What is AUDIO-NO-OUTPUT?
This medium-severity issue affects the system driver. Windows says it doesn't see speakers or headphones. Another common trigger is disabled chip in BIOS. Work through the steps below in order.
Common Causes
- The Windows Sound service is stopped
- Faulty driver after Windows update
- Disabled chip in BIOS
Step-by-Step Fix Guide
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1
Restart the Windows Audio service
Restart the Windows Audio service tends to be the quickest win here, addressing the most typical cause of AUDIO-NO-OUTPUT.
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2
Check BIOS if HD Audio is enabled
If it comes back, the next steps in the sequence are there specifically for atypical drivers instability cases.
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3
Update Realtek drivers
"Update Realtek drivers" is worth trying when faulty driver after Windows update turns out to be the culprit.
Commands & Diagnostics
mmsys.cpl
net start audiosrv
Frequently Asked Questions
The Windows Sound service is stopped accounts for the majority of AUDIO-NO-OUTPUT reports; faulty driver after Windows update and disabled chip in BIOS come up less often but are documented.
Try "Restart the Windows Audio service" first — it resolves most AUDIO-NO-OUTPUT cases on its own. Only work through the rest of the guide above if it comes back.
As a medium-severity issue, AUDIO-NO-OUTPUT is more of a stability annoyance than a hardware risk — the steps above should clear it up.
In most cases, yes — the guide above resolves AUDIO-NO-OUTPUT without a clean install. Treat a reinstall as the last resort, not the first move.
Sometimes. Microsoft regularly releases patches that fix known BSOD triggers including AUDIO-NO-OUTPUT. Make sure Windows is fully up to date via Settings → Windows Update before attempting more advanced fixes.
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