Windows 10: No Audio Output Device is installed

Hi,

Yesterday my sound was working fine, I walked away from my notebook for 15 minutes and came back and the sound icon had a red X against it. The error message when I hover over it is 'No Audio Output Device is installed'.

In Device Manager the error message for Realtek High Definition Audio is: This device cannot start. (Code 10), although there have been different error messages depending on where I am at with troubleshooting.

I have tried reinstalling RealTek drivers on the sound card, rolling back drivers, using sound troubleshooter, system restore etc with no luck.

I have also spoken to Windows support and they couldn't resolve the issue and suggested I contact the notebook manufacturer (ASUS). I tried doing this but ran into errors on their website.

Are there any further suggestions anyone could recommend that I try?

Some details of my system:

OS: Windows 10 Home 64 bit
Manufacturer/Model: ASUS X555LJ
Processor: i7-5500U
Ram: 8GB

Any help would be great!

Thanks,
Lawrence

:)

 

No audio, 'No Audio Output Device Is Installed', have already updated BIOS and chipset and drivers, Windows 10

I am having this VERY same issue and have exhausted the VERY same measures as you did. I would love to hear a resolution but I don't guess there will be one given.

 

No audio, 'No Audio Output Device Is Installed', have already updated BIOS and chipset and drivers, Windows 10

Please, any more suggestions? I'm thinking that there is a way to fix this.

And when I updated the driver for 'High Definition Audio Codecs', Device Manager switched it to 'Realtek High Definition Audio', even though that was already listed under 'Sound, Video, and Game Controllers' (so now 'Realtek High Definition Audio' is listed
twice under r 'Sound, Video, and Game Controllers'.

Device Manager also allowed me to install 'Intel WiDi Audio Device', but it still makes no sound at all.

And under 'System Devices', my computer tells me that the driver for 'High Definition Audio Controller' is up to date, but it still has a yellow bang mark next to it (nothing I do seems to ever change that - any suggestsions?)

 

When you uninstalled the drivers did you use the Realtek utility, or do it through device manager? It might make sense to do both (first with the vendor utility, then DevMgr). When doing the DevMgr part be sure to check the delete software checkbox in the uninstall Window as shown here:



HTH,
--Ed--

 

Thanks for replying Ed.

I'm not sure how to use the Realtek Utility at all?

I have uninstalled the drivers with the software removal checked as well. When I reinstalled the latest Realtek driver it would not even appear in DevMgr after, but other times would. It's very random.

Yesterday I installed a Realtek driver and rebooted, the sound was back for about 15 minutes and then again it said there was no audio output device installed.

If you could let me know how to use the Realtek Utility I'll give that a go.

Thanks

 

So I did a repair install using MediaCreationTool and reinstalled the Realtek driver from the Realtek site and not ASUS.

Now Realtek High Definition Audio shows up with the yellow triangle and the error message: The device cannot start (Code 10)

Any ideas?

Lawrence

 

You need to go into Programs and Features, then right-click the Realtek entry (here's a screencap of what it looks like on my system):



Then, once you've done this, you can go into DevMgr and remove all traces of your Realfek item. Then reboot, and you can try starting over. I wouldn't recommend a repair install. You want to start fresh, so try to kill all traces of your current Realtek stuff before laying down a new, pristine set of drivers.
HTH,
--Ed--

PS: sorry to be slow in following up with you. I took the family to the Texas State Fair in Dallas this weekend, and a two-day break from all things computing related. Glad to be back at my desk!

 

Hi Ed,

I've tried doing it using that process and still had no luck. Even if I remove all traces of Realtek from my PC and install the latest drivers I still get the No Audio Output Device message.

I feel like I've tried everything!

 

OK, then, it's time to try some more radical approaches. Ask around and see if you can borrow a USB headset like the Logitech H340 ($30). If that works, you can be reasonably sure something is wonky with your RealTek circuitry (which is what it's starting to sound like, or not sound like, rather). You might want to start thinking about an add-in audio card (the Asus Xonar models are great for hi-fidelity audio, but some of their models have win10 driver issues; creative/sound blaster cards still get good user reviews on Newegg) as a way to bypass that stuff altogether.
Other than these suggestions, given what you've already tried (and how many times you've tried it) I don't have any other strategies or techniques to suggest. Sorry for your trouble!
--Ed--

 

Another thought. If you uninstall the Realtek in the Device Manager and uninstall the driver, then restart the PC when Windows starts it should detect and either install the Generic, Basic Function, High Definition Audio Drivers or possibly download Realtek drivers from Windows updates. See if either of these work.

 

Fireberd, I think the OP has already tried that. But it never hurts to try again. Good advice!
--Ed--

 

All of that "Smells" like a HW issue.

 

I've had similar issue before with a USB wireless card , error 10 , turned out to be a hardware issue , did all the same things that the OP has tried to get it working...ended up buying a new one which then worked just fine.


I'd adding my vote to hardware issue , buy a cheap compatible sound card instead.

 

I wouldn't give up yet on the hardware. One other thing I've seen help is reinstalling the Intel Motherboard Chipset Drivers. One of the things the chipset drivers do is identify all the devices. I've seen reinstalling chipset drivers help in some other cases. Whether it will help here? but worth a try.

 

Good call Fireberd: I hadn't thought to recommend that. Funky, outdated, or corrupted chipset drivers can mung all kinds of other system capabilities, including audio. Thanks!
--Ed--