Audio stops working but works after a reboot

Anonymous
2009-10-28T13:58:18+00:00

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

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Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Music, photos, and video

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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Anonymous
2009-10-29T13:40:44+00:00

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

  1. Click Start,type Sound in the Start Search box.
  2. Click Sound in the search results at the top of the Start menu.
  3. 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:

  1. 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.

  1. On the Playback tab, select the playback device, click Configure, and then make sure the configurations are set correctly.
  2. 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.
  3. Select the sound device that you want as the default sound device, and then click Set Default.
  4. 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:

  1. 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.

  1. On the General tab, click Selective Startup.
  2. Under Selective Startup, click to clear the Load Startup Items check box.
  3. Click the Services tab, click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, and then click Disable All.
  4. 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

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  1. 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.

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  2. 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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  3. Anonymous
    2012-01-13T13:44:18+00:00

    I set that, but doesnt work, so ?

    what else can ido?

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-03-19T15:19:46+00:00

    i'm facing the same problem. i've tried tweaking the sound options but the windows application always freezes. when this problem occurs, the only sound that i get is when i click click on the slider of the volume tuner. i don't use itunes or quicktime, and steam is not running when it occurs. this is really annoying me, i've also tried wiping my drive and reinstalled windows, but it still persists. when the problem occurs when steam is running, i fix it by exiting it. at other times, the problem arises when i wake my laptop from sleep. any help would be greatly appreciated.

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