External speakers are permanently unusable if the laptop lid was closed during the last reboot.

[Seth]

Long story short: If I reboot with my laptop lid open, sound is glitchy but usable with my connected monitor's built in speakers, until the next reboot. But if my laptop lid was closed during the last reboot, Intel drivers for HD Audio disappear, the speakers in my monitor aren't detected, no sound. Also, windows reports the drivers as unmigrated no matter what I do.

To be clear: opening and closing the lid after reboot has NO effect. I can open and close it at much as I want, let the laptop sleep, etc. and it has no effect. It only matters during boot. If I reboot with the laptop lid closed, Windows can’t find the speakers in my monitor and no “HD Audio Driver for Display Audio” device is installed in the Device Manager under “Audio inputs and outputs” nor under “Sound, video and game controllers,” nor is it in sound settings. And scans for hardware changes find nothing.

But if the lid was open during bootup, Windows finds my monitor's speakers and “HD Audio Driver for Display Audio” shows up in all 3 places and my monitor speakers work. Mostly. The sound is glitchy at the beginning of a sound. Opening and closing the lid has no effect on this, either. It only matters during boot.

I've tried troubleshooter, firmware updates for my BIOS & dock & monitor, driver updates for everything, factor resets of my monitor, unplugging everything, I've tried DP and HDMI. I tried the latest Intel drivers, I tried older Intel drivers. I uninstalled all of the sound devices in Device Manager and rebooted, they reinstalled, no change. I think I've tried 3 different docks, plus random USB adapters.

Everything works flawlessly with other laptops.

IT couldn't figure it out. I also contacted MS. No help there at all. Help, please?

Monitor: Dell U3818DW

Laptop: Dell Precision 5560

Processor 11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-11850H @ 2.50GHz 2.50 GHz
Installed RAM 32.0 GB (31.7 GB usable)
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Edition Windows 10 Enterprise
Version 20H2
Installed on ‎1/‎27/‎2022
OS build 19042.1526
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.4170.0

Dock: Dell WD19TBS

All the relevant info from https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/intel-driver-support-assistant.html 

Intel® UHD Graphics

• Driver Details
• ProviderIntel Corporation
• Version30.0.100.9955
• Date10/7/2021

• Adapter CompatibilityIntel Corporation
• Video ProcessorIntel® UHD Graphics Family
• Resolution3840 x 2400
• Bits Per Pixel32
• Number of Colors4294967296
• Refresh Rate - Current59 Hz
• Refresh Rate - Maximum59 Hz
• Refresh Rate - Minimum47 Hz
• Adapter DAC TypeInternal
• Adapter RAM1.00 GB
• AvailabilityRunning at full power
• StatusThis device is working properly.
• LocationPCI bus 0, device 2, function 0
• Device IdPCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9A60&SUBSYS_0A621028&REV_01\3&11583659&0&10

Intel® Smart Sound Technology for USB Audio

• Driver Details
• ProviderIntel® Corporation
• NameIntcUSB.sys
• Version10.29.0.6815
• Date11/22/2021

• Device Details
• Device IdINTELAUDIO\CTLR_DEV_43C8&LINKTYPE_06&DEVTYPE_06&VEN_8086&DEV_AE50&SUBSYS_0A621028&REV_0001\0602

[Jean_Intel]

Hello @Seth

Thank you for posting on the Intel️® communities. 

I would like to confirm some information in order to have a better comprehension of it, please provide me with the following:

Have you tried using another monitor? If so, did it present the same behavior?

When you mentioned that you tried using HDMI and DP cables, did you use a straight-through connection?

Were you aware of any major software or hardware change before the issue started?

Do the built-in speakers of the laptop work as expected?

As per the information you provided, you mentioned that the OS running on the laptop is version 19042. There are newer OS versions available, so my suggestion this time is to try and update your operating system, remember that it is always important to keep your system up to date.

Also, I will move your question to the correct subforum.

Best regards, 

Jean O.  

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Seth]

I don't have another monitor with built-in speakers. I will keep an eye out for one if/when I go back into the office.

The laptop only has USB C ports so direct connect is not possible, I have to use a dock or a USB adapter. I forget if the behavior was exactly the same on the USB adapter as it was on a TB dock, I will test that soon. But I have tried different USB/TB ports and the behavior was the same.

