[Q] [SOLVED] Speaker dead, USB not recognizing, SD too, etc. - Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime

Hello guys!
For about 2 or 3 weeks now I have the problem that the speaker on my TF201 does not work anymore. Headphones are working fine.
It also does not recognize any USB Sticks anymore. The Dock is not dead, it works fine and also has current on the USB Port (the USB stick LED is activated but does not blink for accessing it). Also the SD Card slot does not work anymore. The MicroSD slot on the tablet itself works fine...
And the next thing: My PC does not recognize the tablet anymore when I connect it. It does load when I connect it to the adapter but I can't transfer files anymore via PC. Cable is not broken but to minimize this risk I already offered a new one just in case.
Do you guys have any idea what this maybe is caused from? Maybe broken hardware? Or maybe a not properly connected cable in the tablet? But if so why is USB and stuff not working?
Please help me, I don't wanna lose such an awesome tablet
And I may can't even RMA it cause I've unlocked and flashed a new ROM on it...
EDIT 12.06.2013: When the tablet is fully turned off and USB is plugged in (PC, not charger) it suddenly powers up. I still can't use USB ports...

---

EpicLPer said:
Hello guys!
For about 2 or 3 weeks now I have the problem that the speaker on my TF201 does not work anymore. Headphones are working fine.
It also does not recognize any USB Sticks anymore. The Dock is not dead, it works fine and also has current on the USB Port (the USB stick LED is activated but does not blink for accessing it). Also the SD Card slot does not work anymore. The MicroSD slot on the tablet itself works fine...
And the next thing: My PC does not recognize the tablet anymore when I connect it. It does load when I connect it to the adapter but I can't transfer files anymore via PC. Cable is not broken but to minimize this risk I already offered a new one just in case.
Do you guys have any idea what this maybe is caused from? Maybe broken hardware? Or maybe a not properly connected cable in the tablet? But if so why is USB and stuff not working?
Please help me, I don't wanna lose such an awesome tablet
And I may can't even RMA it cause I've unlocked and flashed a new ROM on it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have one of the Prime to USb connectors? I wonder if the issue is in the dock or the tablet connector.

---

poofyhairguy said:
Do you have one of the Prime to USb connectors? I wonder if the issue is in the dock or the tablet connector.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sadly no. I never ever would have used that cause I have the dock. And Dock can't be broken, the problem appeared since the speaker is not working too.

---

I tested MicroHDMI output now. Works fine, audio is there too. Hm... Strange...

---

Hidden "Camera Version" function?
Sorry, wrong thread ^-^" Please delete this entry!

---

My first guess is that something may have gotten disconnected inside the Prime. It's unlikely, but worth a check. Have you ever opened your prime?
When you have a dock, you have two options of connecting it to your PC. You can put the Prime into the dock then connect the two to your PC or you can just set the dock aside and connect the Prime directly. Have you tried both ways?

---

Jgrimoldy said:
My first guess is that something may have gotten disconnected inside the Prime. It's unlikely, but worth a check. Have you ever opened your prime?
When you have a dock, you have two options of connecting it to your PC. You can put the Prime into the dock then connect the two to your PC or you can just set the dock aside and connect the Prime directly. Have you tried both ways?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Jup I tried both ways.
And no I never opened it up. May I should look for a tutorial. Does iFixIt have an tutorial for it?

---

I don't think that iFixIt has one. At least they didn't about 6 months ago when I needed to replace my glass. There should be links to tutorials buried in these forums. Also, a little Googling should find you something too.
Regarding the HDMI audio working: Not too much of a surprise. Remember that the micro-hdmi port is sending a data stream with the audio embedded/encoded as 1s and 0s. It seems like something may have (hopefully) come disconnected related to the built-in speaker.

---

Jgrimoldy said:
I don't think that iFixIt has one. At least they didn't about 6 months ago when I needed to replace my glass. There should be links to tutorials buried in these forums. Also, a little Googling should find you something too.
Regarding the HDMI audio working: Not too much of a surprise. Remember that the micro-hdmi port is sending a data stream with the audio embedded/encoded as 1s and 0s. It seems like something may have (hopefully) come disconnected related to the built-in speaker.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I opened it up but I saw no unconnected or partly connected cable. I only lifted up the touchscreen, about the other parts I was too afraid to ruin something... Didn't unscrew so I wasn't able to see the under connectors.
Anyway, I don't think it's an unconnected cable. But if it's a software fault why are suddenly without flashing anything like Kernel or Bootloader so many things not working? That's just... What the hell o-O
Also I don't want to RMA it again. It's flashed and unlocked so I may have to pay 100€ for it... I could easily spend that money on a Galaxy Tab or something. But would still be awesome to have that one as "backup tablet" then just in case so I don't want to just throw it away.

