No media playback and limited functionality on Win10

[Toastyx3]

Since early this morning I have this annoying problem, where my Win10 simply refuses to playback any sort of media. Be it Youtube videos, music, videos on my hard drive, it simply wont playback. When I restart my PC everything works fine but then randomly it just stops working.

I'm opposed to any sort of updates (especially coming from Microsoft) bc they mostly cause more harm then do any good and only update my machines and drivers when it's necessary. The only thing I did yesterday was, to move a big chunk of my Steam library to my main machine, which is having the problem right now.

After the sound and media playback cuts out, I also have the problem to get into my audio devices. The sound icon in the bottom right shows me the options when I right click, but the moment I choose one nothing happens. I cant regulate the volume via keyboard or mouse.

I checked device manager for driver updates, checked my headset if it actually works (using Logitec G430). I dont know if this is a hardware problem (chipset malfuntioning) or OS related problem.

I just got the error that my audio service isnt running but I checked the service list but there isnt even an Audio Service to begin with.

 

[SchizTech]

How much CPU/memory/disk activity is showing in task manager?

The audio service is properly called "Windows Audio," so you'd find it down the alphabetical list at W (in a whole line of Windows xxxx services). If you want to rule out a hardware issue, you could run a *buntu boot disk (a few varieties to choose from varying by the user interface). Any of the Ubuntu varieties offer the ability to run a "live CD" session off the disk without touching the HDD though it is able to read the NTFS filesystem and so would be able to see the contents of the drive.

There are also of course HDD and memory diagnostics (Seagate Seatools for the HDD, either Windows' own memory diagnostic or Memtest for ram)

Assuming there's no hardware issue, there's the reset function in Windows' settings app.

 

[Toastyx3]

How much CPU/memory/disk activity is showing in task manager?

The audio service is properly called "Windows Audio," so you'd find it down the alphabetical list at W (in a whole line of Windows xxxx services). If you want to rule out a hardware issue, you could run a *buntu boot disk (a few varieties to choose from varying by the user interface). Any of the Ubuntu varieties offer the ability to run a "live CD" session off the disk without touching the HDD though it is able to read the NTFS filesystem and so would be able to see the contents of the drive.

There are also of course HDD and memory diagnostics (Seagate Seatools for the HDD, either Windows' own memory diagnostic or Memtest for ram)

Assuming there's no hardware issue, there's the reset function in Windows' settings app.

There's 0% load on the machine. Besides basic Windows applications, Steam, Discord etc. there's nothing stressing the machine. To put it in numbers:
CPU 04% (1% of it is Task manager)
RAM 24% (Firefox, Adobe Reader and some other stuff running)
DSK 00%
NTW 00%

Regarding Windows Audio service: I already sorted by alphabet and couldnt find it, neither in the Task Manager Service tab nor in "Services". I know there's a Windows Audio Service that's why I went ahead and checked but apparently it vanished and I dont know how. When I restart my machine, it's there but then disappears after a while. I don't know where to find it again bc it's not in the services list.

 

[SchizTech]

That sounds a lot like a Windows issue then. A reset of Windows should fix it, and presents the option to retain your files. It'll keep the same drivers installed also but you'll have to re-install a bunch of third party programs.

 

[Toastyx3]

That sounds a lot like a Windows issue then. A reset of Windows should fix it, and presents the option to retain your files. It'll keep the same drivers installed also but you'll have to re-install a bunch of third party programs.

Hmm, you think there isnt another solution? I'm avoiding any Microsoft updates because of that exact reason. I'm a programmer and have most of my programs on my main drive. It'd take me forever to reinstall everything.

 

[SchizTech]

Well, trying to hunt down this sort of mystery error in something as big as Windows 10 sounds like no walk in the park either. At least this path is more straightforward.