Windows 10 no sound (Feel like I've tried everything)

[footballfreeek84]

Hello,

I'm putting this as a windows 10 question because I think it is software based, but I'm honestly not sure anymore. I have tested my desktop (built myself over 2 years ago with no prior problems) with a set of speakers I use and also a pair of headphones. I cannot get any sound out of either of them, but both work fine on my laptop.

What is really odd is that when I go into the playback devices and select to test on my speakers, they play a sound (though the left speaker/headphone plays much louder than the right despite the balance being equal in settings.)

My motherboard is the ASUS Z-170 Pro Gaming motherboard.
Things I've tried:

- Looking for updates for my audio drivers (realtek audio), but there were none

- Uninstalling a reinstalling the drivers (more than one time) to no avail.

- Making sure everything is unmuted

-Next I tried a system restore to a point when sound worked, thinking perhaps something in Windows 10 updated overnight or something, but again nothing.

I really have no idea where to go next. It seems to me like it is a problem with the drivers and the realtek audio system, but I can't come up with a next step to go through. Any suggestions at all would be incredibly appreciated!

 

[jgustin7b]

Have you tried using them on another Pc/Mac? That can rule out whether it’s a problem with the speakers or the computer...

 

[ThomasLeong]

Recently I had a similar problem but with a fresh Win7 install. DirectX 9c was the solution to my problem.
With Win10, not sure. Try DirectX 9c too, and if that does not solve it, try later versions.

 

[footballfreeek84]

Recently I had a similar problem but with a fresh Win7 install. DirectX 9c was the solution to my problem.
With Win10, not sure. Try DirectX 9c too, and if that does not solve it, try later versions.

What do you mean Try DirectX 9c? Do you mean install it because it wasn't installed previously? I currently have DirectX 12 installed I think.

 

[ThomasLeong]

If you have DirectX 12, check with dxdiag.exe that it is functioning properly. dxdiag.exe can be found in c:\windows\system32\

If it is (functioning properly) I do not see any harm in installing DirectX 9c June 2010 or the later one in Nov. Some software depends on it.

 

[electro_neanderthal]

In playback, disable devices you're not using. That worked for me the one time. If that still doesn't work, you might have to uninstall the audio driver and reinstall it in the device manager.