[SOLVED] Computer occasionally deletes audio drivers on Dell Vostro 7500

[Appletax]

Solution: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials...s-update-updating-specific-device-driver.html

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Got a Dell Vostro 7500 laptop that recently started deleting the audio drivers randomly. I reinstalled them and now the speakers and mic work perfectly. The issue will likely return. I've given it a tune-up about a year ago and he recently brought it to another computer tech that was able to get them working by reinstalling the audio driver and it later quit working again.

Here's what I have done thus far:

• Issues: audio and mic do not work. The computer says there’s no audio devices connected to the computer. The Device Manager does not show ‘Audio inputs and outputs'.

• Researched the issue, but did not find any useful information.

• Ran the built-in audio troubleshooter program, which did not fix the issue.

• Installed the Realtek audio driver from Dell’s website. This fixed the issue but may be temporary.

• Updated the Intel integrated graphics driver from a version from 6/1/2021 to a version from 5/23/2023.

• The Nvidia 1650 Ti graphics drivers hadn’t been updated since 3/9/2023. Tried installing the latest drivers using GeForce Experience, but it kept producing an error. Downloaded the latest drivers from 6/1/2024 from Nvidia’s website and successfully installed them.

• Updated the BIOS/UEFI.

• Ran the BIOS/UEFI’s built-in hardware diagnostics in Advanced Thorough mode. No issues were found.

• Updated Windows and Microsoft Store apps.

• Tuned-up [DISM repair, System File Checker repair, Check Disk repair, purged temp. files, ran Glary Utilities].

• Updated Malwarebytes and ran a scan. No issues found.


Dell Vostro 7500 Laptop Specs:

Windows 11 Pro 23H2 [Major Version Installed on 3/30/2024, Dell OEM Install – Not a Fresh, Clean Install Direct from Microsoft]

Intel Core i7-10750H @ 2.60GHz [6 Cores, 12 Threads]

Intel UHD Graphics [Integrated] + Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti 4GB [Discrete]

16GB DDR4-2933MHz [2 of 2 Slots Filled]

512GB NVME Solid State Drive

15.6” Full HD 1080p [1920 x 1080 Resolution]


Device Manager > Audio inputs and outputs

Microphone Array (Intel Smart Sound Technology)
Hardware ID: MMDEVAPI\AudioEndpoints
Driver provider: Microsoft
Driver date: 5/6/2022
Driver version: 10.0.22621.1

Speakers (2- Realtek(R) Audio)
Hardware ID: MMDEVAPI\AudioEndpoints
Driver provider: Microsoft
Driver date: 5/6/2022
Driver version: 10.0.22621.1

Sound, video and game controllers

Realtek(R) Audio
Driver provider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
Hardware ID: INTELAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0236&SUBSYS_102809F0
Driver date: 5/16/2023
Driver version: 6.0.9517.1

 

[Metanis]

System Properties > Hardware > Device Installation Settings and set it to NO, do not automatically install drivers via Windows Update.

also

GPEdit.msc and then Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage updates offered from Windows Update and set it to “Do not include driver with Windows Update”.

Laptops can be goofy about automatic driver updates.

 

[Appletax]

System Properties > Hardware > Device Installation Settings and set it to NO, do not automatically install drivers via Windows Update.

also

GPEdit.msc and then Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage updates offered from Windows Update and set it to “Do not include driver with Windows Update”.

Laptops can be goofy about automatic driver updates.

Thank you for this suggestion. I was thinking that maybe Windows Updates were messing up the audio and that perhaps I may want to stop them from ever being updated again by Windows Updates. I did a Windows Update and it did not mess with the drivers, but maybe it would happen after so long.

 

[Appletax]

System Properties > Hardware > Device Installation Settings and set it to NO, do not automatically install drivers via Windows Update.

also

GPEdit.msc and then Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage updates offered from Windows Update and set it to “Do not include driver with Windows Update”.

Laptops can be goofy about automatic driver updates.

Instead of not allowing any driver updates, I set specific audio drivers from being updated. Haven't heard back from the client, so hopefully it did the trick for good.

Prevent Windows Update from Updating Specific Device Driver

How to Prevent Windows Update from Updating Specific Device Driver in Windows 10

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