Realtek High definition Audio cannot start

[Emma8203]

The Realtek High Definition audio on Device manager has it caution message, when i go to properties it says this device can not start(code 10) the policy object does not exist when it should, the driver version says it is the updated one driver version 6.0.9850.1, when i try to update it says it is the best driver for your device are already installed.

[Smith-SM]

Hey there,
That This device cannot start (Code 10)  the policy object does not exist when it should  error usually means the Realtek audio driver got corrupted or doesn’t match the version your system needs. It’s pretty common after Windows updates.

Here’s what you can try, this usually fixes it:

1. Uninstall the Realtek driver completely:
   
   
• Right-click Start → Device Manager → Sound, video and game controllers.
  
  
• Right-click Realtek High Definition Audio → Uninstall device.
  
  
• Check the box that says Delete the driver software for this device, then click OK.
  
  
2. Restart your laptop.
   
   
• When it restarts, Windows might automatically reinstall a generic audio driver.
  
  
3. Manually install the correct driver from HP’s website.
   
   
• Go to HP Support, enter your exact laptop model, and download the Realtek Audio Driver listed there (even if the version looks older than the one in Device Manager).
  
  
• Install it, then restart your computer again.
  
  
4. Optional check:
   
   
• After rebooting, open Device Manager and confirm there’s no yellow warning icon under Sound devices.
  
  
• You can also open the Sound settings to test playback and confirm your speakers are detected.
  
  

That usually clears up the Code 10 error. If it still shows up, try running HP Hardware Diagnostics for Windows (from the HP Support Assistant app)  it can confirm if there’s a deeper hardware or registry issue.

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[JDS145]

I have the same problem.  The proposed solution did not help.  The HP website only indicates that my computer has a WIN 10 OS, when in fact it has and always has had a WIN 11 OS.  There is no option to select a WIN 11 OS.  When I try to install the WIN 10 driver, I get an error message stating that the OS does not support the driver.  So, I can't install the HP driver.  What else can I do to solve this problem?  Thank you.