My audio stops working after Windows 7 has been running for a while; Ideas: the audio will work again after a re-boot but again, it will stop working after Windows has been running for a while. Re-bootig always fixes the problem but only for a few hours and then the audio is gone. audio problem Remember - This is a public forum so never post private information such as email or phone numbers!

Hi, Welcome to Microsoft answers forum. You can check for the sound drivers,whether they are installed correctly. if not uninstall them and install again. I suggest you to verify that the default sound device is set correctly Click Start,type Sound in the Start Search box. Click Sound in the search results at the top of the Start menu. Click the Playback tab. Notice the check mark next to the default device. For most users,the default device is Speakers. Make sure that your audio settings are configured as expected. Follow these steps: On the Playback tab, select the playback device, click Properties, click the Advanced tab, and make sure that the Default Format is set to the value that you expect. When you finish, close this window to return to the previous window. On the Playback tab, select the playback device, click Configure, and then make sure the configurations are set correctly. If the sound settings are set correctly, you are using speakers as the sound device, and your speakers are already set as the default device, go to method 5 now. Select the sound device that you want as the default sound device, and then click Set Default. Click OK to save your settings and to close the Sound dialog box. Determine whether you can now hear sound. If you can hear sound, the issue is resolved. If you cannot hear sound, try method 5. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948481 you can also check performing clean boot. To perform a clean boot on a computer that is running Windows Vista, follow these steps: Click Start,type msconfig in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue. On the General tab, click Selective Startup. Under Selective Startup, click to clear the Load Startup Items check box. Click the Services tab, click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, and then click Disable All. Click OK. When you are prompted, click Restart. After the computer starts, start the program and check whether the problem is resolved. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135 Thanks and Regards, Azam - Microsoft Support

I have the same problem. Why is it that Windows troubleshooting requires you to go through so many hoops, or require that you know command prompts and such? It should just simply WORK. I had errors on my PC which I built last year, in the first week. It's like it is set up to be confusing just to make something work right. There's always some weird hidden feature or folder somewhere that you have to set just right that ONLY MS developers would know. The point is, Windows needs to work on being more intuitive and work more often. Another example is my Wacom tablet. I had to google how to make a built in windows ripple animation go away when using my tablet. It was a ridiculous list of steps to take away something purely cosmetic, and definitely not friendly for photoshop users. EXAMPLE http://oinkfu.com/blog/2009-12/windows-7-and-wacom-cursor-fixing-annoying-radar-animation-latest-windows.html http://forums.cgsociety.org/archive/index.php/t-856085.html RIDICULOUS

Try this: Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Services, then for both Windows Audio and Window Audio Endpoint Builder, under the Recovery tab, choice 3, Subsequent Failures, change the default from "Take no Action" to "Restart the Service." That will automatically restart the service if it fails more than twice. Beyond this, and beyond, rebooting, if you have a USB sound device, unplugging the device and plugging it back also usually works. If the sounds fails only in Word using the "Feedback with Sound" option, unsetting that option and resetting it will work for an individual document.

I wanted to report that this problem continues, now as quickly as 15 minutes after reboot. It's driving me nuts. Incidentally, I do NOT have either Quick Time or the MS Anti Virus installed. HELP, Microsoft!! (My setup documented in my original post (to which I am now replying). Thanks, Mark in Honolulu

Well I'm starting to think the issue may be something more to do with my sound card (but still software/driver related) rather than Windows itself. I finally got sick of my sound constantly turning off during game at random intervals that I decided to completely format my hard drive and re-install Windows 7. I thought surely once everything's been wiped from the system and I start afresh then there won't be any conflicting drivers etc. Unfortunately this didn't work and within a couple of days of doing this and starting gaming again, the problem reoccured. In my instance though I think there is a problem with either the sound card or my gaming client Steam. The sound stopping doesn't happen on all games I play but does happen nearly every time I play The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. I can play a game called Audiosurf which is almost entirely reliant on sound as it's a music-based game, for hours on end with no problems but within 5 minutes of playing Skyrim, the sound will stop working and require a restart. I have checked Event Viewer to see if any errors have been reported that have anything to do with audio and none have been logged. So I decided to uninstall the drivers and disconnect my sound card (a Line 6 Toneport UX2) from my PC and then try the on-board sound instead. I downloaded the latest Realtek High Definition Audio drivers from their website and installed them and after connecting my speakers directly to the back of my PC (normally they would be connect to my Line 6 card), the sound worked fine. So I then did the ultimate test of playing Skyrim to see if the sound would stop working as before and lo and behold, it didn't! In fact I could play for a couple of hours and everything was fine. This leads me to believe that something is going on with the Line 6 card, although what I don't know. I am going to try and contact Line 6 and see if they know anything but at the time of writing this there support forum appears to be acting up (it won't let me post a question as it says I'm not logged in, even though I am - also as a side-note this is the only way to get support from Line 6!). So to sum up, if people are having this problem when using any sound card other than the on-board sound then try uninstalling it and just using the on-board sound and test to see if the sound works ok. You may need to update to the latest drivers (usually Realtek ones). This may or may not work and I myself am not a 100% sure this is the problem for me. I'll have to do a lot more playtesting and see if the problem happens outside of games (as it had done in the past). The ultimate solution may be to buy a new sound card as mine is 4 years old but I'm hoping there is a work around to save myself the expense. Plus my Line 6 card is great for recording instruments and making music so I really want to avoid having to bin it. I'll keep everyone posted on my progress.

Audio stops working but works after a reboot

Anonymous

My audio stops working after Windows 7 has been running for a while;

Ideas:

the audio will work again after a re-boot but again, it will stop working after Windows has been running for a while. Re-bootig always fixes the problem but only for a few hours and then the audio is gone. audio problem

Remember - This is a public forum so never post private information such as email or phone numbers!

