Realtek audio issues

[mayberry1]

So I've been having issues with the Realtek HD audio drivers on my Sony VAIO laptop (model number VPCCW21FX). No matter what version of Windows I use (Windows 7 or 8), the Realtek Audio Manager will not open. Currently, I am running Windows 8.1 x86 on my laptop. Before, I was using the Microsoft provided HD audio driver with no problems, but I decided I would install Realtek's driver to see if I would have the issues present when using Windows 8 before. So far, these issues are still present (must be driver related then). For example, whenever I boot up the laptop or restart it, anything that requires playing a sound for the first time will cause the speakers to output a loud pop before the audio starts to play. Another issue I'm having, like I said before, is the Realtek HD Audio Manager will not open. Even when I had Windows 7 installed with Sony's Realtek Audio driver from their website, the audio manager still refused to open, although I did not have the loud popping that occurs under Windows 8 and 8.1.

I read that it is related to Realtek's power management, where the driver will turn off the audio chip when it is not in use. I guess the pop is the audio chip turning back on. If that is the case, then I don't mind the pop and everything, but I would like to have it so it doesn't disable the chip when I have the laptop plugged in, because there is no need for that. I read on this thread that if you change some registry settings, you can have it so that it only disables the chip when the laptop is running from battery power. Here is a quote from post #58:

Just wanted to say that the Realtek registry key was stored in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on my laptop.
I had to create the power management key though.

This is how it worked for me:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Realtek\RAVCpl64\PowerMgnt]
"Enabled"=dword:00000001
"DelayTime"=dword:0000000f
"OnlyBattery"=dword:00000001

So basically i set it to enabled for battery use only, with a delay of 15 seconds.

I found out that RAVCpl64 is actually the name for the executable located in the Program Files/Realtek/Audio/HDA for Realtek's HD Audio Manager. I am running the 32 bit version of Windows, so the executable name is different: RtHDVCpl. So I adjusted the key name under the registry according to the executable name. Now, the problem is, the Audio manager won't run at all, so if my theory is correct, these new registry entries are doing absolutely nothing, as apparent by the loud pop I still get whether I'm on battery power, or if I have the laptop plugged in. Either that, or the keys and strings I am entering do not apply to 32 bit systems, and are only available to 64 bit systems. I'm thinking my first theory is the reason why the adjusted settings do not do anything, as I have adjusted the key name according to the executable name for 32 bit machines. It's just the program won't run, so the settings aren't actually doing anything.

I've tried running the program as administrator. Nothing. I've tried running the compatibility wizard. Still nothing. Every time I double click the executable, it doesn't do anything. No system tray icon, no new process in task manager relating to Realtek. Nothing. I have no idea what to do, or what the problem could be. I've tried looking all over the internet for problems relating to Realtek Audio Manager not opening, but I have still yet to find a solution. If anyone on these forums could help me, I would really appreciate it!

 

[fireberd]

What Intel audio were you using? The only audio listed on the Sony site is the RealTek. There is a driver and driver update listed for Win 7 64 bit (which is Win 8/8.1 64 bit compatible). They don't specifically say its 32 bit OS compatible so that may be an issue if you are using the 32 bit OS version. That could also be an issue with the HD Audio Manager if it is designed for 64 bit OS systems.

Realtek has a 32 bit OS driver, I would give that a try and see what happens. Make sure you uninstall the 64 bit version and restart the PC before installing the RealTek 32bit OS driver. Realtek

 

[mayberry1]

What Intel audio were you using? The only audio listed on the Sony site is the RealTek. There is a driver and driver update listed for Win 7 64 bit (which is Win 8/8.1 64 bit compatible). They don't specifically say its 32 bit OS compatible so that may be an issue if you are using the 32 bit OS version. That could also be an issue with the HD Audio Manager if it is designed for 64 bit OS systems.

Realtek has a 32 bit OS driver, I would give that a try and see what happens. Make sure you uninstall the 64 bit version and restart the PC before installing the RealTek 32bit OS driver. Realtek

I wasn't using the Intel audio at all. I've been using Realtek's audio drivers since Windows 7, and those were from Sony's website. Then I updated to Windows 8 and I started using the drivers from Realtek's website, and the loud popping noise started to occur. Since then, I have done a clean install of Windows 8.1 and I was using the built in audio driver for awhile with no issues, but I decided to give the Realtek drivers a try, since I thought those might work better or provide more functionality than the built in driver. So far, audio outputs fine. It just makes that loud pop sound when I try to stream audio for the first time after boot. It also occasionally makes a pop sound when I haven't streamed audio for awhile, although it is much quieter, but still noticeable.

