Conexant smartaudio HD - driver problem after windows update, no sound

[RevAng]

Hi, sorry if I've started this thread in the wrong place - I've never needed to request help with a computer problem before.
I have a Lenovo G510 running windows 8.1 64 bit, bought about 6 weeks ago. Installed windows updates earlier today, including an optional one for the conexant audio device, and now there is no sound. There is an exclamation mark next to the device in device manager and an error code for the driver that states 'Reinstall the drivers for this device. (Code 18). I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling many many times, including downloading the driver from the Lenovo website and using the driver from the D drive, always with the same error:
Windows encountered a problem installing the driver software for your device.
Windows found driver software for your device but encountered an error while attempting to install it.
Conexant SmartAudio HD
Reinstall the drivers for this device. (Code 18)
I've also tried doing a system restore to before the update but this also failed with the message 'access denied'. Update history states the audio device update was successful.
The events tab in device manager shows a list stating 'device installed' over and over. The information for the most recent event is as follows:
Driver Management concluded the process to install driver g13plmwa.inf_amd64_007bf12cd0f50a21\g13plmwa.inf for Device Instance ID HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_14F1&DEV_5115&SUBSYS_17AAC041&REV_1001\4&2426718C&0&0001 with the following status: 0x0.
I don't really know how to read all the info in the details tab but the capabilities property has a value of 00000000 which doesn't sound promising to me!
Status property reads:
01802400
DN_HAS_PROBLEM
DN_DISABLEABLE
DN_NT_ENUMERATOR
DN_NT_DRIVER

Sorry for the very long post, really hope someone out there can help, have spent most of today trying to sort this. I was already incredibly frustrated with windows 8, now I'd quite happily murder anyone involved in the development of it with my bare hands.

 

[darkbreeze]

Ok, I realize you've done a bunch of installation attempts but I'd try this just to be sure.

Uninstall the driver package in Programs and features, again.

Open device manager and navigate to Sound, Video and Game controllers and right click any listed audio devices and select "uninstall" and check the box that says "uninstall device drivers".

Reboot.

Install the drivers found here (You might want to download these first):
http/download.lenovo.com/consumer/mobiles/audio143w81.exe

 

[RevAng]

Hi, thanks for the suggestion darkbreeze. I would have already tried to uninstall the driver package from the programs list if I could see anything there it could possibly be. I guess this is an indication of a problem in itself. I have been uninstalling and reinstalling from device manager. I think ensuring it's completely uninstalled would certainly be a start to trying to fix the problem but I don't know how to do this and don't want to start deleting files unless I'm sure I know what I'm doing.

Also, since I posted the problem I discovered that the driver update in question is still listed in windows update (now as 'important'). So I've downloaded and installed and restarted several times but still with the same error message (though sometimes it changes to Code 1, "this device is not configured correctly"), and the update is still listed in windows update. Update history states the audio device update was successful - every time I've downloaded and installed it - however it is not listed in 'installed updates'.

I've had to disable the audio device because it was massively slowing down startup by the way, windows was trying and failing to install the driver every time I turned the damn thing on.

Any other suggestions gratefully received...

 

[darkbreeze]

Go into windows updates and right click on that update and select "hide update" Then uninstall all related drivers through device manager as best you can. Then reboot and install the drivers from the link I gave you before. The Microsoft generic driver that shows up in windows update causes everybody problems and most likely does not work with the hardware in your laptop. The above driver should be the 8.1 compatible one.

Even on the Microsoft website they recommend installing the updated Lenovo driver rather than their own, as seen here:
http/answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-hardware/cant-start-dolby-audio-driver-after-upgrading-to/27da376d-e9a6-4fcc-9f7d-d939558f8dd3

 

[RevAng]

Thanks again Darkbreeze but uninstalling the driver, rebooting and then installing the most recent one downloaded from the Lenovo website was one of the first things I tried. I've just tried it again just for the hell of it with the same result:
Windows encountered a problem installing the driver software for your device.
Windows found driver software for your device but encountered an error while attempting to install it.
Conexant SmartAudio HD
Reinstall the drivers for this device. (Code 18)

Incidentally, the driver update in question isn't a generic MS one, it says it's Conexant SmartAudio HD. It appeared to be a more recent version than the one I had which is why I decided to download it.