I only had the laptop a few days before a major windows update was pushed by IT, so while I don't recall sound problems before then, I didn't really have a chance to notice if there were problems.

The built-in speakers work great. 1/8" analog sound output seems fine, too. I did have some weird issues with a Jabber USB headset one day but those problems went away. But the monitor speaker issue is persistent. Enough for me to notice the pattern with the lid during boot, and to try dozens of updates and countless settings to try to fix it. The IT help desk also spent an inordinate amount of time. 

I do not have control over nor even access to "Windows Updates" at all, IT controls that and will push the OS update eventually. But I have admin rights to install drivers, FW, etc.

I found a bunch of MS help forum threads describing this exact issue, each thread with dozens of people indicating the have the same problem. But MS inexplicably locks every post so there is no way to communicate with the OP and find out if they were able to fix it or not, nor to help anybody else with the problem. Microsoft actively prevents users from helping each other in their forums... 🙄 So I came here. Anyway, a few people claimed to have solved it, but since every thread is locked I can only assume the few who thought they fixed it probably just rebooted with the lid open that time.

[Jean_Intel]

Hello @Seth.

Thanks for your response; the information you provide me with has been useful.

Keep in mind that, using any type of adapter or converter may affect issues, so it's always recommended to use a direct connection. I understand that in your case, it may not be possible due to hardware limitations; however, since you are looking for another monitor to use, it would be ideal if you could find a monitor which contains a thunderbolt cable. Also, I would like to confirm if there is any difference in using the Dock or the USB adapter.

As well, I would like to recommend performing a clean installation of the graphics driver. Try using the latest Intel Driver available at this time, which is version 30.0.101.1404. The steps for a clean installation are the following:

1. Download the latest DCH drivers and save them on the computer (https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/19344/intel-graphics-windows-dch-drivers.html).

2. Disconnect from the Internet so no new drivers are automatically installed by Windows Update.

3. Uninstall the driver and the Intel Graphics Command Center and driver from Apps and Features.

4. Restart the computer.

5. Confirm in Device Manager > Video Adapters, controller listed as 'Microsoft Basic Display Adapter' > if not, repeat steps 2 through 4.

6. If the adapter continues to be listed as ‘Intel HD Graphics’ or similar, and no other Intel Graphics driver is listed under 'Apps and Features' for removal, then it means Windows has switched to a previously installed Legacy driver. At this point we can remove Legacy drivers from Device Manager:

• Right-click on 'Intel HD Graphics' or similar, and select 'Uninstall Device'
• In the pop-up window make sure 'Delete the driver software for this device' is checked.
• Click on 'Uninstall'.
• Restart. (Repeat steps 6.1.1 through 6.1.4 until the device gets listed as 'Microsoft Basic Display Adapter')
• Install the DCH drivers that were downloaded on stein1 Restart the computer.

7- Reconnect to the Internet.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Jean O. 

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Seth]

[I have more results from previous requests below.]

I think I have done all of that except step 2. I will try all 7 steps.

My monitor may support USB C connections, not positive, but I don't think I have the right cable.

I might have a mini DP cable somewhere I can test, not sure.

I've tried multiple HDMI cables and verified they were up to required spec.

I can connect the laptop to some HDMI HDTVs, is that a useful test?

I made a spreadsheet of todays tests. This is only a tiny fraction of the combinations of settings I have tried, but with better notes.

Laptop Boot state

Monitor

Laptop/Monitor Connection

Result

Observations

Notes

Lid

Monitor Connected

Model

Cable

Dock

USB Adapter

Monitor Sound

Open

Closed

Yes

No

U3818DW

TV?

HDMI

DP

(USB-C?)

WD19TBS

#2

#3

DA200

DA300

Success

Hissy

Glitchy+

Failure

X

X

X

1

X

X

glitchy = sometimes a delay and pop and hiss with sound

X

X

X

1

X

X

Unplugged dock power, replugged dock power

WD19TBS has 2 DP, miniDP, HDMI

X

X

X

2

X

X

Swapped DP ports on dock

DA200 HDMI, VGA

X

X

X

X

X

X

DA300 DP, HDMI

X

X

X

X

X

X

Lower resolution video?

