Vista Tutorial - High Definition Audio Controller

Hi,

I'm getting the following message:

'Windows encountered a problem installing the driver software for your device'...

It appears that the High Definition Audio Controller is having a problem installing (The System cannot find the file specified).

I have tried downloading the latest driver, but it still doesn't appear to install.

Does anyone know of a way to solve this - I've tried a lot of different things, but I still get the message that there is 'No Audio Output Device is Installed'.

Thanks,
Gub

Hi Gub,

I'm assuming that this is onboard audio. Check in Device Manager to see if your audio device is listed under Sound, video and game controllers. Double click on the audio device and see what it says in Device status.

You might also check in your BIOS to make sure that the onboard audio is enabled.

Shawn

Hi Shawn,

In devices manager, the audio device is coming up as a PCI device under other items. This I've found really odd as I would have thought that it would appear under Sound, Video and Game Controllers as you've suggested.

I've tried to install this PCI device which Vista tells me is my Realtek High Definition Audio Controller, but then it forever tells me that it has encountered a problem as above.

Any ideas much appreciated.

Gub

Gub,

This is strange. Usually Realtek is a integrated onboard audio chip on the motherboard listed in the Sound, Video and Game Controllers section. Try right clicking on this PCI audio device under Other Items and click Uninstall. Restart the computer and see if Vista will auto detect it and install it properly.

Shawn

Is this a fresh system install or did the driver just stop working? If you're building/rebuilding the system make sure you install the chipset drivers first. They help the operating system recognize the onboard devices.

Hello both.

I don't have direct access to the machine today - but I am able to talk to someone at the other end of the phone line.

I will try the un-install and restart to see if Vista detects it.

Fdisker - it is a fresh system install and having built a large number of systems running XP I did the normal of installing the drivers for the motherboard as soon as possible!

Thanks for the help so far :-)

Right,

I've followed the advice of 'delete the PCI device and reboot', which worked first time. At the same time I got the printer working again, which seemed a little odd at the time as the Vista x64 Epson driver was installed, but the OS couldn't communicate with it but had done previously.

On restart, the machine lost the sound and the machine couldn't communicate with the printer. Odd I thought.

This seems to be a recurring problem where after each restart the machine seemingly loses the drivers for the sound and printer.

Any ideas on how to solve this? I'm beginning to tear my hair out now!

Gub

Gub,

Are you using the audio drivers from Windows Update? I would not use these. There has been many reported problems with using them. Instead, I would use the ones directly from Realtek. You have to install it twice and reboot between each install. Once to uninstall the old drive, and twice to install the new driver.

http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsview.aspx?langid=1&pnid=14&pfid=24&level=4&conn=3&downtypeid=3&getdown=false

Shawn