Troubleshooting audio in Win 10

In summary: Windows 10 was released. It's been a problem with several devices on my network, including one of my laptops, my phone, and one of my home theater receivers.I opened up my lappie today to discover that it will not play any sound.Says there are no audio output devices installed.I went through various Google suggestions, including pointing it at my system drivers (Device Mgr > System Devices > Hi Def Audio > Update > Choose from my drive) and then rebooting, but no joy.Suggestions?
  • #1
DaveC426913
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TL;DR Summary
No audio output device detected
I opened up my lappie today to discover that it will not play any sound.
Says there are no audio output devices installed.
I went through various Google suggestions, including pointing it at my system drivers (Device Mgr > System Devices > Hi Def Audio > Update > Choose from my drive) and then rebooting, but no joy.

Suggestions?

Only thing that I've changed recently is a little more use of my headphones. It asks what kind of device I'e just plugged in. This has worked fine before, so I don't know how it's related to this problem.

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  • #2
try plugging a different pair in and perhaps that will jog its memory or give you more clues on what is going on.

Basically your lappie (I like that word) can't play thru its built in speakers anymore?

I guess if you was to add in the brand name then do you have a lennie or dellie or hughiep ?
 
  • #3
I found these references for fixing these kinds of problems:

https://www.drivereasy.com/knowledge/fix-windows-10-no-sound-issue/

https://www.drivethelife.com/windows-10/fix-no-sound-on-windows-10-issue.html

(the reference of above may well be an April Fool's joke but it seemed reasonable and its recent)

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4520288/windows-10-fix-sound-problems

https://fossbytes.com/windows-10-guide-how-to-fix-audio-issues-in-windows-10-pcs/
 
  • #4
Yeah.I found that first DriveEasy one and walked through it. Didn't help.

In the comments though, someone suggested closing the lappie rather than rebooting it. I tried that, though still had to reboot after, and it seems to be fine now.

Windoze magic.
 
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  • #5
Yeah, sometimes you need to shutdown vs reboot as not everything gets reset in a reboot.

On PC-DOS machines I remember there was a memory location we could check and if it was non-zero (I think it had a numeric bit pattern) then we knew the machine had been rebooted and not shutdown. I imagine even in the day of these modern OS that feature is still hidden in there somewhere as a low-level ROM thing.

On my mac-mini recently, it loses the external monitor connection. Reboots don't fix the problem but shutdowns work.
 
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  • #6
With windows, device-not-installed problems are common. For example, my Win10 laptop sometimes does not recognise my phone when I connect it for USB debugging. Whatever I do, it just won't work. After a few days, it comes back to normal.

Try rolling back drivers (if Windows allows you to do so). Also disable and then enable the driver.
 
  • #7
If you just plug in headphones then it's likely using the built in sound card. If that has problems then you can try and re-install the driver but it might have a hardware fault also.

If you plugging in a headset via USB, it might have an on board sound card in the device which it's struggling to find. To narrow it down try removing your headset/headphone and see if you get any sound out of the built in speakers.
 
  • #8
Yeah, I tried plugging the headphones back in, in case it was struggling to find them. No effect.

Anyway, it's magically fixed.
 
  • #9
Windows has consistent driver collision issues, when an updated version of the driver tries to install and for various reasons makes the system confused about which version to use. People who have been around for awhile are always prepared for a clean reinstall. The truly paranoid virtualize everything.
 
  • #10
The audio on my HP laptop is perfectly OK using headphones, but the volume from the internal speakers has dropped to barely audible unless the sound is a Windows generated one, such as the test tones in the audio troubleshooter! After so many failed attempts to restore the volume I just use the headphones.
 
  • #11
Win10?
 
  • #12
DaveC426913 said:
Yeah, I tried plugging the headphones back in, in case it was struggling to find them. No effect.

Anyway, it's magically fixed.
That sounds annoyingly familiar. I've had it happen on both my HiFi amp and on this tower computer

The systems here use wireless headphones so the jacks aren't toyed with very much, and the applied voltage & load current are tiny.