 

[darkbreeze]

Well, I'm afraid I don't have any further suggestions on this issue other than perhaps trying and sfc/scannow to see if there is a system file corruption that's affecting the driver implementation or going with a refresh or reinstallation. Good luck.

 

[RevAng]

Yup, someone else suggested that too, didn't flag up anything relevant though. Any issues it did flag up have been fixed using DISM restorehealth.

So, I think all the necessary driver files are there intact but something is preventing them from installing properly. I'm wondering if it could be anything to do with the firewall (ZoneAlarm) or the antivirus (avast) I'm running, or a conexant/realtek conflict - I've read about that in some forums. I seem to have a realtek card reader installed but the 'audio device on high definition audio bus' is conexant. I've already tried uninstalling the realtek card reader by the way.

Any other suggestions anyone? Any sound card gurus out there??

 

[JoeDaCabbie]

I had the same problem for the last few weeks on my Compaq CQ60, and I just solved the issue using a combination of fixes I'd found on various forums. It was a bit of a pain, but it worked.

1 - removed half of my RAM (from 4GB to 2GB). This solved the video stalling/slow playback issue I was having. Someone said the laptop wasn't able to use more than 3GB in Win 8.1 64-bit efficiently and I had nothing to lose, and it worked. I don't know if your machine has this problem: if it doesn't, skip this step, but CQ60 users take note.

2 - Uninstall the Conexant HD Smartaudio 221 completely in Device Manager.

3 - Download the most recent driver (4.96.4.60 Rev A 8/28/2009 was the driver from HP that finally worked for me) from Lenovo's website. Save or move it to your desktop.

4 - Right-click on the EXE file, and go to the Properties tab. In the Compatibility tab, check the box in Compatibility Mode and select Windows 7 from the drop-down box.

5 - Run the installer as an Administrator. Windows will likely block the driver as being digitally unsigned, but you might get lucky.

6 - A dialogue should open asking if the program installed correctly. Choose the 'Run the Compatibility Troubleshooter' option. If it doesn't, go back into Properties-> Compatibility Tab and run the troubleshooter from there.

7 - The Troubleshooter should make changes and ask you to test the program. Run the EXE again from the 'Test the Program' button within the troubleshooter. At this point, the driver installed correctly for me. Tell it so, and close the troubleshooter.

I hope this works for you, too!

 

[Donnie Paul]

omg the same thing happened to me after installing windows updates.. im using windows 7
on an HP Pavilion dv6000 and its the same audio but mine is Conexant high devinition audio...
i tried everything from uninstalling to uninstalling updates, almost everything i been trying for over a week now and its pissing me off

 

[Fiodar Sazanavets]

This has worked for me:

1. Right-click on the speaker icon on the task bar
2. Click on "Playback Devices"
3. Right-click on the device under "Playback" tab.
4. Click "Properties"
5. Under "Enhancements" tab, check "Disable all enhancements"

Hope it helps.

 

[TeacherDRP]

Saw this on another site and it works to fix the Conexant Smart Audio no sound on Windows 10 problem (at least on a Toshiba laptop)
1. Right Click Window icon in lower left
2. Click Run
3. Type msconfig.exe (and hit return)
4. Click Boot Tab
5. Click Advanced Options
6. Change Maximum memory to 3072 (this is the magic number apparently)
7. And restart Windows 10
8. Bingo you have sound

 

[Freddy Parra]

I have a Sony Vaio that presents the same issue, when Windows 10 update was installed it have no sound in any app or program.
I download the Conexant SmartAudio HD Driver 8.66.6.52 for Windows 10 64-bit from here: http/drivers.softpedia.com/get/SOUND-CARD/Conexant/Conexant-SmartAudio-HD-Driver-866652-for-Windows-10-64-bit.shtml
Unpacked the winrar archive, execute the aplication file as administrator and works fine.

