No audio after update - XMG15M18

[BrutalPoseidon]

Hi all, 

I am currently on my laptop, an XMG Neo 15 which had audio capabilities until yesterday evening. 

I have the driver tool from Intel to let me know of updates and all that. 

After an update, I now have no audio at all. 

Attached is my SSU report with details of my system. 

I have already tried uninstalling the audio driver and rebooting. 

I've tried installing the drivers from the manufacturer. 

I've tried reinstalling the audio driver which comes with the graphics driver. 

Can anyone help?

[Alberto_R_Intel]

BrutalPoseidon, Thank you for posting in the Intel® Communities Support.

For this scenario, it is important to note that when using a mobile device, such as a laptop, everything is customized by the manufacturer of it. They can enable/disable BIOS settings as well as features and functions for the machine to comply with the functionality advertised by them. Especially in this case where the laptop is working with a dual graphics configuration, Nvidia and Intel®.

According to the information shown in the SSU report, the graphics driver version currently installed on your computer is 31.0.101.2114, which is provided by Intel® and it also means that the driver was properly installed in your system:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/19344/intel-graphics-windows-dch-drivers.html?

The Intel® graphics drivers are generic. For that reason, we always recommend to install the graphics driver provided by the manufacturer of the computer, since that driver was customized by them to work with your specific platform.

You mention that you already tested the drivers provided by the manufacturer of your computer. Just to confirm and for testing purposes, please try a clean installation of the graphics driver provided by XMG following the instructions in the links below:

https://download.schenker-tech.de/package/xmg_neo15xne15m18/

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000057389/graphics.html

We also recommend to get in contact directly with XMG Support to confirm that the latest BIOS version is currently installed on your device or if necessary to gather the instructions on how to install it: 

https://www.xmg.gg/en/contact/#

If the problem persists after that, you mention you are using the driver tool from Intel®, could you please confirm the name of the tool?

What is the video port that you are using that lost the audio?

If you use headphones or headsets, do you get audio from your laptop? 

Is this the first time that you encounter this issue?

Did you make any recent hardware/software changes that might cause this problem?

Does the problem happen at home or in the work environment?

Any questions, please let me know.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[BrutalPoseidon]

Hi Albert,

Thank you for your reply. 

Unfortunately, the clean installation was unsuccessful. 

I performed a clean installation of the VGA drivers as instructed and also removed all audio drivers and installed the ones from the manufacturer. I still have no audio. 

I am providing a new SSU report for confirmation.

I will contact XMG afterwards though any other hints you could give me would be grand. 

I will answer the questions you sent:

• If the problem persists after that, you mention you are using the driver tool from Intel®, could you please confirm the name of the tool?
  • I was using the Intel Driver and Support Utility. Sorry for not being clear in the previous message. 
  • In the past, this utility updated my drivers without affecting my audio negatively. This is a brand new development.
• What is the video port that you are using that lost the audio?
  • I am using the built-in laptop speakers. 
• If you use headphones or headsets, do you get audio from your laptop?
  • Using the headphone jack does not work either. Bluetooth does, as one would expect. 
• Is this the first time that you encounter this issue?
  • Yes. Three days ago, this laptop had working speakers. I had not changed anything but delayed the driver installation that the Intel Driver and Support Utility suggested I get. This utility suggested I install 3 drivers and since the graphics driver also installed audio drivers, I am assuming this was the source of the error. But thinking about it now, is it possible that one of the other three caused this issue? I believe one was bluetooth but I cannot recall the other. 
• Did you make any recent hardware/software changes that might cause this problem?
  • Hardware changes, no. Software changes also no. Other than the installation I mentioned in my previous answer.
• Does the problem happen at home or in the work environment?
  • This is only on my laptop. Maybe I don't understand this question but its location or connection to an outlet does not change the situation.

Best regards

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hi BrutalPoseidon, You are very welcome, thank you very much for providing that information and the SSU report.

Yes, the audio problem could be related to different driver updates.

Please try to install the Realtek Audio driver available in the link below and once you get the chance let us know the results:

https://download.schenker-tech.de/package/xmg_neo15xne15m18/

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[BrutalPoseidon]

Hi Albert,

I should have been more clear in my previous message. 
I have already reinstalled the audio driver from the manufacturer. I've actually reinstalled everything in their list; including bluetooth, WLAN, ethernet, etc. to no avail.

However, I feel I am getting close to the solution. 
I can clearly see that the driver is installed as it appears in the "Add or Remove Programs" menu from Win10. 
However, when I go to the Device Manager, the audio driver chosen by windows is a generic High Definition Audio Device. 
Similar to the generic driver from the "clean installation" guide you linked earlier. 

Windows refuses to select the installed driver and defaults to the generic which does not function. 
It has tried the intel driver which also does not function with my hardware. 

I have then tried to use the "update driver" option to select the installed Realtek driver (6.0.1.8402) from the manufacturer. 
Unfortunately, this causes a BSOD with the error code "RTKVHD64.sys", implying the device has failed to work. 

Of course, this is after uninstalling and reinstalling the audio drivers (with reboots in between). 

It seems that Windows does not want to (or cannot) use the Realtek driver the manufacturer provided. 

Given this information, do you have some steps I could follow to rectify this issue?

I appreciate any help. 

Best regards.

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hi BrutalPoseidon, Thank you very much for letting us know those details.

We are sorry to hear the issue persists after trying the troubleshooting steps provided previously.

In reference to your inquiry, I will do further research on this matter in order to try to find a possible solution for this issue. As soon as I get any updates, I will post all the information on this thread.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hello BrutalPoseidon, I just received another update on this matter.

After reviewing the case, since this is related to built-in speakers, and based on the fact that the problem remains after the troubleshooting steps provided from our side, our best recommendation will be to get in contact directly with OEM, built-in speakers are normally handled by Realtek drivers non-Intel® ones.

Additionally, you can also check if by connecting an external monitor via HDMI you still notice the audio issues on the monitor/display. If not then as mentioned to check with the manufacturer of the laptop will be the next thing to do for this scenario.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician