Realtek Audio device Code 10 cannot start and unable to update

His Asus VP278 is his monitor --- which has its own speakers.

The "High Definition Audio Device" is a generic Microsoft audio driver for his graphics card --- which outputs audio via HDMI.

His Asus VP278 is his monitor --- which has its own speakers.

The "High Definition Audio Device" is a generic Microsoft audio driver for his graphics card --- which outputs audio via HDMI.

Yes, this was my understanding as well. It is the monitor and that is sound kind of hdmi audio driver for the graphics card. I wasn't sure if it was causing some kind of conflict? Either way Im thinking I'll clean install tonight, if anyone has any tips on what order to install stuff from the clean install I'd appreciate them as I know what I need to have on here but I don't want to mess anything up in regards to drivers this time.

OK, that explains your Device Manager. I guess all is normal in it except the internal sound card refuses to install properly. You seem to have seen it in BIOS, so it hasn't become unplugged. Also, I doubt Windows could give it a code 10 without seeing it.

(1) Are there any hardware tests that can be done in BIOS?

(2) Did you see the reviews of "Realtek Audio Console" in the Store? It's horrid, & many of them got the error you did trying to install it...!...

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/realtek-audio-control/9p2b8mcsvpln?SilentAuth=1&wa=wsignin1.0&activetab=pivot:reviewstab

Realtek Audio Control

(3) I say...

(a) Make a Windows system image backup. Want instructions?

(b) Then try the clean install.

(c) Definitely make do without that app afterward.

The clean install will fetch drivers on its own, but see Greg's post for precautionary measures. When asked, input your Microsoft account password. That will make activation automatic, provided you are installing the same Edition (Home, Pro, etc.) as you've got now. The only other password I was asked for was my WiFi password (which is written on the router). A few drivers may need to be updated afterward. I think - darn it - it was my Realtek that needed that. Get them from your site, if it happens to you.

Maybe first (before the clean install) try installing the audio from the INF the way JosephT71 said earlier, namely unpack it & click it's Setup.exe.

So - I backed up some essentials and wiped everything using the "Reset this PC" tool. I chose to remove all personal files and folders as well as cleaning drives completely. I then followed Greg's guide at https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows\_10-performance/windows-10-performance-and-install-integrity/75529fd4-fac7-4653-893a-dd8cd4b4db00 and encountered no issues whatsoever. My installation appears to be problem-free.

Despite all updates being installed, all drivers I could think of being good to go and a seemingly healthy installation of Windows, I CANNOT install my sound driver and the pc simply will not let it run. Even if I manually install the audio console app it fails to install with an unknown error. And it certainly doesn't work without it (still code 10 device cannot start for my realtek driver). Is my board defective? Because at this point it seems like it's just incapable of working and is physically broken despite being a fairly new pc build (less than 2 years old).

It really feels like this hdmi audio for my monitor is disabling my on board sound. I noticed in my BIOS my board's sound IS enabled but states that it will be automatically disabled in the presence of another sound card. My computer seems to be seeing the monitor as the absolute only output and will not even detect devices plugged into the jacks for the board at the back. Searching through countless threads online I've seen a few others where people saw a video cards hdmi audio "replace" or disable their on board sound and very few had any luck in fixing it. My problem could be that or it could be a faulty board or any number of other things. I would just really like to be able to use my headset with microphone and to find a solution for all others who have this problem.