Hope it helps.

 

[OpinionsMatter2Me]

Hey, I posted a video on YouTube of how I solved my similar audio problem in Windows 10. Try to follow the video at https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEDRAwNaNFM

If you have the red x, follow the steps in the video. If it doesn't work, follow the steps again, until the red x point in the video, and try Windows Update instead, and press on the red x: It should give you an option to choose the default audio device. If not, continue the video's steps.

 

[brunops1]

This has worked for me:

1. Right-click on the speaker icon on the task bar
2. Click on "Playback Devices"
3. Right-click on the device under "Playback" tab.
4. Click "Properties"
5. Under "Enhancements" tab, check "Disable all enhancements"

Hope it helps.

Thank you very much!!
This just did the trick for me! After unchecking the audio enhancements my old Lenovo G550 sounds wich had died on me after Win 7 to 10 upgrade came back to life 'screaming and shouting' . As it is an office pc, I think I can do with the regular sounds without enhancements. Thanks a bunch, again!

 

[Sandokhan Kucic]

This has worked for me:
...
Hope it helps.

Thank you very much!! ... Thanks a bunch, again!

Same here This helped me alot... I've spent 1 hour to figure out that my problem was caused by the last sound driver update (didn't even listen to music but flash player started crashing constantly) before finding this post. And yes, it did the trick!!!
Thank you

 

[dmdiaz]

I followed more or less the solution from "darkbreeze" with exit:
I have a HP Pavilion dv2425l now updated to win 10.
For more than 10 days I asked for a solution with Microsoft, HP and some places in the net; nobody provided it, but you did it!
Then I proceed:

1. I got audio143w81.exe from download.lenovo.com/consumer/mobiles/audio143w81.exe
2. Without other thing I ran the driver receiving some messages from Microsoft "this program does not work with windows 10 in this machine".
3. But I did no stop and restarted the system.
4. Fabulous! When the system came up, the phrases "Conexant 20671 SmartAudio HD" was installed and "This device is working properly" were in Device Manager.
5. I ran various mp3 and .ppt stuff using Groove and Media Player correctly at different volumes and on stereo.
6. Audio also produce system sounds.

Thank you very much,

V. M. DIAZ

 

[Sergio Fenech]

I have had the same problem on a laptop I was fixing. First of all I went into device manager and uninstalled the drivers that were already installed. Afterwards I tried to install it from Windows Update as one of you said, it still did not succeeded. Afterwards, keeping awake all night I found www.softwarepatch.com very useful, in which I managed to find all drivers without paying any money.

 

[semihyldz]

I have a Sony Vaio that presents the same issue, when Windows 10 update was installed it have no sound in any app or program.
I download the Conexant SmartAudio HD Driver 8.66.6.52 for Windows 10 64-bit from here: http/drivers.softpedia.com/get/SOUND-CARD/Conexant/Conexant-SmartAudio-HD-Driver-866652-for-Windows-10-64-bit.shtml
Unpacked the winrar archive, execute the aplication file as administrator and works fine.

Hope it helps.

Hi
I have the same problem after windows 10 upgrading. I downland this driver but I cant install it "error is that could not the find the device for this driver.
anyone can give any advices?

 

[emacdave]

Saw this on another site and it works to fix the Conexant Smart Audio no sound on Windows 10 problem (at least on a Toshiba laptop)
1. Right Click Window icon in lower left
2. Click Run
3. Type msconfig.exe (and hit return)
4. Click Boot Tab
5. Click Advanced Options
6. Change Maximum memory to 3072 (this is the magic number apparently)
7. And restart Windows 10
8. Bingo you have sound

 

[emacdave]

This works with my Toshiba laptop, however it reduces the usable memory from 8gb to 3gb!! I'll keep searching.