this post was submitted on 06 Aug 2025
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[Solved!] Swapped nvme from old deck into new deck, now headphones don't work (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by beastlykings@sh.itjust.works to c/steamdeck@sopuli.xyz
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Update: It's fixed! Spoiler tag for anyone who wants to think about what it could be before send the solution.

spoilerI don't know why exactly this fixed it, but Max_P suggested deleting the pipewire and wireplumber folders and restarting. This has solved my issues!

Original post:

Hi there.

I swapped the drive because my old steam deck is the "good" one, the first one we bought. My wife has been using it so much lately, we decided to get a second one. She doesn't need a 2TB drive, so I swapped it with the 512GB one that came with the "new" deck.

Why not just give her the new deck? It's screen is cracked, and it has other issues I'm going to fix. I want her to have the nice one.

The issue is software related, the headphones work fine with the old nvme. Likewise, I slapped a 256GB 2280 drive in there, did a fresh steam install, and it works fine.

Things I've tried:

Searching online, nobody else seems to have this exact issue.

Restarting with headphones plugged in.

Rapidly changing between outputs in the settings.

Going into desktop mode and manually fiddling with the headphones in the audio settings.

Bluetooth headphones work fine.

So far nothing makes the wired headphones work.

I don't want to factory reset my Deck, but I will if I have to. My next step is to do a system repair using the install media, to see if it finds and fixes anything. But it gives a warning about potential data loss if it fails. So first, I am running rescuzilla and backing up the entire drive. I don't have a spare nvme big enough to test that backup, so it's not really a backup, but, that's where I'm at.

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

Thanks

Edit: added to the things I've tried

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[โ€“] overload@sopuli.xyz 4 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Thanks mate, same. I struggled to find people talking about it online. To be honest it's not a terrible problem for me. Use Bluetooth most of the time.

[โ€“] beastlykings@sh.itjust.works 4 points 4 months ago

No worries.

Yeah I've used Bluetooth before, but the lag is always noticeable for me. I can ignore it on something like HZD or HFW, but I've been playing Fretless lately, so musical timing is key.

My wired headphones always stay in the steam case waiting for me, never need charged or fussed with, they just work. Plus I got an old school pair, big drivers that sit in your ear, not in your ear canal, so I can still hear the world around me without needing passthrough or whatever it's called. The only loss is a little less bass ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ

[โ€“] beastlykings@sh.itjust.works 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Not sure if this will solve your problems as well, crackling sounds like hardware to me. But Max_P suggested deleting the pipewire and wireplumber folders and restarting, that fixed it!

[โ€“] overload@sopuli.xyz 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Wow okay I will try that!