ROG STRIX Z370-E W10 no sound through any port

W10 Version 21h2 (OS Build 19044.2486)

Im so in the weeds I have no idea where to start.
I dont really need sound on my PC, except when I do. Which is to say its been so long since I needed sound I couldnt say exactly when I lost it. There have been probably a hundred updates to everything since it last worked.

Under Device Manager sound/video game controllers I have 2 devices listed:
1. NVIDIA High Definition Audio (which is s/pdif digital port) which nothing is plugged into
2. Realtek Audio (rear port has 5 audio ports plus the s/pdif port)

I have tried uninstalling and rebooting. I have tried rolling back drivers. Nothing seems to work

I am using some Creative PC speakers and cannot get sound through any port. The ROG Strix motherboard allowed for rear connections and front panel connections and none of them are giving me sound.

Ive been through the audio troubleshooter and got nowhere. So how do I find the issue?

have you tested the same speakers and cables on something else ?

can you get sound through headphones ?

Im now downloading Realtek HD Audio Manager. For whatever reason it wasnt on my PC.
Fingers crossed

I wont know until tonight. This download seems to be hosted by a hardwired telephone line, or similar

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SIW2 said:

have you tested the same speakers and cables on something else ?

can you get sound through headphones ?

Thanks for the reply.
I dont have headphones unfortunately but the pc speakers used to work through the headphones jack on front. Its basically just a Line Out but nothings coming out.
I havent tested the speakers but they're the very same Ive always used.

I was missing the Realtek HD Audio Manager for whatever reason and so am downloading that. Hopefully that'll fix it. Not sure why it wasnt on my pc to begin with

I dont have realtek audio hd manager on my systems with 300 series boards.
if you have some of those cheapo earphone things lying around you could check the line out on front and back of the pc. or maybe they are called earbuds. those line outs should work with the drivers that come with windows.

this sort of thing
Amazon.co.uk

I guess that did it.

After downloading the Realtek HD Audio Manager and installing it everything seems to work.

Its strange but while installing the Realtek HDAM a pop-up indicated that I would need to uninstall the old version, would I like to do that? Hmmm I didnt think I had it installed, but whatever... yes.

After it uninstalled the old version everything worked. I rebooted and still everything worked. I installed the newest version, though I was happy to have sound in between the installations. After install of newest everything seems to be working as it should. I think this can be closed