Windows 10 audio stops working after installing Intel Smart Sound Technology driver (version 09.21.00.3755)

Earlier this week, Intel unintentionally released version 9.21.00.3755 of the Intel Smart Sound Technology (ISST) Driver through Windows Update, and inadvertently offered it to a range of devices running Window 10 version 1803 or 1809. If your device contained<br> a compatible audio driver, the new driver overrode it and caused audio to stop working.<br><br><br><br><br><br>We are working with Intel to resolve this issue, and as soon as we learned of the issue on October 11, we made sure the driver was no longer being offered through Windows Update. If it was already installed on your device, you will need to uninstall the<br> driver using the following instructions.<br><br> <br><br>  <br><br><ol><br><li><span style="color:#333333">From the Start menu, type <strong>Device Manager </strong><br>in the search box. Select <strong>Device Manager</strong> from the search results.</span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Find and expand <strong>Sound, video, and game controllers.</strong></span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Look for a Realtek device, or a device that has a yellow triangle with an exclamation point.</span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Click on the device to select it.</span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Go to the Device Manager <strong>View</strong> menu, and then select<br><strong>Devices by connection</strong>.<br><br><br><br></span><a href="https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/048ccab5-e448-412c-b600-b4b3aea9fe18?platform=QnA target="_blank" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/048ccab5-e448-412c-b600-b4b3aea9fe18?platform=QnA style="color:#333333"><br><br></span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Look at the controller device - this should be called<br><strong>Intel Smart Sound Technology driver version 09.21.00.3755.</strong></span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Right-click the controller device.</span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Choose <strong>Properties.</strong></span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">You should get a dialog like below. Click on the <strong><br>Driver</strong> tab as shown:</span></li></ol><br>  <br><br>  <br><br> <br><br>  <br><br>10.  If the driver version is<br>9.21.0.3755, you have the driver that was sent to you incorrectly. <br><br>11.  Click Uninstall Device. You will get a popup asking if you want to remove the driver. <br><br>  <br><br> <br><br>  <br><br>13.  Check the<br>checkbox as shown, so the driver will be removed. <br><br>14.  Click<br>Uninstall. <br><br>15.  When the driver is uninstalled, reboot your system. <br><br>16.  Your audio (speakers and headphones) should work after the reboot.

Earlier this week, Intel unintentionally released version 9.21.00.3755 of the Intel Smart Sound Technology (ISST) Driver through Windows Update, and inadvertently offered it to a range of devices running Window 10 version 1803 or 1809. If your device contained<br> a compatible audio driver, the new driver overrode it and caused audio to stop working.<br><br><br><br><br><br>We are working with Intel to resolve this issue, and as soon as we learned of the issue on October 11, we made sure the driver was no longer being offered through Windows Update. If it was already installed on your device, you will need to uninstall the<br> driver using the following instructions.<br><br> <br><br>  <br><br><ol><br><li><span style="color:#333333">From the Start menu, type <strong>Device Manager </strong><br>in the search box. Select <strong>Device Manager</strong> from the search results.</span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Find and expand <strong>Sound, video, and game controllers.</strong></span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Look for a Realtek device, or a device that has a yellow triangle with an exclamation point.</span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Click on the device to select it.</span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Go to the Device Manager <strong>View</strong> menu, and then select<br><strong>Devices by connection</strong>.<br><br><br><br></span><a href="https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/048ccab5-e448-412c-b600-b4b3aea9fe18?platform=QnA target="_blank" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/048ccab5-e448-412c-b600-b4b3aea9fe18?platform=QnA style="color:#333333"><br><br></span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Look at the controller device - this should be called<br><strong>Intel Smart Sound Technology driver version 09.21.00.3755.</strong></span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Right-click the controller device.</span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Choose <strong>Properties.</strong></span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">You should get a dialog like below. Click on the <strong><br>Driver</strong> tab as shown:</span></li></ol><br>  <br><br>  <br><br> <br><br>  <br><br>10.  If the driver version is<br>9.21.0.3755, you have the driver that was sent to you incorrectly. <br><br>11.  Click Uninstall Device. You will get a popup asking if you want to remove the driver. <br><br>  <br><br> <br><br>  <br><br>13.  Check the<br>checkbox as shown, so the driver will be removed. <br><br>14.  Click<br>Uninstall. <br><br>15.  When the driver is uninstalled, reboot your system. <br><br>16.  Your audio (speakers and headphones) should work after the reboot.

