Internal speaker and microphone stopped working recently

[DL2020]

Hi all

Reposting, since the thread I posted on this topic yesterday has been deleted or has disappeared from the site (any ideas why?)

Yesterday I noticed that the internal speaker and microphone on my Spectre had stopped working - over the last 2-3 days

It works with headphones plugged in

I have checked that there have been no updates in that time - last update was a Windows Security update around a week ago

I have disabled and enabled the device - didnt fix it

I have uninstalled, deleted and reinstalled the driver - no fix

I have tested the speaker in BIOS Component Test - it works from the BIOS

Run HP Audio Check - claims everything is working

Would be grateful for any possible solutions, but will post any updates if I find the problem

Its rather inconvenient not having sound and mic given how much we need video chat these days

Thanks

EDIT More detailed system information.

Last Windows update was to 2000 back in October. The sound problem started in the last few days. Is the new Windows update likely to fix it

Driver version for Realtek is 6.0.8940.1

Driver version for Intel Displau Audio is 10.23.0.567

[DL2020]

The speaker has now randomly started working (as with the other poster with this problem) first thing on Monday morning. Not sure what I did to the machine between going to bed last night and getting up. Will check my system for overnight updates but it was powered off/sleeping. I imagine it could have woken up in the night to download an update

I have something of a hunch that it may relate to something to do with a streaming app not switching stuff properly. But who knows what goes wrong these days. However it was not working at the OS level or any other apps like Zoom

Come to think of it. The machine had been sleeping from battery (unplugged). It was fully charged. But maybe a long sleep while unplugged fixed it. I had already tried the hard reset procedure but that didnt fix it earlier. I had been trying running it on battery (unplugged) since I also had suspicions about power issues from mains power. But who knows. It will remain a mystery (to me anyway)

[DL2020]

The mystery deepens - may or may not be related - similar symptom

Listenng to music successfully for many hours since it came back to life. Started wathcing a Youtube video and the sound was killed after about 30 seconds of the video

Still trying to get it back. Any thoughts

OS Sound control is flaky.  Brief sound for a second then gone again

To be honest much of the OS/browser/UI behaviour has been seriously creepy for some time. I put it down to changing ways of delivering OS and SW to our devices. But the unpredictability of it suggests more than a ghost in the machine sometimes

Over to you HW/SW suppliers

[DL2020]

OK, back again first thing in the morning. This time left plugged in and sleeping

There was a windows update a few days ago but that didnt fix it. Just fixed "randomly" overnight

What are we looking at. Overheating??? Its cooler first thing in the morning? Sorry unlikely to be the speaker component since that works from BIOS tests, but maybe some other component getting into a weird state. 

The magic HP Spectre fairies have been at work while I was asleep? As I said I'm convinced somedays there is someone else on my machine. 

But maybe its the kind of system that just takes a few days to fix itself

No more posts on this subject at all, since at least it keeps coming back eventually, and I'm not a tech or engineer of any description so have no idea what I'm doing

[DL2020]

I wasn't going to post but seemingly no solutions have been found yet.

You may be interested to know that my audio control and speakers worked for 5-10 seconds this morning

EDIT Correction, the control still works with external headphones of course. Note that the audio control is actually erratic, jumps around and sound becomes interrupted before it stops altogether

[DL2020]

Just an update

The speakers have been working for around a week now (no updates or anything)

Once they started working, after all the problems and weird behaviour of the audio control I decided not to risk even clicking on it, in case it was a flaky interface interaction causing problems

So I've been using the hardware keyboard (function key) controls to increase, decreas and mute volume

What is weird though, which backs up suspicion on dodgy intrefaces or some weird state is that often the speaker behaviour does not relate to the HW mute or SW audio state and has to be clicked again. 

Could be problematic and embarrassing if you think somethins off when its on and vide versa

Over to you for more investugation

... although I must admit the behaviour of so many things over recent years has been so strange and creepy I was nervous even posting this in case it turned off my speakers

[DL2020]

Yet another update. After not working since my last post, opened my computer and the system is working again. No apparent updates or anything. They were a few days ago. Total mystery

Is it possible the headphone socket is dodgy and not registering that the jack has been removed??

What could it be. However that would not explain the flaky audio control which I avoid using if I can

Is it possible that there is some strange interaction between other parts of the OS, even some applications and browsers and audio controls. It is so unpredictable. I have ruled out overheating too since it is a very hot day

[DL2020]

Latest update

Using this as something of a diary and hopefully a support resource

Speaker and mic have not been working since last post. But last night I used a headphone/mic with the 3.5 mm jack for a few hours and today magically the speaker/mic system is working

Until next time folks

EDIT Oops forgot other important variables. Last update was a Windows update back in January I think and I had the machine unplugged and powered off all night. Capacitance?

But I think I can rule out temperature. Its been stinking hot all day and playing Jimi Hendrix much of it

Sorry, other variables - I had to spend a while playing with the WIndows/Zoom microphone (attached to the headphones) controls and it was bit flaky. As mentioned earlier the Windows controls were a bit flaky earlier too. Who knows