No Sound- The device is being used by another application

[Vegan Girl]

UGH so frustrating - did ya make sure it is not back on there? Also did you ever call HP and see what they say?

 

[Jessica]

Just joined as I am having the exact same problem! Restart solves it but only for about 5 minutes- SO frustrating! Guessing it is the Windows update as I also recently updated- doubt it is a HP fault as my laptop is Asus and like I said I am also having the problem.
Please post if anybody finds a solution, otherwise I guess it's just down to Microsoft!

 

[Murray UK]

Same intermittent problem with my wife's laptop Acer Aspire V5-571P. Have applied CathyT's suggestion above. Sound came back immediately. Need to see how long it lasts! Have also stopped Windows auto update and switched to manual for the time being.

Just to update - after 48 hours sound still loud and clear. Many thanks CathyT for saving my sanity and also to SnowyJoey for the information on Hiding updates. I will do that and then go back to auto update.

Does anyone know what Microsoft will do about this?

 

[Vegan Girl]

Jessica uninstall the MS update that they posted earlier - so far it has been a God send for me xxx

 

[Jessica]

Thanks Vegan Girl, at the risk of seeming quite dumb, how exactly do I do this?! :huh: xxx

 

[Vegan Girl]

Hey Jessica - no worries hun. I followed these instructions 24 hours ago and so far so good xxxx
I had this problem last Friday after installing the 12 system updates that Microsoft rolled out. I could not play any songs on Windows music player and songs on itunes would not start when I double-clicked on them. Also no sound on youtube videos,etc. I quickly realised that it was something in one of these updates that was the cause of the problem. It took me about three hours of wasted time finding the solution to this problem. As others on here have mentioned previously, the problem is with the Update for Microsoft Windows(KB2962407). You need to uninstall this update. Do not worry that this update is needed and essential. Yes, it is essential, apparently for onscreen keyboards on tablets! Microsoft really are idiots sometimes! I uninstalled this update last Friday night and the sound on my Windows 8 laptop came back again. Unfortunately, it is not just as simple as that though. The following day(last Saturday) this update went and installed itself again so you have to stop the update from re-installing itself. Here is what you need to do to get your audio back. Trust me this will sort out the problem as I did this last Saturday evening and it is now Thursday night and I have experienced no more audio problems on my Windows 8 laptop.

Go into Control Panel - then click on Windows Update. Bottom left of page click on Installed Updates. Go to right of page and click on Installed On. This will show the most recent updates to your system. I had a list of 12 that were installed on 10/07/14. The Update for Microsoft Windows(KB2962407) will be here. Right click on it and Uninstall it. This will probably take about ten minutes or so and your laptop will re-start. Now you need to make sure the update does not re-install back onto your system. Again Go back into Control Panel - Windows Update. Click on Check for updates. The system will search for updates and it will show that 1 important update is available. This will be the dreaded KB2962407. Right click on it and press Hide update. Then hit the OK button. This will stop this update from being re-installed and you will have no more audio problems.

 

[Jessica]

Thanks Vegan Girl, will let you know how it goes! xxx

 

[Jessica]

All working now, will see how long it lasts! Many thanks Vegan Girl. xxx

 

[Snowyjoey]

I've uninstalled KB2962407, and it worked fine all last night, but now again it's showing the "This device is being used by another application..." and the sound isn't working.

CrimsonSkies

As I mentioned before in my previous post if you just uninstall the KB2962407 update, that will not fix this problem as KB2962407 will just re-install itself and the sound problem will be back again. Check your windows updates to see if it has re-installed. If yes, uninstall it again and then from Control Panel go into Windows Update and click on search for updates. When the KB2962407 update appears after this search you need to right click on it and press Hide update. Then click on OK. Now that you've done this, the KB2962407 update will not re-install itself and you will no longer be offered this problematic update.

 

[richsix]

update

Same problem, Dell laptop/Windows 8. Also lost visibility in my homegroup around the same time.
Applied the fix, no change in homegroup, will take a day or so to determine if the audio is corrected, thanks for the info.

 

[Edward Elric]

Ok. I had the same sound problem after updated windows 8 some days ago but i found a quick solution where you don t have to upgrade to 8.1 or uninstall any windows update.

