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
    2010-02-10T17:13:34+00:00

    System Information


    Time of this report: 2/10/2010, 12:09:14

    Machine name: ABHI-PC

    Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.091207-1941)

    Language: English (Regional Setting: English)

    System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.

    System Model: Latitude E6400

    BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A19

    Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU     P8800  @ 2.66GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.7GHz

    Memory: 2048MB RAM

    Available OS Memory: 2036MB RAM

    Page File: 979MB used, 3092MB available

    Windows Dir: C:\Windows

    DirectX Version: DirectX 11

    DX Setup Parameters: Not found

    User DPI Setting: Using System DPI

    System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)

    DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled

    DxDiag Version: 6.01.7600.16385 32bit Unicode


    Sound Devices


    Description: Speakers (High Definition Audio Device)

    Default Sound Playback: Yes

    Default Voice Playback: Yes

    Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_111D&DEV_76B2&SUBSYS_10280233&REV_1003

    Manufacturer ID: 1

    Product ID: 65535

    Type: WDM

    Driver Name: HdAudio.sys

    Driver Version: 6.01.7600.16385 (English)

    Driver Attributes: Final Retail

    WHQL Logo'd: Yes

    Date and Size: 7/13/2009 18:51:47, 304128 bytes

    Other Files:

    Driver Provider: Microsoft

    HW Accel Level: Basic

    Cap Flags: 0xF1F

    Min/Max Sample Rate: 100, 200000

    Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 1, 0

    Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 0, 0

    HW Memory: 0

    Voice Management: No

    EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: No, No

    I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: No, No

    Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No

    Description: Digital Audio (S/PDIF) (High Definition Audio Device)

    Default Sound Playback: No

    Default Voice Playback: No

    Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_111D&DEV_76B2&SUBSYS_10280233&REV_1003

    Manufacturer ID: 1

    Product ID: 65535

    Type: WDM

    Driver Name: HdAudio.sys

    Driver Version: 6.01.7600.16385 (English)

    Driver Attributes: Final Retail

    WHQL Logo'd: Yes

    Date and Size: 7/13/2009 18:51:47, 304128 bytes

    Other Files:

    Driver Provider: Microsoft

    HW Accel Level: Basic

    Cap Flags: 0xF1F

    Min/Max Sample Rate: 100, 200000

    Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 1, 0

    Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 0, 0

    HW Memory: 0

    Voice Management: No

    EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: No, No

    I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: No, No

    Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No


    Sound Capture Devices


    Description: Microphone (High Definition Audio Device)

    Default Sound Capture: Yes

    Default Voice Capture: Yes

    Driver Name: HdAudio.sys

    Driver Version: 6.01.7600.16385 (English)

    Driver Attributes: Final Retail

    Date and Size: 7/13/2009 18:51:47, 304128 bytes

    Cap Flags: 0x1

    Format Flags: 0xFFFFF

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-02-10T17:35:52+00:00

    Thanks. Are there any specific repro steps that cause the audio to stop working? Maybe when resuming from standby? Or is it completely random? You can also try installing the audio driver from Dell's web page. Here is a link.

    http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/driverslist.aspx?os=W732&catid=-1&dateid=-1&impid=-1&osl=EN&typeid=-1&formatid=-1&servicetag=&SystemID=LAT_E6400&hidos=WLH&hidlang=en&TabIndex=

    Thanks,

    Chris [MSFT]

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-02-11T14:15:53+00:00

    Thanks. But when I try to install the drivers I get a msg that my drivers are already updated. The problem surfaces quite randomly. I have observed the problem on following occasions -

    1. Computer has been running for ~3-4 hrs
    2. SOMETIMES, when I un-mute the audio
    3. SOMETIMES, when the computer comes out of Sleep/Hibernation mode

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-02-11T16:17:53+00:00

    Did you run the setup or try to install manually from device manager? You may need to run the .exe it in Vista compatibility mode since it is a Vista driver.

    Thanks,

    Chris [MSFT]

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