No subwoofer output after Windows 10 Creator update

[JasW57]

The Windows 10 Creator update eliminated audio output to my subwoofer (an HP Pulse subwoofer, model no. LZ9295AA, connected to the subwoofer jack on the back of my Envy 23).  The subwoofer itself is not the problem. 

A similar problem occurred when I updated to either Windows 8.1 or the original Window 10 (can't recall which). It turned out that the subwoofer output in Speakers/Headphones Properties > Levels > Balance was suddenly being routed to the center channel instead of the subwoofer channel. Now, however, it's not routed to either channel.

Speaker Setup still shows that I'm configured for 5.1 audio with L and R channels and a subwoofer, but no sound comes from the subwoofer when tested. 

The only "solution" I've found out there on the web is to go into Device Manager > Sound, video and game controllers > IDT High Definition Audio CODEC and update the driver to High Definition Audio Device.  This simply results in a stereo L-R configuration, with no option for 5.1 audio. 

Beats Audio has long since disappeared from my system, but as I recall from the problem I'd had earlier (the subwoofer sound being routed from the center channel), it was no help. 

Please help/advise. 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

The only suggestion I can offer would be to see if installing this W10 IDT audio driver resolves the problem.

Install and restart the PC.

You may want to create a restore point in case this driver makes a bad situation worse, and you can revert back to your current status.

However, it normally works, or I would not be suggesting it.

This package provides the IDT Tempo High Definition Audio Driver for supported desktop models that are running a supported operating system.

File name: sp71717.exe

[JasW57]

Thanks, Paul. No joy, unfortunately, with the IDT Tempo driver -- no sound at all from any channel. Happily, I followed your advice and created a restore point, because the other IDT drivers I had no longer worked either when I switched back from the Tempo driver.

Someone mentioned somewhere rolling back to the pre-Creator version of Windows 10 in Settings > Recovery. Unless you or someone else has any other possible solution, I'm going to try that once I have time to do so. 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

Sorry that driver didn't work for you.

The only other suggestion I can offer would be to try the W8.1 driver from your PC's support page and see if that one works.

Again, create a restore point before installing the driver.

This package provides the driver for the IDT High Definition Audio solutions in supported models that are running a supported operating system.

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp64501-65000/sp64878.exe

If that doesn't work either, I guess you will have to stick with the W10 anniversary update.

Then when the next rendition of W10 comes out, you may want to try that version.

Sometimes they fix the bugs reported by the community.

I can tell you that on every one of my PC's, the W10 Creator's Edition knocked out the audio driver and replaced it with the generic Windows audio driver, which did not perform as well as the manufacturer's driver.

My Hp 350 G1 business notebook also has the IDT audio, and fortunately, for me, the W8.1 IDT audio driver from my notebook's support page restored the IDT DTS audio, and it works fine.

Two of my desktop PC's have the Realtek HD audio, and a trip to the Realtek site for the latest W10 audio driver fixed those, and one of my older HP desktops has the ADI Soundmax audio, and I had to reinstall the W7 audio driver, which fixed that one.

So, I was lucky.

[JasW57]

I had already tried the 8.1 driver (64878) -- the system wouldn't install it, saying that it "did not meet system requirements."  So it looks like it's back to the earlier version of Windows 10.

You are lucky you have Realtek on those two PCs. I used to have it on an earlier HP. Realtek supports its products on PCs. Good luck finding such support from IDT. I looked long and hard on their site, but found nothing. 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

I know.

IDT driver support is non-existant, and it is very hard to make anything work on an unsupported operating system.

I didn't realize that the HP 350 G1 had the IDT audio, until after I bought it.  I figured it had the Realtek audio.

Did you try manually installing the W8.1 driver?

You can try that by going to the device manager, click on the IDT HD audio device under the sound, video and game controllers device manager category, click on the driver tab, click on Update Driver, select the Browse my computer for driver software option, and browse to the driver folder that was created when you ran the file.

That folder will be located in C:\SWSetup\sp64878.

Make sure the Include Subfolders box is checked, and see if the driver installs that way.

Also try running the W8.1 driver in W8.1 compatibility mode if you have such an option.

[JasW57]

The system rejected the 8.1/64878 driver before it could even create a driver folder, so no luck there. No 8.1 compatibility option either. I'll have to try rolling back to pre-Creator as apparently my only remaining option. I've been putting that off since it will be a substantial block of downtime.

[JasW57 · Accepted solution]

Rolling back to the build previous to Creator fixes it all, no mess, no fuss. Everything is back to normal, subwoofer-wise.

Nice job screwing things up, Microsoft.

And nice job not even caring enough to attempt to fix the mess, IDT. HP should be ashamed associating itself with such an enterprise as IDT. Or HP's lawyers should be fired for failing to require IDT to stay on the ball with respect to drivers that are immediately updated to meet whatever new Windows builds might require. It's not as if IDT should be able to bully HP around. But apparently that was the end result here.