You just need to enter to the Control Panel -> security and System -> System -> Device Manager

Then look for "sound, video and game controllers" put the cursor over it press right-click and select "scan for hardware changes"

3 secs after that you will have your sound working again, you gonna need to repeat this procedure every time the sound is gone in your PC and till now it always worked to me.

To be honest i found this solution in another forum days ago and i thought people here will eventually figured out the same solution but i see you didn t make it, so hope this will solve your problem for now, till Microsoft gives us a permanent solution in the next update.

Sorry for no register here earlier and give you the solution.

 

[maisensei]

This problem has been bugging me for almost 2 weeks! Thanks to vegan Girl's post quoted below, detailing on which update to uninstall, I've managed to rectify the "no sound" issue on my laptop.. THANK YOU!!

Hey Jessica - no worries hun. I followed these instructions 24 hours ago and so far so good xxxx
I had this problem last Friday after installing the 12 system updates that Microsoft rolled out. I could not play any songs on Windows music player and songs on itunes would not start when I double-clicked on them. Also no sound on youtube videos,etc. I quickly realised that it was something in one of these updates that was the cause of the problem. It took me about three hours of wasted time finding the solution to this problem. As others on here have mentioned previously, the problem is with the Update for Microsoft Windows(KB2962407). You need to uninstall this update. Do not worry that this update is needed and essential. Yes, it is essential, apparently for onscreen keyboards on tablets! Microsoft really are idiots sometimes! I uninstalled this update last Friday night and the sound on my Windows 8 laptop came back again. Unfortunately, it is not just as simple as that though. The following day(last Saturday) this update went and installed itself again so you have to stop the update from re-installing itself. Here is what you need to do to get your audio back. Trust me this will sort out the problem as I did this last Saturday evening and it is now Thursday night and I have experienced no more audio problems on my Windows 8 laptop.

Go into Control Panel - then click on Windows Update. Bottom left of page click on Installed Updates. Go to right of page and click on Installed On. This will show the most recent updates to your system. I had a list of 12 that were installed on 10/07/14. The Update for Microsoft Windows(KB2962407) will be here. Right click on it and Uninstall it. This will probably take about ten minutes or so and your laptop will re-start. Now you need to make sure the update does not re-install back onto your system. Again Go back into Control Panel - Windows Update. Click on Check for updates. The system will search for updates and it will show that 1 important update is available. This will be the dreaded KB2962407. Right click on it and press Hide update. Then hit the OK button. This will stop this update from being re-installed and you will have no more audio problems.

 

[rockboy88]

Ha! I got sound back!!

Vegan Girl You rock!! that was it. Stupid auto update!! I have a suggestion for that, in order to keep the dreaded "KB2962407" from coming back and stop any future updates from doing something similar you can change the settings for the auto update so that it will search and download updates automatically, but not install them until you say so and only the ones you tell it to. Be warned though, if you use this setting you have to keep up with you updates and check what each does regularly. When you get an update(s) you have the option to find out what it does or is supposed to fix by clicking the "More Information" link which should be on the right side of the screen when you click on the link for the the available updates waiting to be installed. That link should be on the main page that comes up when you open "Windows Update" in the Control Panel. I included a file showing the steps to change the settings in updater. It give the steps and shows a screen shot of the page you go to after each click. You will notice that I have my control panel set to display icons instead of a list, I find it a bit easier to find things that way. I hope this helps a bit and again Vegan Girl you're the best, before I came across your solution I thought I was going to wear out my heavy bag taking out my frustrations on it!!

 

[Snowyjoey]

Yeah, thanks Vegan Girl for stealing my post and getting all the credit for it!! Can you please in future use the Quote box instead of copying and pasting someone else's post. The previous two posters are thanking you for solving this issue! For anyone else with this "no sound" problem, please read my original post on page 6 of this thread(#54). This is the solution to this thread.

 

[Rampage]

Hey Guys,
I have been having exactly the same problem. I found that if I disconnect my laptop from the internet then restart it, the sound works again. As soon as I connect to the internet, it stops working after a few minutes.
Really weird!!

 

[Lisa]

Currently the below is the only thing that's working for me. Even uninstalling the update and hiding it as mentioned here didn't work. This is a very frustrating issue. I hope MS fixes it soon.

