Impossible Audio Issue

[MatthysOne]

After a driver update using the HP Support assistant, my laptop's audio is useless.

I'm experiencing the following:

Works:

* Laptop Speakers

* Headphone Microphone (via audio jack)

Not Working:

* Laptop Microphone Array

* Headphone Audio (via audio jack)

Here's what I know:

* The issue is software related, the hardware is fine, I've tested "outside of windows".

* Windows is up to date

* Firmware is current

* I'm using normal mobile phone headphones (TRRS), tested with three different sets.

* Drivers are up to date (re-installed them 100 different ways by now. Tried MANY different troubleshooting solutions from various websites (incl. HP).

* Microphone privacy settings are correct

* Audio devices are enabled in Windows

* Restore point recovery didn't work

* I'll probably have to format and reinstall Windows to resolve this (but REALLY want to avoid this)

* After switching from speaker to headphone from the Windows system tray, the very first sound made by the PC causes a faint 'click' sound in the headphone, followed by complete silence for all subsequent sounds. This can be replicated by switching to the speaker and then back to the headphones in the system tray.

I haven't found a single one article in which someone experiences this issue in which the laptop's built-in speaker works, but not the mic, and the audio-jack connect headphone mic works, but not the speaker.

I'm posting here out of desperation because I do not want to run through yet another troubleshooting guide as they are not advanced enough.

I wish I never updated my drivers to begin with, but only did so due to other (less serious) audio issues experienced.

If you have experience with this model and similar audio issues, please let me know if/how you resolved it.