Windows 10: Speaker configuration reverts to Stereo upon reboot - with workaround.

As anyone who has this problem will discover when searching this issue, you are not alone. There are many threads in answers.microsoft.com on this issue, some dating back to 2016, or possibly further. All of the threads now appear to be locked, although some of them were quite active.

Basically the issue is this: If you have a non-stereo speaker configuration, such as 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound, you can configure this in Windows 10 by

selecting Settings > System > Sound > and Sound Control Panel on the right. Then select Speakers and select the Configure button. You can then setup the configuration to match your system. So far, good.

However, when you reboot your system, the speaker configuration reverts to a two speaker stereo configuration. You then have to go through the configuration process all over again. I spent much time trying to find a fix for this, but to no avail. Many, many, people reported this, but Microsoft made no acknowledgement of the problem. Eventually I created a shortcut for the Sound Control Panel on my desktop and just reconfigured my speakers every time I booted up. I have been doing this for several years.

Yesterday, I seem to have stumbled upon a workaround for the problem. My soundcard is Realtek, and my speakers show in the Sound Control Panel as

"Realtek High Definition Audio Default Device". I was working on a potential performance problem with my system, and decided to disable startup on bootup of several programs by opening Task Manager, selecting the Startup tab, and changing the status of several programs from Enabled to Disabled. One of these was "Realtek HD Audio Manager". When I rebooted, I discovered that my speaker configuration had not reverted to stereo. I thought it might be a fluke, but I tested it several times by enabling and disabling "Audio Manager" at startup, and it was repeatable. I have not encountered any problem with doing this.

I don't know if this is a Microsoft bug or a Realtek one, but there seem to be a number of people who reported this with different audio software, so I suspect it may be a Microsoft issue, at least in part.

I hope that Microsoft does not remove this thread and that it may help someone who has encountered this annoying issue.

:)

 

Speakers configuration keeps reverting to stereo

Hi there,

I have encountered a problem with Windows 10 Version 1809.

When I click on "Configure" on Windows Sound, the speakers configuration will revert to stereo even after I have selected 5.1 speakers or 7.1 speakers.

The issue also causes the sample rate to revert to a lower setting.

For example if I have selected 24bit 96kHz on an audio device, clicking on "Configure" will cause the sample rate to revert to 24bit 48kHz.

When I click on "Configure" and click on "Cancel", the speakers' configuration reverts to stereo.









This is happening on other audio devices as well.

This is a video I took with the onboard audio device:

 

Speaker Configuration resets from 7.1 to Stereo after reboot

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to us. Windows 10 may have encountered a compatibility issue or a driver conflict. For us to assist you better, kindly answer the following questions:

• Have you made any recent changes prior to this issue? Is it also happening prior to the 1709 update?
  
• Is your speaker configuration went back to 2.0 after it has been set to 7.1 whenever you reboot your computer?
• Aside from uninstalling and reinstalling the driver, have you also tried updating or rolling back your driver?

While we research further about this issue, we suggest that you perform the steps on this

article to see if there will be any changes on your computer.

Kindly get back to us.

 

Speaker Configuration resets from 7.1 to Stereo after reboot

I am using Windows 10 Home, Version 1709.

I have Realtek audio on Asus Z87-A motherboard with on board audio jacks for surround sound.

It is using 8186 driver. The speakers are my default device.

The problem that I I have is that I have configured the speakers through Windows Sound to be 7.1. I have Front, Side and Rear enabled. I uncheck centre and subwoofer. This works perfectly until I reboot.

Every reboot my system reverts back to Stereo sound. The default device does not change.

This in incredibly frustrating as the computer is in a Virtual Pinball Machine.

I see a significant number of complaints about this online, but there does not seem to be any answers.

I have uninstalled and reinstalled the latest drivers.

I have disabled and enabled the sound I need.

[Moved from: Windows / Windows 10 / Windows Settings]