Red light from headphone jack.

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Level 1

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Red light from headphone jack.

Hey Everybody,

I have recently installed Windows Xp to my MacBook Pro which has Snow Leopard and all of my software is up to date. When ever I run Windows Xp a red light comes out of my head phone jack and stays on. Unlike all of the other posts that I have read my internal speakers work, my headphones work, and anything I plug into that jack works at all volume ranges. My question is why is this red light on? What is it? Is it bad? and How do I fix it?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.2), Windows Xp

Posted on Dec 12, 2009 11:11 PM

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Answer 1

iVmichael

Level 6

13,740 points

Dec 12, 2009 11:39 PM in response to lobotomy628

Welcome to Apple Discussions 🙂

The red light is a digital audio output signal - the socket can deliver both analogue and digital and is switched inside depending on what's inserted. If it's got stuck in that mode try inserting/removing a regular headphone jack while wiggling it a bit.

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Answer 2

lobotomy628 Author

Level 1

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Dec 13, 2009 6:51 PM in response to lobotomy628

Today I tried the head phone suggestion and still no effect still a red light comes on while only in windows and sounds still work just fine.

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Answer 3

iVmichael

Level 6

13,740 points

Dec 13, 2009 9:17 PM in response to lobotomy628

Try doing a Parameter RAM reset - hold down apple/option/p/r keys at start up and wait for three chimes before releasing the keys.

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Answer 4

Dec 13, 2009 10:07 PM in response to iVmichael

The original post mentions that the light stays on only in Windows - my guess is that there's a problem with the Windows driver for Apple's audio hardware - missing, or buggy. Apple's multi-purpose digital/analog audio port is pretty unusual.

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Answer 5

lobotomy628 Author

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Dec 14, 2009 9:47 PM in response to lobotomy628

Do you think that I should try to reinstall windows xp? I am planning on bringing my laptop into apple as soon as i can.

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Answer 6

Rod Hagen

Level 7

32,000 points

Dec 14, 2009 10:33 PM in response to lobotomy628

I think that the answer is probably that you simply need to update your version of BootCamp Windows Drivers - see http://support.apple.com/kb/DL967

Some people seem to suggest that installation of updated 'Realtek" drivers in Windows may help.

Given that the problems seems to involve interaction between Bootcamp and various drivers I doubt that reinstalling your Windows OS will resolve it, though, as I don't use Windows, I'm not in a position to test it myself.

Cheers

Rod

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