Elitebook 850 G8 Audio Issues (Bang and Olufsen) After Win 11 Update

[Freq_2_4]

During the last Win11 update, I lost audio through the speakers and line out.  Bluetooth still works (that's wholly different, anyways).  Device support thinks everything is working properly.  Support assistant thinks everything is working properly.  Windows thinks it has loaded the correct driver. and it is working properly (however, the Realtek driver was from 2020 at first).  

Keep in mind, it upgraded to 11 with no issues - it was only the last round of updates that killed audio. 

Went to HP website, found a Realtek driver from 7/2024 that HP said was the correct one for my model, installed it manually, still same issue.  As far as all of the software and hardware are concerned, everything is copacetic.  I just no longer have audio and I use this machine for remote work and now I can't Zoom or Teams (unless I am connected via Bluetooth - not a long term solution). 

Ideas?  I cannot be the only one that has run into this, but the update just happened for me about a week ago.  I'm a half dozen hours into this to no avail and I am usually pretty good at this stuff.  It is much easier now than it was back in the XP/2000 days. 

[Lachs]

I can find an even newer one on the HP driver page. You can also let the HP Image Assistant (HPIA) do it for you.

[Freq_2_4]

The upload/publish date and the driver file date are different.  This is the same one that is installed currently and not working (7/2/2024),

I tried loading the HPIA, but am getting to 99% and the download fails.  Haha.  Not funny. 

[Lachs]

Have any drivers been replaced recently? It is listed in Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Driver updates.

[Freq_2_4]

Yes.  There are several Realtek drivers that were updated over several days when a bunch of updates happened (almost daily).  They look to be trying to fix something they broke and are stuck in a fix>broken loop.  Been there.  This is why I normally don't allow auto updates, but it must have been re-enabled when I upgraded to Win11 and I didn't realize it. 

What are my options at this point?  Roll it back?  That's never a good idea in my experience. 

[Lachs]

Intel drivers are also included and are usually the problem. It may well be that Windows Update destroys something here. Rolling back in the device manager can help and also means that Windows remembers it and does not reinstall this driver version.

Maybe uninstall everything and let Windows do it again or install it yourself without internet (flight mode).

[Freq_1_2_3]

I have tried everything - every sequence of things.  I let MS install it, let HP install it, installed it myself.  Tried UAD solutions.  I must have rebooted my machine like 200 times.  Also, for some reason, loading new Realtek drivers that don't work kills the Bluetooth ones that do.  There's no way I am the only one this is happening to, but I'm not finding a carbon copy situation anywhere. 

If anybody has anything else to suggest, I'm all ears (ha! see what I did there?).  I'm no longer finding it funny, though.  To be real.