Cannot get any sound on my HP PC

[Casey113]

Product Name: HP ENVY 17.3 inch Laptop PC 17-ch1000 (436W7AV)

Experience: sound icon on the start bar had a x on it after starting the PC

Error message: sound device not found; cannot get any sound 

Recent changes: a bios update from HP a couple of days ago

Internet connection: WIFI

Tried many remediation steps recommended by HP diagnostics but none were successful

[Sneha_01]

Hi @Casey113,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

If your HP ENVY laptop is showing a sound device not found error after a BIOS update, here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Restart Your Laptop

• Sometimes a simple restart can resolve issues after updates.

2. Check Device Manager

1. Right-click on the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the Sound, video and game controllers section.
3. Look for your audio device. If it has a yellow exclamation mark or is missing:
   • Right-click on it and select Update driver.
   • Choose Search automatically for updated driver software.

3. Roll Back the Driver

If a recent driver update caused the issue:

1. In Device Manager, right-click on your audio device.
2. Select Properties > Driver tab.
3. Click Roll Back Driver if the option is available.

4. Run Audio Troubleshooter

1. Go to Settings > System > Sound.
2. Scroll down and click on Troubleshoot under Advanced.
3. Follow the prompts to diagnose and fix the issue.

5. Check Playback Devices

1. Right-click on the sound icon in the taskbar and select Sounds.
2. In the Playback tab, ensure your audio device is set as default. If it’s not listed, right-click and select Show Disabled Devices.
3. If your device appears, enable it and set it as default.

6. Reinstall Audio Drivers

1. In Device Manager, right-click on your audio device and select Uninstall device.
2. Check the box for Delete the driver software for this device if available.
3. Restart your laptop; Windows should automatically reinstall the audio driver.

7. Check BIOS Settings

Since you mentioned a recent BIOS update:

1. Restart your laptop and enter the BIOS/UEFI settings (usually by pressing F10 during startup).
2. Look for any settings related to audio devices and ensure they are enabled.

8. Restore BIOS Defaults

1. While in the BIOS, you can also restore default settings. Look for an option like Load Setup Defaults.
2. Save and exit BIOS.

9. Perform a System Restore

If the issue started after the BIOS update, consider rolling back to a restore point before the update:

1. Search for Create a restore point in the Start menu.
2. Click on System Restore and follow the prompts to restore to a previous point.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

Rachel571

HP Support

[Casey113 · Accepted solution]

Rachel571 - th@nk you for your suggested remediation options. Step #6 , reinstall audio drivers, resolved my no audio devices installed issue.

I would also like to add some further info that may be helpful to other HP community members experiencing a similar issue.

Software updates installed about  the time: HP Bios update, Win11 : 23H2 update (I do not know it either or both these updates caused the no sound issue)

Step #6:

- Windows did not automatically install a new Realtek sound driver which had three components after I deleted the original driver

- I had to search the HP web site to find the correct sound driver file, download it and install it 

Problem solved.

Many thanx for your help.