Not sure I own a miniDP or UCB C/TB cable

X

X

X

X

X

x

x

Only hissed at first, then glitched once. Best yet

In the past, using the correct setting (24/44? 24/48?) eliminated the faint hiss entirely

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

SUPER glitchy, first 3 or 4 sounds are silent

Sound settings;

16bit 32kHz: N/A

16bit 44khz pops, hiss

16bit 48kHz pops hiss

24bit 44.1kHz Choppy sound, no pops or hiss during sound menu test. Some pops when using?

disabling audio enhancements added a pop sound? Best yet

24bit 48kHz pop, choppy

[Jean_Intel]

Thanks for your response.

I will be waiting to confirm the outcome of trying the clean installation of the driver.

If the issue persists, you can try and check the behavior using the HDMI HDTV you mentioned in your post; however, the best practice here is to try using the USB C connection, if possible.

I'm looking forward to knowing the outcome of my suggestions.

Best regards,

Jean O. 

Intel Customer Support Technician.

[Jean_Intel]

Hello @Seth

I hope you are doing fine

Were you able to check the previous post?

Let us know if you still need assistance.

Best regards,

Jean O. 

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Seth]

First I checked what I had installed:

30.0.100.9955

I visited the intel-driver-support-assistant website and it said the latest driver was:

30.0.100.9955

---

(All of this is with the laptop lid closed)

I uninstalled disconnected from the Internet

Uninstalled command center, but the drivers weren't in Add or Remove Programs

I used Device Manager to uninstall and delete the driver and rebooted. After reboot, Dev Mng showed I had installed

30.0.101.1340

So I had a newer version than the latest version according to intel-driver-support-assistant. It's from the future I guess

I used Device Manager to uninstall and delete the driver and rebooted. After reboot, Dev Mng showed the default driver.

I installed the driver you gave me a link to, rebooted, and Dev Mng shows I now have

30.0.101.1404

Which is also newer than the latest version according to intel-driver-support-assistant

No sound.

Dell's Display Manager was angry and couldn't communicate with the monitor, so I rebooted. Now Display Manager is happy, but still no sound.

I unplugged the dock (which I am using only for charging right now) and moved the USB adapter to the TB port, rebooted,

Still no sound. The speakers just don't exist according to Window.

---

I opened the laptop lid and rebooted. Now the speakers exist, but sound was still glitchy at first. But I just tried it again now and the glitches are gone. Edit: after a long silence and the computer sleeping for a moment, the sound glitched once on first use, then no glitches again.

---

All of these tests were using the USB adapter that I have had the best luck with. Earlier this week, there was one time I rebooted with the lid open and there was no sound glitches, but when I tried again the glitches were back. Even more amazing, earlier this week IT kept rebooting my machine, and on one of those reboots the lid was closed, yet sound worked perfectly after rebooting that way!!!!! However, subsequent tests to repeat that resulted in no sound whatsoever.

I have ordered a 10GB USB C cable.

[Jean_Intel]

Thanks for all the information you provide us. It's an odd behavior that you experience.

Regarding the driver's naming, there seems to be an issue with the Intel® Driver & Support Assistant since it reported an old driver as the newest for your unit; however, the latest Intel Graphics driver available was on the Link I provided you.

Before further steps, I would like to confirm if you tried using the HDMI HDTV you mentioned in your post. If so, what was the outcome? 

You can also try and check if the monitor works without any issues. These will help us isolate and confirm that this is caused by the monitor and not your computer.

Best regards,

Jean O. 

Intel Customer Support Technician.

[Jean_Intel]

Hello @Seth

I hope you are doing fine

Were you able to check the previous post?

Let us know if you still need assistance.

Best regards,

Jean O. 

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Jean_Intel]

Hello @Seth

We hope you are doing fine.

We have not heard back from you. So we will close this thread, if you need any additional information, please submit a new question as this thread will no longer be monitor

Best regards.

Jean O. 

Intel Customer Support Technician.

[Seth]

My USB-C cable just arrived this afternoon. Sorry the mail wasn't fast enough for you to not close the thread on me.