---

Good on ya for taking a look. If you disconnect the robbon cables that connect the digitizer and LCD to the mainboard, you can set the top part (the screen and glass) aside and take a much better look. I completly understand your reluctance for fear of damaging. I felt the same way when I took mine apart the first time to replace the digitizer glass.
In devices like this, the headphones and the built-in speaker have separate amplifiers. They're not like very old transistor radios where the headphone jack is connected to the speaker wires with an interlock. I found this out when my Viewsonic 4.5" video player had digitally garbled sound in the headphones but not in the built-in speakers. Weirdest thing that I wouldn't expect being old-school...
The upshot is that you simply may have failed components, which is a real bummer since these are (imho) still pretty sweeet tablets.
You *could* always contact ASUS support and describe the problem and see if they can share any familiarity or knowledge with you. Sadly, I've found ASUS support to be bag-of-hammers dumb and patently useless, despite having a decent product.

---

Jgrimoldy said:
Good on ya for taking a look. If you disconnect the robbon cables that connect the digitizer and LCD to the mainboard, you can set the top part (the screen and glass) aside and take a much better look. I completly understand your reluctance for fear of damaging. I felt the same way when I took mine apart the first time to replace the digitizer glass.
In devices like this, the headphones and the built-in speaker have separate amplifiers. They're not like very old transistor radios where the headphone jack is connected to the speaker wires with an interlock. I found this out when my Viewsonic 4.5" video player had digitally garbled sound in the headphones but not in the built-in speakers. Weirdest thing that I wouldn't expect being old-school...
The upshot is that you simply may have failed components, which is a real bummer since these are (imho) still pretty sweeet tablets.
You *could* always contact ASUS support and describe the problem and see if they can share any familiarity or knowledge with you. Sadly, I've found ASUS support to be bag-of-hammers dumb and patently useless, despite having a decent product.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Opened up again, tried to push a few connectors in a bit but nothing... Looks like I really have a hardware failure...
But what now? When I send it to ASUS (or the shop where I bought it) they might say "Nope, you opened that thing". Also flashing back Stock ROM is... Yeah... Many work... I already was on the 4.1.2 Bootloader, upgraded to 4.2.1 now. I don't know how seriously they take that whole hacking/flashing thing, maybe they even repair a flashed tablet.

---

I dont know if it helps anyone further pin-point the problem because i havent been able to but i have the same issues and for me the sound comes back once i have the screen separated from the tablet. i can restart the tablet many times and audio still works as long as the screen is not fully in its place. If i clip the screen back in its place audio still works until i turn off or restart the tablet.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda app-developers app

---

Hello i've got the same problem and i'm praying someone can help.
Since updating from Androwook Hairy Bean V2.11 to V2.2 RC1;
there is no sound from the external speaker; playing media, notifications, alarms etc
dock doesnt recognise usb stick
pc doesnt recognize the tablet
on V2.2 RC1 i got the update pad firmware message and i accepted it, not sure if this is the cause because others have done the sam and reported everything working fine.
Also starting getting a notification on startup "unable to detect driver for loudspeaker" on V2.2 RC1. So i downgraded to Hairy Bean V2.11 thinking it would solve the issue but it hasn't, nothings changed.
I've tried a factory reset, cold boot, downloaded dsp manager and not been successful.
Has anyone come across this problem and found a solution?
Please help me
Thanks

---

zillar5 said:
Hello i've got the same problem and i'm praying someone can help.
Since updating from Androwook Hairy Bean V2.11 to V2.2 RC1;
there is no sound from the external speaker; playing media, notifications, alarms etc
dock doesnt recognise usb stick
pc doesnt recognize the tablet
on V2.2 RC1 i got the update pad firmware message and i accepted it, not sure if this is the cause because others have done the sam and reported everything working fine.
Also starting getting a notification on startup "unable to detect driver for loudspeaker" on V2.2 RC1. So i downgraded to Hairy Bean V2.11 thinking it would solve the issue but it hasn't, nothings changed.
I've tried a factory reset, cold boot, downloaded dsp manager and not been successful.
Has anyone come across this problem and found a solution?
Please help me
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is very strange mate.
The firmware update was just for the pad and if it had already installed on 2.11 and was working fine then that was done. The only person who ever had a problem with it happened as he was installing it and we fixed that.
Upgrading to 2.2 changed nothing from 2.11 except a slightly newer base and some newer kernels. Even if the kernels were not supporting your hardware when you downgraded back to 2.11 you would have been back on the old kernels and back to how you had it working before.
This does confuse me.. As a test because I cannot think of anything else except hardware failure at the moment can you try getting the downgrade zip from the hairybean thread that takes you back to 4.1.1 bootloader and compatible twrp and then try flashing hairybean 1.51 instead.
Read the instructions thoroughly under the downgrading section.

