No audio device is installed; audio service crashes

[brokenbox]

Audio completely broken on a new HP Pro Mini running Windows 11 with all updates installed.

System tray sound output shows "No output devices found."

Uninstalling Realtek devices via Device Manager temporarily resolves the issue, allowing output to USB headsets and other external audio devices (but not the internal speaker). However, it completely breaks again following a reboot (or Device Manager rescan). The audio service crashes and cannot be manually started.

Log Name: Application
Source: Application Error
Date: 10/8/2023 7:17:40 AM
Event ID: 1000
Task Category: Application Crashing Events
Level: Error
Keywords:
User: LOCAL SERVICE
Computer: DESKTOP-XXXXXXX
Description:
Faulting application name: svchost.exe_Audiosrv, version: 10.0.22621.1, time stamp: 0x6dc5c2a5
Faulting module name: audiosrv.dll, version: 10.0.22621.2361, time stamp: 0xae953554
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x0000000000063131
Faulting process id: 0x0x1584
Faulting application start time: 0x0x1D9F9D90B819F20
Faulting application path: C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
Faulting module path: c:\windows\system32\audiosrv.dll
Report Id: ca173330-b962-4bee-91d9-6490ce642b5d
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Application Error" Guid="{a0e9b465-b939-57d7-b27d-95d8e925ff57}" />
<EventID>1000</EventID>
<Version>0</Version>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>100</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x8000000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2023-10-08T11:17:40.5736694Z" />
<EventRecordID>3077</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="8748" ThreadID="9884" />
<Channel>Application</Channel>
<Computer>DESKTOP-XXXXXXX</Computer>
<Security UserID="S-1-5-19" />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="AppName">svchost.exe_Audiosrv</Data>
<Data Name="AppVersion">10.0.22621.1</Data>
<Data Name="AppTimeStamp">6dc5c2a5</Data>
<Data Name="ModuleName">audiosrv.dll</Data>
<Data Name="ModuleVersion">10.0.22621.2361</Data>
<Data Name="ModuleTimeStamp">ae953554</Data>
<Data Name="ExceptionCode">c0000005</Data>
<Data Name="FaultingOffset">0000000000063131</Data>
<Data Name="ProcessId">0x1584</Data>
<Data Name="ProcessCreationTime">0x1d9f9d90b819f20</Data>
<Data Name="AppPath">C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe</Data>
<Data Name="ModulePath">c:\windows\system32\audiosrv.dll</Data>
<Data Name="IntegratorReportId">ca173330-b962-4bee-91d9-6490ce642b5d</Data>
<Data Name="PackageFullName">
</Data>
<Data Name="PackageRelativeAppId">
</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

[BeemerBiker]

This appears to be a driver problem.  The latest audio driver on the HP web site

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/swdetails/hp-pro-sff-400-g9-desktop-pc/2100963612/m...

is 6.0.9552.1 Rev.A and dated Sep 14, 2023

[drnsctr]

HP still provides the faulty driver for the Pro mini 400 G9 on its page. You can uninstall the driver and change Windows group policies to prevent automatic driver installation via Windows update.

Spoiler

Press Windows + R, type gpedit.msc and press Enter to open Group Policy Editor. Go to: Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Update -> Manage Updates offered from Windows Update. Double-click the policy “Do not include drivers with Windows Updates” in the right window. Click Enabled -> Apply -> OK to disable automatic driver updates in Windows 11. To make the automatic driver updates work again, go to the same window and choose the Disabled option.