Realtek Audio Problem

Question

Realtek Audio Problem

Jun 0

Screenshot 2026-11-05 133939

Motherboard: MSI PRO B660M-A DDR4

OS: Windows 11

My onboard audio suddenly stopped working after booting up.

This happened once a few days ago, and restarting the PC fixed it somehow. However, it happened again today, and restarting no longer resolves the issue.

Neither the front nor rear motherboard audio jacks work. Realtek Audio is completely missing from Device Manager, so I cannot update, roll back, or otherwise manage the Realtek driver through Device Manager.

The only audio output currently working is through my monitor via HDMI. Even after uninstalling Realtek audio, the generic Windows High Definition Audio driver does not restore functionality.

Here's everything I've already tried:

Restarting the PC multiple times.
Left unplugged overnight.

Updating Windows and subsequently rolling back the update.

Updating the Intel chipset drivers.

Updating the motherboard BIOS.

Confirming that HD Audio is enabled in BIOS.

Installing the Realtek audio driver from MSI's official support page.

Installing the generic Realtek audio driver from Realtek's website.

Completely uninstalling Realtek audio using Revo Uninstaller.

Removing the Realtek audio driver packages from the Windows Driver Store using Driver Store Explorer (RAPR).

Attempting to use the generic Windows High Definition Audio driver.

Installing the Windows Update optional driver: Microsoft Corporation – AudioProcessingObject Driver Update (1.0.4.55794).
Adding the Realtek driver through legacy hardware results in BSOD

Also the installed location is somehow also in ProgramFiles (x86) with just a few kb and 2 files.

None of these attempts have resolved the issue.

Please don't suggest generic answers troubleshooting such as running the Windows audio troubleshooter, checking Sound settings, or going to Device Manager → Sound, video and game controllers to update the drivers. I've already covered those steps, and Realtek isn't even appearing there in the first place.

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1 answer

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Answer 1

Since the codec does not appear in Device Manager at all, I would treat this as an enumeration problem, not a driver problem. No driver can attach to hardware that Windows does not see, so I would stop reinstalling Realtek drivers until the device appears again.

In Device Manager, click View, then Show hidden devices. Check Sound, video and game controllers, and also System devices, for a greyed out Realtek entry or a High Definition Audio Controller. If a greyed out entry is there, uninstall it, then click Action, then Scan for hardware changes.
In System devices, also check for Intel Smart Sound Technology. On this board the Realtek codec can depend on that controller, so if it is missing or shows a warning, install the Intel chipset driver from the MSI support page for your board first, then restart, before you install the Realtek driver again.
In BIOS, turn HD Audio off, save and exit, boot into Windows once, then go back into BIOS, turn it on again, save and exit. You already confirmed it is enabled, but toggling it can force Windows to enumerate the codec again after a BIOS update.
Do a full shutdown, not a restart. Hold Shift while you click Shut down, unplug the PC for about a minute, press the power button for about 10 seconds, then plug it back in and start it. This clears the Fast Startup state that can keep a device hidden after a failed driver install.
If it is still missing, check whether the hardware is seen outside Windows. Boot a Linux live USB and check its audio devices, or open the case and reseat the front panel HD Audio connector. If no operating system sees the codec, I would treat it as a board fault and contact MSI support, especially if the board is still under warranty. Do not use Add legacy hardware again, because forcing a driver onto a device that is not enumerated is what caused the blue screen.