No Sound- The device is being used by another application

[Frank C]

No Sound

Thanks Snowyjoey,
My wife's ASUS laptop running Win Eight had this problem. We un-installed KB2962407 and the sound returned.
We have changed the updates from automatic to notify so we can watch for the return of KB2962407 and hide it.
We really appreciate your help.
Frank C

 

[KillerIsMe]

Had this same issue pop up on my Acer Aspire E1-470P-6659 around the 13th of July. The thing was after about a 3 days of this it seemed to stop until today. I would then start up my laptop and automatically go to Pandora/Youtube and have sound just fine until I shut down. Today though, I started my laptop up and then walked off for about 15 minutes and no sound followed by an half an hour of going through MS's instructions on audio problems. After restarting I immediately looked around and found a link to this thread which had me going through with uninstalling/hiding update KB2962407 from my laptop. Hopefully this works out as being the fix because having no audio sucks.

 

[emily]

Control Panel > Hardware & Sound > Sound
Under the playback tab double click on speakers
Advanced tab
Uncheck "Allow Applications to take exclusive control of this device"
Restart your PC and it should do the job,

Been having this issue for weeks until I took the time to fully figure it out - hope this helps!

 

[NoelDP]

Hiding a problem is NEVER an answer - it just makes it more likely to get worse over time.
If you want to raise a Support case with MS (which this problem needs) email susan-at-msmvps.com (change the -at- to @) to open a case up as *it will not get fixed* without a support case opened up.

(Susan asked me to post this here - apparently her login is broken!)

 

[smileskmt]

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.

The person(s) responsible for this update should be sacked. Microsoft should come out and apologise for this mistake. It really is disgraceful!

The correct date of this update is 07/10/2014

 

[smileskmt]

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.

The correct date to this update is 07/10/2014. When you copied and pasted the original posters solution to the problem you also missed correcting the update date.

 

[Snowyjoey]

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.

The person(s) responsible for this update should be sacked. Microsoft should come out and apologise for this mistake. It really is disgraceful!

The correct date of this update is 07/10/2014

smileskmt

I live in the UK so the correct date here is 10/07/14 - 10th July 2014

 

[tjay921]

I have a Dell Inspiron 5521 laptop and the sound just recently went on it. And now that you mention it, it was after an update. Does anyone know if this has been resolved yet, or if there's a fix for it?

 

[tjay921]

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.

The person(s) responsible for this update should be sacked. Microsoft should come out and apologise for this mistake. It really is disgraceful!

Thank you Snowyjoey!!!!!! I followed your steps and uninstalled the KB2962407 update and my sound is back! You saved me money!! I was about to bring it to my local computer repairman. Thanks again!

 

[saj]

i just registered to say thanks to thread starter GaryG45 also CathyT & Snowyjoey for solving this issue because i've tried almost everything said here plus youtube and everywhere else , the last 2 things for me to do was updating to windows 8.1 but i wasn't sure if i really need it because my laptop was working fine other than this issue or wasting my money in repair shop for something that i can do , my sound back since few days so i hope we will not face anymore updates like ( kb2962407 )

 

[xGHOST]

The problem isn't only with HP PCs. It has been reported on Lenovo and Asus PCs too. I have checked the HP Community, and there is a thread for this problem. Installation of the latest IDT High Definition Audio CODEC driver doesn't appear to help. One person installed the M/S version of the driver instead of the HP version. They now have very low sound, and the BEATS audio feature no longer works. Most people feel the problem started after a M/S update.

Gary

Oh theres a fix.. Thanks! Gonna try it!

[DEL]Yup. I'm actually running a new Windows 8 ASUS right now, and having this problem. It's quite frustrating. Usually I can temporarily fix it by going into my devices, finding one of my sound card..things.. (sorry I'm not tech savvy and don't really know the lingo lol) and disabling one of them, then re-enabling it. It works for a short amount of time, and then I have to repeat. Would be nice to see a fix for this :/ Feels like one of my recent 2 downloads caused it, or perhaps an Update. I'm not sure, as I have the same issue concerning not being able to Restore due to corrupt files.[/DEL]

 

[CountMike]

Did anybody have a problem like that on a Desktop computer ? I have seen that only on Laptops.

 

[xGHOST]

Again, I'm definitely no computer specialist, but since it relates to Windows Updates, which as far as I'm aware Desktops also have, then the fix should be the same right? o: Hopefully?

Or is that just a relative question? haha.

Dunno, in that case.

 

[CountMike]

Again, I'm definitely no computer specialist, but since it relates to Windows Updates, which as far as I'm aware Desktops also have, then the fix should be the same right? o: Hopefully?

Or is that just a relative question? haha.

Dunno, in that case.

No, it's not "relative haha question", I did few updates on desktops since they came out (not everybody has nerves to do their updates or how to fix problems if they arise ) and none of them had that sound problem. I'm realy interested if it affects laptops only. Sooner or later I will be asked to do it on a laptop.

 

[lilrachele]

Solved by scanning for hardware changes

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.

I had this issue on my ASUS UX32V on Windows 8.
When the issue first started happening, sometimes I could just restart the computer and it would work again. Later this stopped working. So far I have tried each of these actions before restarting:
*Unticking or ticking 'Allow applications to take exclusive use of this device' in Sound
*Disabling other audio outputs in Device Manager
*Checking if the Realtek audio driver software was up to date
*Uninstalling Windows update B2962407


All of the above didn't work. Then I tried scanning for hardware changes to my Realtek speakers, restarted Spotify, played a song and...
it works!


Thank you, thank you, thank you Eric!

 

[1nd1g0]

Solution to "the device is being used by another app.."

To simplify things for others looking for the best solution, the easiest way is to:

Right click Taskbar > Select Task Manager > Services Tab > Right click Audiosrv > Restart.


Bob's your Uncle!



Or if you want to stop it happening to you again then:

Control Panel > Sound > Playback Tab > Click on Sound Device > Properties > Advanced Tab >

Exclusive Mode >

Untick "Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device" > OK

Sally's your Aunt!




​

 

[jimjim]

FIX?

My sound was randomly turning off and only a restart of my computer would fix it. Also, another thing I noticed was that when I clicked into my sound settings from my task bar there was quite a bit of lag. My computer would hang there for maybe 10 seconds before it opened the sound settings (which is odd for a fast computer). I think I may have found a fix for both of these problems.
This fixed the issue for me so far, try this out and let me know if it fixed it for you too!

1. Go to: Control Pannel >> System >> Device Manager
2. Click on: Sound, video and game controllers.
3. Right click on each item on this list and click Disable on one driver at a time until you only have the driver that you are using for your speakers Enabled.

In my case I only had to disable my Realtek High Definition Audio driver and I left my AMD High Definition Audio Device driver Enabled (because this is the driver I use). I'm guessing Windows 10 has a problem with more than one sound driver being enabled. So far so good for me, let me know if this helped you though .

 

[guest77]

1nd1g0 regarding post #96, I signed up just to say your post was the fix for me! I tried all the other pseudo-fixes on this board, all of which were "red herrings." I was already on Windows 8.1, I tried the refreshing/searching for/other tricks, and there was no mystery Windows Update on my laptop. But after hours wasted, your solution to restart the Audiosrv task was all that I needed to do. Thanks.