Headphones plugged in from do not cut out speakers completely
 

I have mandriva 2008 on a desktop (Some Dell thing around the 1100 or 3100 level) that has speakers plugged into the sound card in back.

Recently, I wanted to use headphones (plugged into the front of the computer) to not bother the family and then I noticed, that, while reduced, sound still comes out of the speakers.

I know that on my laptop I had to get a special driver to perform this cut off/out function. Is there something like that for the desktop too?

It's been so long that I don't even remember, but something about also 1.4 or something.

The cutoff should strictly be hardware.

For a desktop, typically:

1. You plug your speakers into the sound card
2. You plug your headsets into a jack with the speakers
3. The jack involves a physical switch, that cuts the speakers and enables the headphones.

There shouldn't be any software driver at all in this scenario.

If your desktop doesn't have speakers with a headphone jack ... consider getting some.

For a laptop, it's exactly the same, except:
1. The sound card is internal, and the headset jack is the only port you've got
2. Either way, it's the same physical switch: all hardware, no software

1. i'd recheck the physical connectors from the front jack to the motherboard and make sure nothing is crossed up.

2. just as a matter of course, i'd check the bios for any sound configuration options (just in case something is not quite right)

3. sound leakage can occur in inexpensive sound cards. do you have a dedicated sound card you can drop in and try? if the problem goes away, ok; if the problem remains then more troubleshooting wil be in order

number one seems most likely.

I think most older machines (and many newer ones) do everything in hardware. Some newer hardware (especially notebooks, but some desktops as well), however, requires driver assistance to accomplish this. Various ALSA drivers under linux have an option for “jack sense” which will disable the speakers when headphones are plugged in.

But what the OP is describing (signal leakage to the real speakers) does indeed sound like a hardware problem.