Imac's Sound and Mic stopped working!

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Imac's Sound and Mic stopped working!

Last night my Imac's sound stopped working. Internal speakers don't work, plugging in external speakers don't work. I thought this was just a hardware problem, but my internal mic also doesn't work, which is on the other side of the computer....

I've rebooted many times, cleared the pram, checked my preferences, played with the audio midi controls, plugged and unplugged the cord in the line out and did everything besides dance around the mac singing.

Any suggestions on how or why this would just stop working? It has to be something i'm missing, some setting.

I've downloaded Line In, didnt do anything. I downloaded Sunflower, didn't do anything.
The only thing I can think of is I just loaded Parallels and Win XP, but I just uninstalled it and still no solution.

Help please!!

IMac Intel Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.6.3)

Posted on Apr 25, 2010 7:25 PM

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Answer 1

aaron Robb Author

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Apr 26, 2010 1:56 PM in response to aaron Robb

I think maybe its because i had something plugged into the audio line in, and though its not plugged still, it thinks something is there?? Maybe a switch inside??

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Answer 2

yasika

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4 points

Apr 26, 2010 3:02 PM in response to aaron Robb

Mine did too-but as I was unplugging my keyboard which was in USB port nearest to it. Fixed it by plugging my keyboard back in once or twice and eventually sound came back! Wired!!!

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Answer 3

aaron Robb Author

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Apr 26, 2010 7:41 PM in response to yasika

Very interesting idea.
Tried it, didn't work.

Whats weird now is that I can get a stereo to play THROUGH the iMac, so line in to line out speakers, but only when the mac is off.....

So I don't think its a hardware problem. Its gotta be some setting somewhere....

Anyone have an idea of how to check if the internal system is muting the speakers/mic somehow?

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Answer 4

aaron Robb Author

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Apr 27, 2010 3:30 PM in response to aaron Robb

So is there a way to access or see the internal system volume control? I've tried everything else, and can get sound when the computer is off through the line in and out, so I'm thinking its an internal volume that is off for some reason.
In terminal or singer user, is there a command to see what the system volume is, and to change it if is off??

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Answer 5

Switch900

Level 2

232 points

Apr 28, 2010 1:19 AM in response to aaron Robb

ok let me help you with this process, go to the system preferences in your OSX go to the icon Sound click on it internal volume should be all the way up or mid high up Output volume either all the way up or mid way up thats in the input tab on the top. Now the output tab should the balance should be in the middle and output volume should be mid or all the way up . If that is not the case then there could be a hardware problem which I doubt because when the computer is off it creates a connection from line in to line out.

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Answer 6

aaron Robb Author

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May 2, 2010 6:53 PM in response to Switch900

Yep checked it and volume is up and centered. Do you know of any way to check the system volume beyond the pref panel? Like in single user or teminal? There must be a way to see what the system thinks the volume is at?

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Answer 7

aaron Robb Author

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May 4, 2010 3:33 AM in response to aaron Robb

UPdate

I reinstalled Snow Leopard (without formatting the HD), and sound and mic still don't work. SHould i try a full formatting install?

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Answer 8

Aug 1, 2010 8:56 AM in response to aaron Robb

good idea:
maybe there is a series of TERMINAL commands that could reset or override the Preference panel input volume settings for the internal microphone.

my mike does capture some sound, but only faintly (so it is not physically broken), even though input levels are set to maximum.

Another idea for those with Time Machine would know what element to "restore" from earlier setups in order to get the microphone working again

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