Five second low fequency hum when I plug in headset or external speakers

[Riddle_Decipher]

@RD_The_DJ

Thank you for the update,

I appreciate your time and efforts,

The best way to fix a bad driver is to delete it from the device manager (type device manager in the windows start search, Right click the audio driver and then remove it instead of using uninstall) and then install the latest driver from the Official HP Website for Software and Drivers: 
Click here to access the same.

Alternatively, yes you can use the Bluetooth headphones as they work via Bluetooth and do not use the audio drivers installed on your computer.

Keep me posted,

If the information I've provided was helpful, 

Give us some reinforcement by clicking the solution and kudos buttons, 

That'll help us and others see that we've got the answers!

Good Luck.

[RD_The_DJ · Accepted solution]

Here is how I finally solved the problem.  Clearly an HP harware problem, but my experience with HP Tech Support is that they will not consider hardware problems without a system restore, which obviously was not necessary in my situation.

1/ Pair and connect a bluetooth speaker. (Mine was $8.00 via amazon.com).

2/ Then connect external speakers and/or external headphone via the headphone jack.

3/ Right click on the speaker icon in the task bar -- then click on playback devices.

4/ While leaving the blue tooth speakers powered on, select "Speakers Conextant Audio."

5/ This has eliminated the five second tone at the beginning of any sound source (e.g. song, email notification, etc.) on my PC.

Methinks that the HP hardware send such a strong signal to the headphone/speaker jack that this is the cause of the five seconds initial hum. With the bluetooth turned on, but not selected, I postulate that this excess signal is mimized - so no hum.  I obviously am using the speaker drivers. Blue tooth is just absorbing the extra signal energy.

HP really ought to be aware of this hardware glitch. In any event, my PC now is happy. I remain dubious about HP Tech support that kept blaming this problem on Microsoft or insisting upon a system recovery.