2nd Major Problem - Audio disappears

boweasel · 29 Dec 2019

Running 1903 (Build18362.535)
When I turn on my laptop I get the Windows startup tune. If I go to my Music folder in File Explorer I can a folder and play it - for about 7 minutes. Then the sound goes away. And stays away. No system sounds, no application sounds. Even after a restart I get nothing. The only way to get it back is to do a complete shutdown, and then turn it on again. And then the 7 minute countdown starts. And that 7 minutes doesn't care if I'm using the sound or not.

I've done the Audio Troubleshooting, which couldn't find any problems. I've searched Event Viewer, looking for anything audio related, but I guess my Event Viewer skills are a bit rusty, since I found nothing. I have deleted the audio driver, shut down and let Windows reinstall a driver on boot.

Curiously, if I plug headphones into the laptop the sound is fine.

I don't think it can be a wiring issue, since after I boot the laptop is stationary.

dalchina · 30 Dec 2019

Hi, do you see the same thing-
- after a clean boot (Google if unsure)
- if you create a new user for test purposes and log in as that user?

boweasel · 01 Jan 2020

dalchina said:

Hi, do you see the same thing-
- after a clean boot (Google if unsure)
- if you create a new user for test purposes and log in as that user?

Have not yet done the clean boot, but I have created a new user, rebooted and signed in as that new user. No difference - sound was initially there but disappeared after a few minutes. Headphones continued to work with each user.

dalchina · 01 Jan 2020

The clean boot will be a useful diagnostic.

Note- another possibility is a scheduled task, which would still run.
When you have lost sound, do you still see the volume setting unchanged and not muted?
Have a look at all items in your Volume mixer

2nd Major Problem - Audio disappears-1.png

Also check your output device hasn't changed:

boweasel · 01 Jan 2020

Performed clean boot

Disabled all non-Microsoft services (although for some reason the Malwarebytes Service could not be disabled)
Disabled everything in Task Manager's Startup tab
Msconfig - Selective startup. Unchecked load startup items, Hit Apply

Restarted and, again only got sound for a few minutes from the laptop speakers. Kept the Volume mixer visible while I played music. Sound levels as displayed in the mixer did not change when the music died. Output device remained Speakers (High Definition Audio Device).

Jacee · 01 Jan 2020

Click on device properties, then additional device properties.

My external speakers show as this setting

2nd Major Problem - Audio disappears-speakers.png

This would be spacial setting

2nd Major Problem - Audio disappears-spacial-sound.png

Also check here

2nd Major Problem - Audio disappears-sound.png

boweasel · 01 Jan 2020

Jacee, here are my screens

2nd Major Problem - Audio disappears-speakers1.jpg

2nd Major Problem - Audio disappears-speakers2.jpg

I don't seem to have that 3rd screenshot of yours. I did try changing the Spacial Sound format to off to mimic your settings. As with everything else it made no difference

dalchina · 02 Jan 2020

Again, could be a scheduled task that kills it.

Jacee · 02 Jan 2020

I looked up your computer model and it's a laptop ... not a desktop

Anyway, see if this manual can help Hot Keys - Toshiba Satellite L755 Workshop Manual [Page 111]

boweasel · 03 Jan 2020

Jacee said:

I looked up your computer model and it's a laptop ... not a desktop

Ummm, from the first sentence of my first post - When I turn on my laptop

Jacee said:

Anyway, see if this manual can help Hot Keys - Toshiba Satellite L755 Workshop Manual [Page 111]

Don't really the relevance, especially given that my issue is not with a complete lack of sound - rather it's that the sound from my laptop's speakers goes away within a few minutes of powering on. But if I plug in headphones, the sound does not disappear.

Shouldn't there be some entries in Event Viewer to indicate something changing when the sound stops?