Master volume control does not work

[EricHereford]

The master volume control does not work. On all settings between 2 and 100 I get maximum volume, on setting 0 there is no volume. This control has worked fine in the past and volume control in individual apps works OK.

[nclarkb]

I have spent days trying to figure out why its not working. I even reset my laptop, but that didn't help. So, after tons of tinkering, I think I have a solution. Just stop using Realtek's drivers. It's not perfect, and I'd prefer to use them over Window's drivers, but it is working so far. Here's the step-by-step.

1. Open up Device Manager.
2. Open up the Sound, Video, and Game Controllers drop menu.
   
3. Right click the Realtek(R) Audio option and select Update Driver
4. Select Browse my Computer for Drivers
5. Select Let Me Pick from a List of Available Drivers on My Computer
6. Select High Definition Audio Device
   
7. Restart Computer

This solved the problem for me after trying a number of different Realtek drivers. Again, this is not ideal, but it is better than having my speakers full blast all the time despite the volume control's levels.