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

Hi,

Welcome to Microsoft answers forum.

You can check for the sound drivers,whether they are installed correctly.

if not uninstall them and install again.

I suggest you to verify that the default sound device is set correctly

Click Start,type Sound in the Start Search box.
Click Sound in the search results at the top of the Start menu.
Click the Playback tab. Notice the check mark next to the default device. For most users,the default device is Speakers.

Make sure that your audio settings are configured as expected. Follow these steps:

On the Playback tab, select the playback device, click Properties, click the Advanced tab, and make sure that the Default Format is set to the value that you expect.

When you finish, close this window to return to the previous window.

On the Playback tab, select the playback device, click Configure, and then make sure the configurations are set correctly.
If the sound settings are set correctly, you are using speakers as the sound device, and your speakers are already set as the default device, go to method 5 now.
Select the sound device that you want as the default sound device, and then click Set Default.
Click OK to save your settings and to close the Sound dialog box.

Determine whether you can now hear sound. If you can hear sound, the issue is resolved. If you cannot hear sound, try method 5.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948481

you can also check performing clean boot.

To perform a clean boot on a computer that is running Windows Vista, follow these steps:

Click Start,type msconfig in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.

On the General tab, click Selective Startup.
Under Selective Startup, click to clear the Load Startup Items check box.
Click the Services tab, click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, and then click Disable All.
Click OK.

When you are prompted, click Restart.

After the computer starts, start the program and check whether the problem is resolved.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

Thanks and Regards,

Azam - Microsoft Support

0 comments

150 additional answers

Anonymous

2012-01-13T07:55:56+00:00

I have the same problem. Why is it that Windows troubleshooting requires you to go through so many hoops, or require that you know command prompts and such? It should just simply WORK. I had errors on my PC which I built last year, in the first week. It's like it is set up to be confusing just to make something work right. There's always some weird hidden feature or folder somewhere that you have to set just right that ONLY MS developers would know.

The point is, Windows needs to work on being more intuitive and work more often. Another example is my Wacom tablet. I had to google how to make a built in windows ripple animation go away when using my tablet. It was a ridiculous list of steps to take away something purely cosmetic, and definitely not friendly for photoshop users.

EXAMPLE http://oinkfu.com/blog/2009-12/windows-7-and-wacom-cursor-fixing-annoying-radar-animation-latest-windows.html http://forums.cgsociety.org/archive/index.php/t-856085.html

RIDICULOUS
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Anonymous

2012-01-11T22:57:13+00:00

Try this: Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Services, then for both Windows Audio and Window Audio Endpoint Builder, under the Recovery tab, choice 3, Subsequent Failures, change the default from "Take no Action" to "Restart the Service." That will automatically restart the service if it fails more than twice.

Beyond this, and beyond, rebooting, if you have a USB sound device, unplugging the device and plugging it back also usually works. If the sounds fails only in Word using the "Feedback with Sound" option, unsetting that option and resetting it will work for an individual document.
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2012-01-11T09:28:46+00:00

I wanted to report that this problem continues, now as quickly as 15 minutes after reboot. It's driving me nuts. Incidentally, I do NOT have either Quick Time or the MS Anti Virus installed.

HELP, Microsoft!!

(My setup documented in my original post (to which I am now replying).

Thanks,

Mark in Honolulu
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2012-01-03T10:55:35+00:00

Well I'm starting to think the issue may be something more to do with my sound card (but still software/driver related) rather than Windows itself.

I finally got sick of my sound constantly turning off during game at random intervals that I decided to completely format my hard drive and re-install Windows 7. I thought surely once everything's been wiped from the system and I start afresh then there won't be any conflicting drivers etc.

Unfortunately this didn't work and within a couple of days of doing this and starting gaming again, the problem reoccured. In my instance though I think there is a problem with either the sound card or my gaming client Steam. The sound stopping doesn't happen on all games I play but does happen nearly every time I play The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim.

I can play a game called Audiosurf which is almost entirely reliant on sound as it's a music-based game, for hours on end with no problems but within 5 minutes of playing Skyrim, the sound will stop working and require a restart.

I have checked Event Viewer to see if any errors have been reported that have anything to do with audio and none have been logged. So I decided to uninstall the drivers and disconnect my sound card (a Line 6 Toneport UX2) from my PC and then try the on-board sound instead.

I downloaded the latest Realtek High Definition Audio drivers from their website and installed them and after connecting my speakers directly to the back of my PC (normally they would be connect to my Line 6 card), the sound worked fine.

So I then did the ultimate test of playing Skyrim to see if the sound would stop working as before and lo and behold, it didn't! In fact I could play for a couple of hours and everything was fine. This leads me to believe that something is going on with the Line 6 card, although what I don't know.

I am going to try and contact Line 6 and see if they know anything but at the time of writing this there support forum appears to be acting up (it won't let me post a question as it says I'm not logged in, even though I am - also as a side-note this is the only way to get support from Line 6!).

So to sum up, if people are having this problem when using any sound card other than the on-board sound then try uninstalling it and just using the on-board sound and test to see if the sound works ok. You may need to update to the latest drivers (usually Realtek ones).

This may or may not work and I myself am not a 100% sure this is the problem for me. I'll have to do a lot more playtesting and see if the problem happens outside of games (as it had done in the past). The ultimate solution may be to buy a new sound card as mine is 4 years old but I'm hoping there is a work around to save myself the expense. Plus my Line 6 card is great for recording instruments and making music so I really want to avoid having to bin it.

I'll keep everyone posted on my progress.
Was this answer helpful?

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