Earlier this week, Intel unintentionally released version 9.21.00.3755 of the Intel Smart Sound Technology (ISST) Driver through Windows Update, and inadvertently offered it to a range of devices running Window 10 version 1803 or 1809. If your device contained<br> a compatible audio driver, the new driver overrode it and caused audio to stop working.<br><br><br><br><br><br>We are working with Intel to resolve this issue, and as soon as we learned of the issue on October 11, we made sure the driver was no longer being offered through Windows Update. If it was already installed on your device, you will need to uninstall the<br> driver using the following instructions.<br><br> <br><br>  <br><br><ol><br><li><span style="color:#333333">From the Start menu, type <strong>Device Manager </strong><br>in the search box. Select <strong>Device Manager</strong> from the search results.</span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Find and expand <strong>Sound, video, and game controllers.</strong></span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Look for a Realtek device, or a device that has a yellow triangle with an exclamation point.</span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Click on the device to select it.</span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Go to the Device Manager <strong>View</strong> menu, and then select<br><strong>Devices by connection</strong>.<br><br><br><br></span><a href="https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/048ccab5-e448-412c-b600-b4b3aea9fe18?platform=QnA target="_blank" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/048ccab5-e448-412c-b600-b4b3aea9fe18?platform=QnA style="color:#333333"><br><br></span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Look at the controller device - this should be called<br><strong>Intel Smart Sound Technology driver version 09.21.00.3755.</strong></span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Right-click the controller device.</span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Choose <strong>Properties.</strong></span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">You should get a dialog like below. Click on the <strong><br>Driver</strong> tab as shown:</span></li></ol><br>  <br><br>  <br><br> <br><br>  <br><br>10.  If the driver version is<br>9.21.0.3755, you have the driver that was sent to you incorrectly. <br><br>11.  Click Uninstall Device. You will get a popup asking if you want to remove the driver. <br><br>  <br><br> <br><br>  <br><br>13.  Check the<br>checkbox as shown, so the driver will be removed. <br><br>14.  Click<br>Uninstall. <br><br>15.  When the driver is uninstalled, reboot your system. <br><br>16.  Your audio (speakers and headphones) should work after the reboot.

Earlier this week, Intel unintentionally released version 9.21.00.3755 of the Intel Smart Sound Technology (ISST) Driver through Windows Update, and inadvertently offered it to a range of devices running Window 10 version 1803 or 1809. If your device contained<br> a compatible audio driver, the new driver overrode it and caused audio to stop working.<br><br><br><br><br><br>We are working with Intel to resolve this issue, and as soon as we learned of the issue on October 11, we made sure the driver was no longer being offered through Windows Update. If it was already installed on your device, you will need to uninstall the<br> driver using the following instructions.<br><br> <br><br>  <br><br><ol><br><li><span style="color:#333333">From the Start menu, type <strong>Device Manager </strong><br>in the search box. Select <strong>Device Manager</strong> from the search results.</span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Find and expand <strong>Sound, video, and game controllers.</strong></span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Look for a Realtek device, or a device that has a yellow triangle with an exclamation point.</span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Click on the device to select it.</span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Go to the Device Manager <strong>View</strong> menu, and then select<br><strong>Devices by connection</strong>.<br><br><br><br></span><a href="https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/048ccab5-e448-412c-b600-b4b3aea9fe18?platform=QnA target="_blank" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/048ccab5-e448-412c-b600-b4b3aea9fe18?platform=QnA style="color:#333333"><br><br></span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Look at the controller device - this should be called<br><strong>Intel Smart Sound Technology driver version 09.21.00.3755.</strong></span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Right-click the controller device.</span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">Choose <strong>Properties.</strong></span></li><li><span style="color:#333333">You should get a dialog like below. Click on the <strong><br>Driver</strong> tab as shown:</span></li></ol><br>  <br><br>  <br><br> <br><br>  <br><br>10.  If the driver version is<br>9.21.0.3755, you have the driver that was sent to you incorrectly. <br><br>11.  Click Uninstall Device. You will get a popup asking if you want to remove the driver. <br><br>  <br><br> <br><br>  <br><br>13.  Check the<br>checkbox as shown, so the driver will be removed. <br><br>14.  Click<br>Uninstall. <br><br>15.  When the driver is uninstalled, reboot your system. <br><br>16.  Your audio (speakers and headphones) should work after the reboot.

I hope it is a long meeting.

Typically a nuke and pave (wipe the hard drive and reinstall Windows 10 from scratch) takes 2 to 3 hours, at least on the machines I've had on my bench. Last one was a Dell with a damaged display. Once I repaired the display and got it up and running I discovered she was still running Windows 10 Home 1607. Upgrading to 1803, including any required updates, took a little under 3 hours to complete.