After a recent Windows 11 update, my ROG Strix G17 G712LU stopped detecting its built-in speakers. In Device Manager, Intel(R) Display Audio and Realtek(R) Audio only appeared when hidden devices were shown, and both had Code 45 indicating that Windows considered the hardware physically disconnected. I tried updating and then uninstalling both devices with the option to remove their driver software enabled. Restarting and scanning for hardware changes did not bring them back. I also tried Device Manager's Add Hardware Wizard: an Intel high-definition audio driver installed, but attempting to install the Realtek driver briefly crashed the laptop. After removing the Intel driver again, it no longer appears in the hardware wizard. What is the safest way to properly restore or reinstall the correct audio drivers?
1 Answer
Try performing a complete power reset first. Shut the laptop down, disconnect the charger, and if the battery is removable, take it out. Hold the power button for about 10 seconds to discharge the hardware, then power it back on and check Device Manager again. If the battery is internal, use the laptop's documented emergency-reset procedure instead of opening it. You can also temporarily use a high-performance power profile, since an overly aggressive power-saving state may cause hardware devices to disappear.
By “battery pull,” do you mean simply disconnecting the charger, or is the battery supposed to be physically disconnected? Also, are you referring to the time before the laptop goes to sleep when you mention the power profile?