Realtek HD Audio Driver Version old post

DooGie · 02 Sep 2017

I've decided that Windows and Realtek HD Audio drivers are totally unpredictable. I've been running Realtek drivers build 8233 for a couple of weeks and they've been great. However last night I switched to Windows Insider Slow Ring and installed Windows 10 build 16278.
Played a few FLAC files and the soubd was horrible, muddy and distorted. I checked Device Manager expecting to see that the Realtek HD driver had been changed by the new Windows install but no it hadn't, it was still showing as build 8233.

I uninstalled the Realtek driver through Programs and Features, rebooted the PC and unpacked the .cab file for build 8233 and installed it.

Result, the sound was now spot on, just as it had been before the Windows update. Go figure :)

Christoph34 · 02 Sep 2017

mark7 said:

No, the speakers are not bad. I tried installing some third-party drivers and the sound was much better, but those drivers have some other issues so they are not really usable long-term...

what sound chipset do you have in that computer, the things is the installers provides files for several sound chipsets, maybe there's the problem

reddice · 03 Sep 2017

DooGie said:

I've decided that Windows and Realtek HD Audio drivers are totally unpredictable.

That is why I got a sound card despite all the young tech reviewers who are tone deaf saying you don't need one. It makes a big difference. I did not realize how bad onboard sounded especially when they update the driver every freaking week just to make it sound worse.

Tonyb · 03 Sep 2017

yeah think i might go with the new creative one that came out but will be a few month before i can buy it.

swarfega · 03 Sep 2017

I've been thinking about getting that new Creative card as well, looks nice.

mark7 · 04 Sep 2017

Christoph34 said:

what sound chipset do you have in that computer, the things is the installers provides files for several sound chipsets, maybe there's the problem

The sound chipset is ALC235.

DooGie · 04 Sep 2017

I thought build 8245 would have been on the MUC by now. Realtek released it around five days ago.

Christoph34 · 04 Sep 2017

mark7 said:

The sound chipset is ALC235.

that's an old chip, maybe the update is not providing update for that particular chip, so the best thing to do is to stick with the last good known driver

js1 · 04 Sep 2017

It is a holiday here in the states so no one at MS to update MUC.

mark7 · 05 Sep 2017

Christoph34 said:

that's an old chip, maybe the update is not providing update for that particular chip, so the best thing to do is to stick with the last good known driver

I don't know how old it is, but I do know it came with my brand new Lenovo laptop (new model), bought a few months ago. I don't see references to it from earlier than three years ago. Anyways, I also don't know what driver would be "last good known". I'd have to try every single version from the recent past to determine that :)