Windows 7 Realtek Audio Driver Problem

DanielMB

New Member
Hi, I'm running Windows 7 RC 7100 and everyhtings working fine apart from the sound. When i install the latest Realtek High Definition Audio driver it installs fine and when i restarrt i have sound and the Realtek icon is in the taskbar, but when i next restart the computer the drivers are gone (windows seems to have replaced them with the standard drivers that were already installed), the Realtek icon has gone from the taskbar and obviously i have no sound. The Realtek software is still listed in the installed software list though and uninstalling and reinstalling makes the sound work again...until i next restart the computer.

Very annoying, any ideas?

Windows 7 RC 7100
Asus A7N8X Deluxe Motherboard
Athlon 64 X2 4200+
ATI X1900
2GB DDR2
 
Just a note to all posters who are having problems.

In order to troubleshoot your problem we neede to know more detailed specs of your system hardware.

Five choices
1. Go to Start > Run, and type msinfo32
2. Go to Control Panel > Device Manager and look for any entry that has a yellow flag beside it
3. Download |MG| SIW (System Info) 2009.5.12
4. Download |MG| SIV (System Information Viewer) 3.36
5 Please fill out your computers specs in the User Control Panel here on the site as well. It will then appear next to your name. look at my posting and you'll see the drop-down arrow.
 
Another audio problem

I know that a lot of posters seem to be having audio issues, but most appear to be on newer machines. I've installed W7 RC on an older laptop (specs below) and for the most part it runs just fine. However, I have not been able to get the audio to function AT ALL! I've tried several drivers with no success. I've let Windows Update find a driver...no luck. I've tried to install the old XP drivers but it won't allow this. My tack bar speaker icon simply says "no audio output device is installed". In the device manager it shows an ! next to "RealTek AC'97 "Audio". I've tried the latest/greatest from the RealTek site also with no luck.
I would greatly appreciate any input you could provide. Is it possible my on-board sound device decided to die?
Thanks...
Jim

OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Version 6.1.7100 Build 7100
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name COMPACLAPTOP
System Manufacturer Hewlett-Packard
System Model Presario R3000 DS513U#ABA
System Type X86-based PC
Processor Mobile Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.80GHz, 2793 Mhz, 1 Core(s), 1 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Hewlett-Packard F.43, 12/15/2004
SMBIOS Version 2.31
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.1.7100.0"
User Name CompacLaptop\Jim
Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 1.25 GB
Total Physical Memory 1.25 GB
Available Physical Memory 705 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.50 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.70 GB
Page File Space 1.25 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
 
unfortunately thta screen does not provide deatils about your soundcard.

Try another pageand see if it says VIA followed by numbers and/or letters.

try this download, it more user friendl;y:

PC WIZARD 2008
 
from PC Wizard

Is this helpful? (from PC Wizard)

Device Audio : AC'97 Audio Controller
MIDI Output : Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth
MIDI Output : Microsoft MIDI Mapper
Device multimedia : AVIVideo
Device multimedia : CDAudio
Device multimedia : Sequencer
Device multimedia : WaveAudio
Device multimedia : MPEGVideo
Audio Compression : Microsoft IMA ADPCM CODEC
Audio Compression : Microsoft CCITT G.711 A-Law and u-Law CODEC
Audio Compression : Microsoft GSM 6.10 Audio CODEC
Audio Compression : Microsoft ADPCM CODEC
Audio Compression : Fraunhofer IIS MPEG Layer-3 Codec (decode only)
Audio Compression : Messenger Audio Codec
Audio Compression : Microsoft PCM Converter
Video Compression : Microsoft RLE
Video Compression : Microsoft Video 1
Video Compression : Microsoft YUV
Video Compression : Microsoft YUV
Video Compression : Microsoft YUV
Video Compression : Intel IYUV codec
Video Compression : Intel IYUV codec
Video Compression : Toshiba YUV Codec
Video Compression : Cinepak Codec by Radius
 
Still no luck...