---

flumpster said:
That is very strange mate.
The firmware update was just for the pad and if it had already installed on 2.11 and was working fine then that was done. The only person who ever had a problem with it happened as he was installing it and we fixed that.
Upgrading to 2.2 changed nothing from 2.11 except a slightly newer base and some newer kernels. Even if the kernels were not supporting your hardware when you downgraded back to 2.11 you would have been back on the old kernels and back to how you had it working before.
This does confuse me.. As a test because I cannot think of anything else except hardware failure at the moment can you try getting the downgrade zip from the hairybean thread that takes you back to 4.1.1 bootloader and compatible twrp and then try flashing hairybean 1.51 instead.
Read the instructions thoroughly under the downgrading section.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the assistance Flumpster and I've been following your thread, you've done some damn amazing work!
Just for the record 2.11 + that kernel had my prime running the best it ever has! after doing all the wipes, formats I flashed v2.2 and got the update pad firmware then and missing speaker driver notification? I dismantled my prime and checked for a loose connection on the speaker but it looks ok.
I'll try the downgrade tomorrow (going to bed now) and if that doesn't work, i still have audio through the headphone jack.
Thanks again

---

zillar5 said:
Thanks for the assistance Flumpster and I've been following your thread, you've done some damn amazing work!
Just for the record 2.11 + that kernel had my prime running the best it ever has! after doing all the wipes, formats I flashed v2.2 and got the update pad firmware then and missing speaker driver notification? I dismantled my prime and checked for a loose connection on the speaker but it looks ok.
I'll try the downgrade tomorrow (going to bed now) and if that doesn't work, i still have audio through the headphone jack.
Thanks again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to make sure... Are you saying this happened straight after the firmware update on the next reboot or are you saying it happened when updating the rom ?

---

flumpster said:
Just to make sure... Are you sayig this happened straight after the firmware update on the next reboot or are you saying it happened when updating the rom ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly I don't know because afer I flashed 2.2 the homescreen loaded and the update firmware message appeared straight away. I dont think the notificatipns were sounding as the apps were restoring? Sorry i'm not 100% sure it happened pretty quickly

---

zillar5 said:
Honestly I don't know because afer I flashed 2.2 the homescreen loaded and the update firmware message appeared straight away. I dont think the notificatipns were sounding as the apps were restoring? Sorry i'm not 100% sure it happened pretty quickly
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok mate.. Well try the downgrade option first and if that doesn't work then first of all I want you to drain your battery completely and leave for an hour. After that charge it up a little and try ( I know this sounds crazy and I thought the same when I first read it in another thread but it fixed our one guy who had problems with the firmware upgrade )
If this still does not work then upgrade back to 2.2 and once you are in the OS I will try to talk you into downgrading that firmware update to see if that helps.
If that still doesn't work after downgrading the firmware update then it is hardware sorry.

---

flumpster said:
Ok mate.. Well try the downgrade option first and if that doesn't work then first of all I want you to drain your battery completely and leave for an hour. After that charge it up a little and try ( I know this sounds crazy and I thought the same when I first read it in another thread but it fixed our one guy who had problems with the firmware upgrade )
If this still does not work then upgrade back to 2.2 and once you are in the OS I will try to talk you into downgrading that firmware update to see if that helps.
If that still doesn't work after downgrading the firmware update then it is hardware sorry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i did what the 1st page of the ROM says and rebooted into recovery, tried installing 4.1.1 bootloader and recovery zip from my external sd card and failed - unable to open zip? strange...

---

zillar5 said:
i did what the 1st page of the ROM says and rebooted into recovery, tried installing 4.1.1 bootloader and recovery zip from my external sd card and failed - unable to open zip? strange...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok micro sd card was coming up write protected, so formated and downloaded new files and managed to downgrade to 4.1.1 bootloader and v1.51 - still no sound from external speaker, also sd slot and usb still not working on dock. Tried running the battery flat and leaving it for over an hour then charged a little and powered on still no change.
I'm leaving work now and have limited internet access tonight so i download the v2.2 zip tomorrow and see if that works, otherwise could be hardware hey.