The headphone jack has a built-in switch to disconnect the built-in speakers if the headphones are connected.

Over an extended time of no movement of the headphone plug/jack, the contacts seem oxidize or collect dirt and cause loss of one or both channels.

Unplugging/re-plugging cures it for many months.

Cheers,
Tom
 
  • #13
If you're dead certain it's the contacts, get contact cleaner
 
  • #14
jamesson said:
If you're dead certain it's the contacts, get contact cleaner
Naah, at least not right away. IMO it's not worth the aggravation and mess until plugging/unplugging a few times fails... or it's an often-repeatiig failure.
 
  • #15
Tom.G said:
That sounds annoyingly familiar. I've had it happen on both my HiFi amp and on this tower computer

The systems here use wireless headphones so the jacks aren't toyed with very much, and the applied voltage & load current are tiny.

The headphone jack has a built-in switch to disconnect the built-in speakers if the headphones are connected.

Over an extended time of no movement of the headphone plug/jack, the contacts seem oxidize or collect dirt and cause loss of one or both channels.

Unplugging/re-plugging cures it for many months.

Cheers,
Tom
For me, the problem occurred long after I had already removed the headphones (that had been working fine) - the next time I woke it up.

Putting it to sleep, rather than rebooting seems to have fixed it.
 
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  • #16
If only Windows sounds play through then the rest are muted or turned down. Windows has multiple volume controls. If you right click on the speaker next to the time in the bottom right and click "Open Volume Mixer" you will see all available volumes. You will need any application you want to see the volume mixer for open before it will show up.

It sounds like everything is turned down apart from "System Sounds" if you can only hear Windows noises.
 
  • #17
This is a good post.
 
  • #18
I've seen this several times. Its basically Windows being stupid with drivers. I always go to device manager and uninstall the driver. Then restart computer. Be connected to internet so Windows can just install them again.
 
  • #19
I was bricking it when I booted up and had no sound. This fixed mine a week ago.
 
  • #20
omigosh said:
I was bricking it when I booted up and had no sound. This fixed mine a week ago.
That link lists 5 'methods' ##-## you didn't say what worked for you, or what the problem turned out to be . . .
 

FAQ: Troubleshooting audio in Win 10

1. Why is there no sound coming from my computer?

There could be several reasons for this issue. First, check if your speakers or headphones are properly plugged in and turned on. Also, make sure the volume is turned up and not muted. If these things are not the problem, then the issue may be with your audio settings or drivers. Try updating your drivers or adjusting your audio settings in the Control Panel.

2. How do I troubleshoot audio problems in Windows 10?

To troubleshoot audio problems in Windows 10, you can try several steps. First, check your hardware and make sure everything is properly connected and functioning. Next, try updating your audio drivers or rolling them back to a previous version. You can also try running the Windows Audio Troubleshooter, which can be found in the Control Panel. If these steps do not solve the issue, you may need to seek further assistance.

3. Why is my audio distorted or crackling?

This issue can be caused by a variety of factors. It could be due to outdated or faulty drivers, conflicting audio settings, or hardware issues. To troubleshoot this problem, try updating your drivers, adjusting your audio settings, and checking your hardware for any problems. You may also want to try using a different set of speakers or headphones to see if the issue persists.

4. How do I change my default audio playback device?

To change your default audio playback device in Windows 10, go to the Control Panel and click on "Sound." Under the "Playback" tab, you will see a list of available audio devices. Right-click on the device you want to set as default and select "Set as Default Device." You can also access these settings by right-clicking on the volume icon in the taskbar and selecting "Playback Devices."

5. Why is my microphone not working?

If your microphone is not working, there could be a few reasons for this. First, make sure it is properly connected to your computer. Next, check your audio settings and make sure the correct microphone is selected as the default recording device. You may also need to adjust the microphone's volume or sensitivity. If these steps do not solve the issue, try updating your drivers or testing the microphone on a different device.

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