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 disconnected. I tried updating them and then uninstalled both drivers with the option to remove the driver packages 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 the Realtek driver caused a brief crash. Removing the Intel driver afterward also made it disappear from the hardware list. What is the safest way to reinstall the correct audio drivers and get the internal speakers working again?
1 Answer
With the laptop powered off and disconnected from its charger, hold the power button for about 10 seconds to fully discharge the hardware, then start it again and check Device Manager. This can sometimes restore hardware that has become stuck in an unavailable state. Also check that Windows is not using an overly restrictive power-saving profile; High Performance or the manufacturer's performance mode may help while troubleshooting. The drivers should ideally come from the laptop manufacturer's support page rather than being manually forced through Add Hardware Wizard.
By a battery pull, do you mean simply unplugging the charger, or physically disconnecting the battery? And are you referring to the system's performance setting rather than how long it stays on battery?