Thanks for your efforts Reghaker, but I had already tried this particular driver with no success. Nevertheless, I followed your suggestion and tried it again but still have no sound.
Is it possible my onboard sound is broke? How might I figure that out?
Thanks again.
Jim
 
Was it a self-extracting file and contained an .inf file when it was extracted.

If so, you'll need to go to Device Manager, right click the the entry with the flag and choose update driver software, then browse to the location of the extracted files, selecting the .inf file.

Do you have onboard as well as a PCI card?
 
The only inf files are inside the Vista and Vista64 folders and not accessible through the device manager install method. I used the Vista folder and am told that the installed driver is already correct and up to date. However, the taskbar icon continues to indicate "no audio output device installed".
This is a laptop with only onboard sound. No pci card.
Thanks again
 
Are you saying the driver you install works, but the problem is Windows is replacing that driver with its own on restart?
 
Sorry I wasn't more clear in my response. I was addressing the questions from Reghaker in the previous post.
Actually, what is happening is that I can't get ANY driver to install. I'm beginning to wonder if this isn't a failure of the sound portion of the onboard card.
However, I'd be happy to try anything anyone can suggest.
Thanks again to all...
 
Were you offered any driver updates after you activated windows?

You can go to Control Panel > Windows Update, then click the View Update History. Any sound driver updates listed?
 
Windows update driver

Reghakr
I had already tried the driver recommended by Win Update. Still no luck...
 
Do you receive any error message?

If so, please post back with the exact error message.

Also, go to Control Panel > Device manager and report back with any entry that has a yellow flag beside it.
 
Reghakr
When I try to install any driver it simply says it failed.
When I click on the sound icon in the task bar it runs the automatic troubleshooter which states that "there is a problem with the driver for Realtek AC'97 Audio. Reinstalling might fix this problem."
I then have the option to "fix it". When I click this option it attempts to find the driver and install it, but fails. The troubleshooter continues and when completed reports that it was "unable to automatically fix all of the issues found. You can find more details below." The details are:
Problems found
Realteck AC'97 Audio has a driver problem Not fixed

The device manager reports only the the audio problem:
Realteck AC'97 Audio
the properties for the above report "device status....This devicce cannot start. (Code 10)" It further reports a driver dated 3/10/09; driver version 6.0.1.6303 (not digitally signed)

If there is any further information I can provide to help solve this, let me know.....and thanks so much for your efforts.
Jim
 
Jim,

Could you give me more detailed specs of your system hardware.

Go to Start > Run, and type msinfo32

Go to Control Panel > Device Manager and look for any entry that has a yellow flag beside it

Please fill out your computers specs in the User Control Panel here on the site as well. It will then appear next to your name. look at my posting and you'll see the drop-down arrow.

The make and model of your motherboard would be a great help.
 
Reghakr
From the msinfo32 window:
OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Version 6.1.7100 Build 7100
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name COMPACLAPTOP
System Manufacturer Hewlett-Packard
System Model Presario R3000 DS513U#ABA
System Type X86-based PC
Processor Mobile Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.80GHz, 2793 Mhz, 1 Core(s), 1 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Hewlett-Packard F.43, 12/15/2004
SMBIOS Version 2.31
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.1.7100.0"
User Name CompacLaptop\Jim
Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 1.25 GB
Total Physical Memory 1.25 GB
Available Physical Memory 712 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.50 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.68 GB
Page File Space 1.25 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

The only device with an exclamation mark is the audio device.
The computer specs I have are posted.
At your suggestion I previously ran PC Wizard and posted the results.
Thanks again....Jim
 
Jim,

The information below pertains to your BIOS, not the motherboard.

BIOS Version/Date Hewlett-Packard F.43, 12/15/2004

I visited HP's site, punched in your model number and the only operating systems listed were 98, ME, XP, and 2000.

No Vista support. This must be an older laptop?
 
Reghakr
It is an older laptop. About 5 years old. But it otherwise is running W7 just fine; albeit a little slow. Other than the audio, everything works as expected.
Does this mean you think there's probably no fix for the audio?
Jim
 
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