I've also noticed that the Multimedia Class Scheduler Service does not start running until after I have streamed audio for the first time. I have no idea if that could also be the cause of the popping noise, since I didn't pay attention to whether this same behavior occurred with the built in driver.

Anyway, I am using the latest drivers from Realtek's website (forgot to mention that, sorry!), and I had no issues with installing them on this 32 bit install of Windows 8.1 I have going. However, like I mentioned before, the audio manager refuses to open. This issue was also prevalent in Windows 7 with Sony's driver, and in Windows 8 with Realtek's driver. One thing I just thought of while I was typing this, it could be a driver issue with version 2.71, since they haven't updated it since I had my install of Windows 8 running. But I'm not to sure, since the audio manager did not run under Windows 7 either. Hard to say what the problem could be...

 

[fireberd]

As this only has Windows XP and Windows 7 64 bit OS drivers on the Sony site, it suggests this was designed to be used with Win 7 64 bit OS and not the 32 bit version. Windows 8 would fall into the same category.

Have you tried installing and running the 64 bit OS version? And if not, why are you using the 32 bit OS version?

 

[mayberry1]

Before, though, I was running Windows 7 64 bit with Sony's drivers, and the audio manager still did not work. And when I was running Windows 8, I had the 64 bit version as well, so I don't think it's a problem between 32 bit and 64 bit. Both OS versions have the same issues with the Realtek drivers.

And I'm running the 32 bit version because I don't need the 64 bit version. All the apps I run are 32 bit, so there is no need to waste space and resources with installing a 64 bit version of Windows.

 

[fireberd]

Well, most all (actually all that I've seen) new or newer systems using 64bit OS regardless of amount of memory or applications.
A 64 bit OS won't really hog the resources.

As you used the Sony drivers in Win 7 64 bit, some vendor's drivers do not have all the features that many others have. Although not your problem, I have seen some that did not have the option of having the speakers muted or left on when the headphone was used. I've also seen some that does not have the Stereo Mix (System Mixer) due to the PC vendor's custom implementation. I've seen others that the custom hardware chip implementation did not allow some functions. Did you try the generic RealTek drivers when you had Win 7 64 bit? And, as mentioned just installing them over top of an existing driver installation may result in the same problem. The old drivers have to be completely removed and the PC restarted before installing a new version.

 

[mayberry1]

No I did not, so I have no idea if those same issues would still be present. And I never had any old drivers installed on my system. I just updated them from the default built in driver to the latest Realtek Driver from their website. I suppose it could be just an issue with the custom implementation of the chip by Sony. I guess it will just have to be something I have to deal with. It's not the big of an issue, because the audio streams fine (so far) with no hiccups in playback or anything like that. Just that annoying pop after Windows has booted up and a sound plays back for the first time. I was thinking that that pop was probably due to Realtek's power management, and so I tried to adjust the settings in the Registry like I mentioned in the first post, but I don't believe they do anything because the audio manager will not run or open. Probably another issue with Sony's implementation of the Realtek chip. Oh well. Like I said, not to big of a deal, just kind of an annoyance. But, I guess I have no need to complain, since audio playback so far has been working great.

Anyway, thanks for your help fireberd. I suppose this shall be marked as solved, since there doesn't seem to be a solution to the problem considering this is a hardware limitation that would require much more work on a different level that I do not understand. Although, it would be great if someone found out how to get the HD audio manager to work under this particular Sony laptop, or their other laptops if they have issues as well.

 

[popeye]

Try these, nothing to lose at this point. The version I have on Acer laptop.

Download ASUS S56CB Realtek Audio Driver 6.0.1.6833 for Windows 7 64 bit, Windows 8 64 bit

 

[mayberry1]

Try these, nothing to lose at this point. The version I have on Acer laptop.

Download ASUS S56CB Realtek Audio Driver 6.0.1.6833 for Windows 7 64 bit, Windows 8 64 bit

Yeah, definitely nothing to lose at this point! I will give those a try and let you know if it works or not. And if it does, I'll let you know if it works any better.

 

[OneDrive]

My Windows 8.1 has this problem: "Unrecoverable playback error: Unknown error code (0x88890010)"

I watch movies, listen to music, but suddenly sound disappears. I have to close all media players and browsers and then try to run this file: audiodg.exe

If lucky, I hear some sound. But later, no sound again.

I don't know what to do. Tried to install realtek but helpless.

 

[fireberd]

OneDrive, please start a new Thread, do not hijack an existing thread. Thanks.