lagging issues with playback. Flash videos online load, play for 3 seconds, then pause. I need to keep jumping to continue the movie. Quicktime / iTunes movies have significant lagtime when trying to play, stop, or skip a movie (and this has NEVER happened before)
International "No" symbol when trying to adjust the volume from the keyboard, missing volume graphic on the finder bar (though the space for it is still there).
Music through iTunes will not play, period.
I'd assume with this happening to so many people, that by now Apple would have a growing awareness of the problem. Guys at the Apple store try to run a system update, find nothing, then say they want to "hold onto the computer" for a few days. As a student, I can't afford to give up my laptop, even for a few days, at least until the semester is over. So now I'm stuck using a computer with no sound / media playback that (at least otherwise) functions normally.
In theory, I have something that I want to try, to see if it's a hardware or software issue: (you need two Macbooks + a Firewire-Firewire connecting cable.)
1) Boot your Macbook in Firewire target disk mode - Hold "T"at startup - this allows you to plug your computer into another computer as a recognizable "hard drive"
2) Connect the two computers (yours in disk mode, the other off) together with a Firewire-Firewire cable, and
3) Boot the other Macbook and hold Option-Command-Shift-Delete, this should Bypass the primary startup volume and seek a different startup volume (such as a CD or external disk)
4) Select your original, now connected, target hard drive to boot from.
In theory, I should be able to run my software off of the other computer's hardware. If there is sound on the other computer, it's a hardware issue on your computer. If there's no sound still, it's a software issue, and it's a bigger problem for you.
At some point i'll try it when I get my hands on a connector cable. If anyone is willing to try it before hand, let me know how it goes.
I would like to re-state one element of this mystery that I still think might be useful -- the connection to Apple TV. My remote always affects the Air as well as the TV, even when the Air is put to sleep and across the room. I can see the flashing even with the lid closed. Of course I've tried and tried to marry the remote to the TV, with no luck.
The sound icon still appears on the laptop screen if it's open, and basically there is havoc on the Air that I have to cure by using the escape key several times. This doesn't seem right.
I do plan on taking the machine in for service as soon as I can, and will report what they tell me, but losing the sound and all video playback just *****.
Apple gave me a new MBA which fixed my problem. Details follow...
In October I started having the no output device found message and could fix by cleaning system caches. This was a pain and would fix the problem briefly but it returned. Finally about two weeks ago I couldn't make the no output devices message go away at all and had no sound permanently.
I took my 1.6 80GB MBA to the local apple store and the genius booted it from the external drive he keeps at the bar and the MBA still had no sound. That meant it was clearly hardware, not software. They kept if for a little over a week, and when I went back they had me a new MBA just like I had given them and had even restored my user data to the new MBA.
I have no problem now! It's a nice machine. Looks like the AppleCare warranty was worth the money.
I believe the problem is related to VMWare Fusion. I have the same sound problem only when I'm running VMWare. It looks like it is related to its newest version only.
My problem was clearly hardware since it existed even when my MBA was booted from a different external drive at the genius bar. But you have a good point, the problem can be caused by a number of issues and third party software could be one of them. ralph
I used my Mac mini as the Remote Disc and I booted my MBA from the install disc, it didn't give me sound too. However, I think I fixed it by putting the computer to sleep from the Apple menu (instead of closing the MBA lid) and then waked it up and then restarted it.
It works quite good if I don't have VMWare running and just running Safari and Adium. Maybe it is not related to VMWare and only related to memory issues.
I can confirm that it is not related to VMWare or Adium. My MBA lost sound suddenly when I was just using Safari after a reboot. No program was run after reboot except Safari. The problem probably coming from Safari 3.2.1 since I started experiencing this sound problem only a couple of days ago.
I have the same problem with my new MacBook. I was using it and suddenly i noticed that sound dissapeared. I tried restarting the system, reinstalling everything but it stills the same: it doesn't recognize anything in relation with sound, no output/input devices, no sound effects, and it's marked the mute option and you can't change it... By the way, the sound icon dissapeared from the menu bar leaving a blank space there. I also tried a trick i found: starting up the computer and then pressing command
option+PR until the sound starts... It works while the computer is on but when I start it again the problem stills there...
I read about this problem with some MacBook Air and other ones but I don't know how to solve it. If anyone had this problem and knows how to fix it, please, help me!
Thanks!
i deleted the file as suggested (~Library/Preferences/com.apple.BezelServices.plist) and powered down, restarted, and the icon came back, everything normal again!?)
i don't know if or how long this might last but working fine now.
I had the exact same problem described by all of you, and here is what worked for me. It started yesterday and my audio completely stopped working, including the internal speakers, headphones, even the internal mic. To cure this, all I had to do is install Onyx and clear the Audio cache. It's been a couple hours since I fixed it, so I hope it sticks, but it doesn't seem to be a hardware problem at all. Even though I have a 12" Powerbook G4, it had the same symptoms as your Macbook Air's.
Due to the recent occurrence of all these problems (from date of post) it seems to me that this is either faulty software or some malware that has finally found a way to infect Macs.
I've had this problem for about 2 weeks now. No audio whatsoever, not even the chime. I've tried Onyx but it hasn't worked. I've uninstalled QuickTime and the reinstalled. This also hasn't helped. Each time i boot up i hope and pray it'll have sorted itself out, but as yet it hasn't! Does anyone have the answer!?
I'm outside my warranty, so have been putting off going to applestore as i'm certain it'll cost me small fortune to get this problem fixed. Does anyone have any ideas...? Please....
I'd make an appointment with the local Genius Bar and see what they say. If they say it's a lot of money at least you will know and can make a decision. It might be something simple. The geniuses are pretty helpful. In my case they replaced the entire MBA (a good reason to purchase Applecare) but maybe in your case it's something simple and they just tell you.
You won't incur any charges without your consent. Go see them.
