Realtek microphone stops working after the latest Windows 10 spring feature update

[freeeeemind]

I have HP Pavilion 17-ab073nd [Product number:    X8P26EA ]

My Windows 10 has updated today with a big spring feature update. After that my microphone stopped working. Windows does see the mic, it shows no problem with audo driver or anything. However, every program that uses mic tells me that it is our of order. When I try to run Windows mic configuration setup, it tells me "check your audio hardware, it's not working properly".

I have tried to reinstall the audio driver. I had the latest one - 6.0.1.8117 Rev.E . I downloaded it again from HP and reinstalled. It didn't help. 

I downgraded the Win 10 system back to the previous buid. It resoved the mic problem immediately. 

I think that the Realtek audio driver needs an update to cope with the latest Windows update. 

Is there anything else what I can to to be able to use microphone after I upgrade my Win10 again? 

[DavidPK]

Hi,

Try the Realtek HD Audio software package on the following link.

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp81501-82000/sp81928.exe

Regards,

DP-K

[freeeeemind]

Hi David,

I've tried the 6.0.1.8216 Realtek driver -- it didn't help. I confirm that the big Windows Spring Feature update number 1803 kills the microphone.

Once I fully uninstall the update and return to the previous build, the mic works fine again.

Is there anything HP can do about it? Maybe update the Realtek audio driver? 

Thanks for your help.

Kind regards,

Andrew

[DavidPK]

Hi Andrew,

I don't work for HP, but I would expect them to release a driver that corrects this issue - in the meantime, it may be worth trying the later Realtek software package on the link below.

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp87001-87500/sp87168.exe

Regards,

DP-K

[freeeeemind]

Hello, David. Thank you very much for your help. I really appreciate it. 

The 87168.exe (version 6.0.1.8390) driver didn't help. 😞 Could you please advice me on the following:

1. How can I track / find the new driver releases? You pointed me twice to the ftp locations. And these new drivers are not available from the HP product page.

2. Do you possibly know how I could let HP (or Realtek) know about the problem that exists? Maybe submit a bug or something. So that they could work on the new driver solution. I don't think HP developers are monitoring this forum. I might be wrong, however. 🙂

Thanks again!

[DavidPK · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Before trying anything else could you check the following.

From the Start Menu, open Settings, then open Privacy.

Select Microphone in the left hand pane and check that both Access and the relevant App Permisions have been granted.

Regards,

DP-K

[freeeeemind]

Hi David,

Thanks a lot. That helped indeed. There we 2 settings -- "Allow access to the mic on this device" -- that one was ON, but the mic still didn't work. The other setting - Allow apps access the mic" -- was OFF. I turned it on. The app that uses my mic is not in the list of the devices below that setting, and I did each particular app off in the list. But it still helped -- my mic now works fine with the app that I use (Zello). What's funny -- the standards Windows "mictophone configuration" program can launch now and won't give an unknown error anymore.

Once again - thanks a lot for your help.

[DavidPK]

You're more than welcome and good to hear it's ok

All the best,

DP-K