Solved Cannot re-enable disabled RealTek HD Audio

Silver18

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I was having problems reconnecting a bluetooth speaker for my Acer desktop with windows 8.1 OS so tried disabling the default RealTek HD Audio. Now it doesn't show up as a speaker--only my bluetooth speaker that it says is disconnected show. When I look at my device manager it is there, and says that it is working. But I don't see how to re-enable it.

In my device manager under Sound, Video and game controllers there is
--Bluetooth Audio Device (with caution sign)
--ES151A Stereo--bluetooth speaker I was having problems reconnecting in the first place
--Intel(R) Display Audio
--RealTek High Definition Audio (the speaker that I disabled and now cannot re-enable)

When I go to Manage Audio Devices under Sound the only thing showing is the ES-151A stereo which it says is disconnected. I did not expect disabling the RealTek Audio to remove it from the list and thought that it could be re-enabled the same way that I disabled it.

Suggestions?
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer/Revo RL80
Uninstall the RealTek in the Device Manager. DO NOT uninstall the RealTek drivers. Restart the PC and when Windows starts it will detect and reinstall the RealTek sound. This fixes most Windows/Sound corruptions.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    i7 6700K
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus VIII Hero
    Memory
    16 Gb G Skill TridentZ DDR4 3400
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel (i7 CPU)
    Sound Card
    RealTek Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    27" Dell SE2717HR
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    500GB Samsung 850 SSD, 3TB for backups
    PSU
    EVGA Supernova 750 G2
    Case
    BeQuiet Silent Base 600
    Cooling
    Deepcool Captain 120EX
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    Cable - 100MB Downlink
    Browser
    Edge/Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft
    Other Info
    Sonar Platinum 64 bit recording studio software with MOTU 896Mk3 Hybrid recording interface unit.
Thanks fireberd! That worked! I did the RealTek uninstall just as you said--and thank you for specifying NOT to uninstall the driver. When I restarted the system did a device reinstall. Thanks again for your help. This had been making me totally crazy.

It sounds as though you think something related to the sound got corrupted? Tonight before I got your e-mail I was trying to connect the bluetooth speaker to a web book that I have--and the ACER connected to the bluetooth speaker instead. Would the connecting and disconnecting of the bluetooth speaker tend to cause corruption or is there anything else I should watch out for? Thanks again!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer/Revo RL80
Uninstall the RealTek in the Device Manager. DO NOT uninstall the RealTek drivers. Restart the PC and when Windows starts it will detect and reinstall the RealTek sound. This fixes most Windows/Sound corruptions.
If I may ad that it's good tactic to use with all of the misbehaving drivers, not only sound.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home made
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen7 2700x
    Motherboard
    Asus Prime x470 Pro
    Memory
    16GB Kingston 3600
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus strix 570 OC 4gb
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 960 evo 250GB
    Silicon Power V70 240GB SSD
    WD 1 TB Blue
    WD 2 TB Blue
    Bunch of backup HDDs.
    PSU
    Sharkoon, Silent Storm 660W
    Case
    Raidmax
    Cooling
    CCM Nepton 140xl
    Internet Speed
    40/2 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    WD
Hard to tell what caused it. Many potential factors.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    i7 6700K
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus VIII Hero
    Memory
    16 Gb G Skill TridentZ DDR4 3400
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel (i7 CPU)
    Sound Card
    RealTek Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    27" Dell SE2717HR
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    500GB Samsung 850 SSD, 3TB for backups
    PSU
    EVGA Supernova 750 G2
    Case
    BeQuiet Silent Base 600
    Cooling
    Deepcool Captain 120EX
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    Cable - 100MB Downlink
    Browser
    Edge/Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft
    Other Info
    Sonar Platinum 64 bit recording studio software with MOTU 896Mk3 Hybrid recording interface unit.
Thanks Firebred and Count Mike. I'll try to remember to keep that tactic in my toolkit.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer/Revo RL80
fireberd's suggestion actually worked! When I re-booted it got stuck in the "Windows is getting ready" message but hard powered off and restarted. It then took a LOOOOONG time to boot and my speakers in Realtek became enabled again when plugged in. I still get the "you are seeing a blank page because no devices are plugged in ..." when clicking speaker icon in tool tray but i don't care. sound works again.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
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