Ok. I had the same sound problem after updated windows 8 some days ago but i found a quick solution where you don t have to upgrade to 8.1 or uninstall any windows update.

You just need to enter to the Control Panel -> security and System -> System -> Device Manager

Then look for "sound, video and game controllers" put the cursor over it press right-click and select "scan for hardware changes"

3 secs after that you will have your sound working again, you gonna need to repeat this procedure every time the sound is gone in your PC and till now it always worked to me.

To be honest i found this solution in another forum days ago and i thought people here will eventually figured out the same solution but i see you didn t make it, so hope this will solve your problem for now, till Microsoft gives us a permanent solution in the next update.

Sorry for no register here earlier and give you the solution.

 

[Keshava7]

Hey Jessica - no worries hun. I followed these instructions 24 hours ago and so far so good xxxx
I had this problem last Friday after installing the 12 system updates that Microsoft rolled out. I could not play any songs on Windows music player and songs on itunes would not start when I double-clicked on them. Also no sound on youtube videos,etc. I quickly realised that it was something in one of these updates that was the cause of the problem. It took me about three hours of wasted time finding the solution to this problem. As others on here have mentioned previously, the problem is with the Update for Microsoft Windows(KB2962407). You need to uninstall this update. Do not worry that this update is needed and essential. Yes, it is essential, apparently for onscreen keyboards on tablets! Microsoft really are idiots sometimes! I uninstalled this update last Friday night and the sound on my Windows 8 laptop came back again. Unfortunately, it is not just as simple as that though. The following day(last Saturday) this update went and installed itself again so you have to stop the update from re-installing itself. Here is what you need to do to get your audio back. Trust me this will sort out the problem as I did this last Saturday evening and it is now Thursday night and I have experienced no more audio problems on my Windows 8 laptop.

Go into Control Panel - then click on Windows Update. Bottom left of page click on Installed Updates. Go to right of page and click on Installed On. This will show the most recent updates to your system. I had a list of 12 that were installed on 10/07/14. The Update for Microsoft Windows(KB2962407) will be here. Right click on it and Uninstall it. This will probably take about ten minutes or so and your laptop will re-start. Now you need to make sure the update does not re-install back onto your system. Again Go back into Control Panel - Windows Update. Click on Check for updates. The system will search for updates and it will show that 1 important update is available. This will be the dreaded KB2962407. Right click on it and press Hide update. Then hit the OK button. This will stop this update from being re-installed and you will have no more audio problems.

Hey. I followed the exact same steps. The sound was working perfectly fine. But after I shut down my laptop and restarted it again, the audio is stopped playing on VLC and other media players but audio on browsers such as Chrome and Mozilla is working. I can watch videos on youtube with audio but there is no sound in media players such as VLC. Has anyone faced this problem and is there a solution to this ?

 

[popetherope]

After a frustrating few weeks I seem to have found a simple solution to this on my Dell Inspiron 15 3521 (Windows 8)

From the Control Panel go to Hardware & Sound.
Apart from the standard Sound application, at the bottom of the list there is also a 'Dell Audio' option.
Click on this & it takes you into the Dell Audio configuration.
On 'Advanced' turn off 'Power Management'.

I did this 3 days ago now & everything is running o.k.

Obviously this is unique to Dell but other computers may have their own additional audio configuration.

 

[circa]

Hey guys, I am suddenly have the same problem on my Gateway and my HP. here is what I have found to work "only temporarily" but it may lend some help to figuring out the real problem. Go to device manager and highlight your audio inputs and outputs then right click and scan for hardware upgrades. go down the list and do the same for sound video and game controllers. my sound comes right back but only temporarily.

 

[win8teodio]

Same exact problem here (HP). So, I tried every solution listen in this thread and nothing has worked for me...

I told my husband about it and he jokingly said "you know what solves all problems? google 'we buy any car song' and then I guarantee your sound problem will be solved." (we both HATE that commercial).

I did it, just for kicks and, not kidding... it worked. It seems that horrendous "we buy any car" song won't be silenced... not even by a flawed windows update! If you don't mind enduring it, try giving it a whirl.

* By the way, I do realize that this HAD to have just been a strange coincidence (so, please just save the snotty comments), but I figured I would share just in case it does hold some sort of magical windows OS-based sound-problem healing capabilities. Enjoy.