Strange Audio streaming at night without use of any apps or browsers

[MERHAI]

This is just freaking me out.

I'm not an entire novice at the computer, but I'm far from a wiz. Still, I can read, follow directions and make sense of a lot of troubleshooting directions/techniques. It helps that my brothers are also high-level computer techs (we're not exactly spring chickens at this point), but I'm trying to figure this issue out with folks that have similar systems before I turn to the bros...

So - strangely, I have had audio randomly coming through my speakers loudly late at night for the past 2 weeks. Here's the crazy part, the ability to mute my speaker is completely disabled, I disable Bluetooth, there are no running vids on any browsers (I was asleep the first time it happened) and it manages to stream audio even if wifi is off. I get too freaked out to wait and see if disabling wifi helps but I do it, right before I turn off the comp.

If I restart, the audio picks up what sounds like a move from where it left off. There are no devices that are on Bluetooth that are unknown.  The only time I get it to stop is if I pretty much force quit everything by holding down the power button, but at that point, I still have no idea what's happening or if somehow my computer is seriously compromised despite the fact that I'm paying for security software.  I don't go on crazy websites, the comp is used for school and work, and I pretty much don't use streaming at all but may have connected it to a device in the past just to be sure the feature worked. If anyone can point me in the right direction I'll be a happy camper. So far google searches have yielded nothing but if you have problems hearing audio, no matter what variation of the question I try.

Looking forward to hearing from some geniuses on this forum since, of course, my HP warranty expired only about a month ago.

[TheOldMan]

Strange things similar to the mentioned post have been known to happen and could possibly be just a matter of moving things around a bit to stop it.  Since this is a AIO, first try moving the PC to a different location  - just for testing -  to see if that stops the audio.  Also, disconnect any external devices.  While not entirely clear but the way the post is worded, it would seem the computer is actually on when this happens or is it sleeping or hibernating?

Do you know of anything new in your area or right next to the computer?

Strange things with analogue sounds are different than for digital sounds.  Most of the instances are from RF signals being imposed onto existing wiring and making their way into the audio system.

Do you use external speakers?  If yes, disconnect them for testing.

Report back with results, please.

[MERHAI]

I have an external drive connected with older movies in folders, so I'll try removing it as the next troubleshooting test. What's really concerning is the timing of the issue. It does not occur during the day, but it happens very late at night. You're in the middle of a dead sleep, and so is the computer, every night. Habitually, I restart as needed but essentially shy away from turning the computer off a night as my business is very email driven and I choose the desktop instead of my phone to check it first thing in the morning, in an effort to skip the starting boot time. 

I wouldn't be able to move my computer, unfortunately. It's in a small, tight office space in my home. I live in a townhouse, so it's impossible to know if my neighbors are somehow connecting to my speakers with a new device. No external speakers. The computer has a pretty significant sound range from the internal pre-built Bang & Olufsen speaker (never heard of the company before this PC but seems like it's a runner-up to Bose). It can knock your socks off at its highest volume. 

What seems exceptionally strange to me is how the ability to mute or adjust the speaker volume levels is disabled when this happens. That's when I get completely frazzled, and my suspicions are raised that someone or some hacker script has taken over my computer. I essentially have to hard-reboot the computer to get it to stop. If I restart or use the on-screen controls to power off my computer, the loud audio noise picks up right where it left off. This started happening about a month ago, some nights are skipped, but it happened again last night. I haven't been able to find anyone else with this experience, so troubleshooting techniques are far and few in between. 

Thanks for your reply. I'll revert if it seems my external hard drive is the culprit.

[TheOldMan]

Interesting.

Some things to try - because these type of things are unknown at the present - you commented about Bluetooth and WiFi.

Try disabling both of those before allowing the PC to sleep or hibernate. Also disconnect the keyboard and mouse if wired, and anything else that is wired.

[MERHAI]

Thanks for the feedback. 

The hard drive removal didn't work for me.  I will try disabling wifi and Bluetooth before sleep/hibernate. Still have no idea how this happens even when the speakers are muted. I'm at a loss, and there isn't much out there about this problem. All other peripherals are connected wirelessly.  

[CBStrategy]

I am having the same issue.  I had an I.T. security company check my computer and they did not find any evidence of hacking or malware.  I am extremely upset about this as this is a work computer and my clients require top notch security.  HP better be looking into this issue.  I expect an response directly from HP. 

This has happened multiple times.  Computer is asleep, no apps open, no browsers open.  All of a sudden you hear a random voice blasting.  The first time it was someone speaking English with an Indian accent providing what sounded like a youtube instructional course.  The next time it was in a Middle Eastern language with a lot of yelling.  This morning it was an American voice providing what sounded like a drivers ed lecture.  I am baffled and sick of being woken up by this issue.