Speakers Not Working

I'm not sure if this is a hardware or a software issue.
A few days ago, the Driver Easy utility informed me that a Realtek driver update was available. I OKd the update which completed successfully.
However, shortly after that, I played a video file and realized that there was no sound coming out of my speakers.
I checked all the connections, which were OK. I ran the Windows Audio Troubleshooter which essentially updated the driver again and then apologized for not solving the problem. I tried rolling back the driver update, which didn't help.
The speakers are connected to an output port (mini stereo plug) on the back of my machine.
On the front of the machine, there's a mini stereo port for headphones, so I tried it and, surprise, it worked.
A while later, with the headphones still plugged in but turned off (Bose noise-cancelling model), I started another video and was surprised that the sound still worked through the speakers. In fact, as I've discovered, any mini stereo plug in the headphone port causes the speakers to work, even if not actually connected to anything.
It sort of sounds like a hardware problem but the timing, so soon after the driver update, is what threw me.
The motherboard is an ASUS TUF Z370 PLUS LGA-1151 M.2 ATX
The Graphics card is MSI GRFORCE GTX960 OC which appears to have nVidia RT270 audio capability which, to my knowledge, I've never used
The spec sheet also lists ON BOARD AUDIO 8-CHANNEL HIGH-DEFINITION AUDIO CODEC
Any ideas at all out there?

@gmosley

Probably the 1st thing you should do is download the audio driver from the ASUS TUF Z370 PLUS website... (when the site is back up), and install that.
Don't use programs like Driver Easy.


You probably already have it this way... but the front panel of the case (audio) plugs into the motherboard, here. (lower left corner).





Then you install the motherboard audio driver.
When you install the Nvidia driver, install the graphics, physX, and the HD audio parts of the driver.


This ancient wisdom has worked for decades.

Ghot said:

Don't use programs like Driver Easy.

Click to expand...

I second, third, and forth that advice. Never use third party driver updaters. I also recommend to disable driver updates through Windows Update as WU is known for installing old drivers. If your OEM provides software to keep drivers updated, use that. Otherwise, manually obtain your drivers from the OEM or use Intel Driver and Support tool if you have Intel.

your driver is switching between headphones and speakers. there is no problem at all as per the scenario. sometimes the new driver will become active on headphones. you have to switch it.

OK. I must admit, I'm still confused.
I went to the ASUS site (which was up) but there were no drivers listed under the "Drivers" tab.
Windows Device Management considers the Realtek driver to be up to date. I can believe this since the speakers work under the unorthodox condition described above.
So, why do the speakers only work when something is plugged into the headphone jack? (Right now, it's just a mini stereo plug with splitter.)
And, I don't understand the nVidia RT270 audio feature at all. Not sure how it would even be accessed.

gmosley said:

OK. I must admit, I'm still confused.
I went to the ASUS site (which was up) but there were no drivers listed under the "Drivers" tab.
Windows Device Management considers the Realtek driver to be up to date. I can believe this since the speakers work under the unorthodox condition described above.
So, why do the speakers only work when something is plugged into the headphone jack? (Right now, it's just a mini stereo plug with splitter.)
And, I don't understand the nVidia RT270 audio feature at all. Not sure how it would even be accessed.

Click to expand...

In the drop down box you have to choose Windows 10 64 bit, to see all the drivers.
They don't have any drivers under Windows 11 64 bit.
ASUS is up to Z790 on the Intel motherboards.









If you choose to reinstall the Nvidia driver...

DDU Instructions - Nvidia
1. Get this program, here: Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) | Wagnardsoft ...get the latest version, and save it to your desktop.
2. Get the DCH/Game Ready vid card driver here, use the Manual Search: Advanced Driver Search | NVIDIA ...save this to your desktop.
Unhook the internet completely.
3. Reboot into Safe Mode and run DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) choose the "Highly Recommend Option", and just do what it tells you.
4. After it's done, reboot to normal mode, then just double click the Nvidia driver to install.
[See pics below]. If it want's to reboot, let it.
Rehook the internet.







I don't remember if the GTX 960 has Nvidia NGX or not.
The important parts of the driver are... Graphics, HD Audio and PhysX.

Your onboard audio chip is this guy...




So once you get the drivers straightened out... you should have a Realtek Audio Console in your START Menu.
That's where all your settings will be for the motherboard audio chip.






It will look something like this. The items in the RED boxes all have different settings on the right side...






Your speakers should work, with ot without something plugged into the headphone jack.
So I assume you have one of the "settings", set incorrectly.
I don't have any headphones, so I can't really test for you.
I believe that when you plug in the headphones, the speakers should STOP working.

Hopefully one of our regulars with headphones, can take it from here.

My speakers work... with no headphones plugged in.






OP's motherboard manual - PDF...

Before you start downloading and installing anything, Make sure the correct sound device and output source is selected.

If you connect wired speakers or headphones they use the integrated Realtek chip for audio.

The only time the Nvidia audio is used is when you connect an external monitor with internal speakers with an HDMI or DP connection.

Even when a monitor has internal speakers you can still use the regular computer speakers by selecting the Realtek audio device in audio settings.

Thanks everyone for the wealth of replies. I have to admit that most of you are way over my head technically. What I did glean, however, is that the Realtek Audio Console might be my path to a resolution. Not so simple, it turns out. Finding an actual download link for the app/software has proven elusive. Second best, I also gleaned, was the Realtek Audio Control app on the Microsoft store. I've tried installing it a couple of times, but the progress button just spins and the partially visible message indicates something has gone wrong at their end.
Roadblocks at every turn, it seems.

gmosley said:

Thanks everyone for the wealth of replies. I have to admit that most of you are way over my head technically. What I did glean, however, is that the Realtek Audio Console might be my path to a resolution. Not so simple, it turns out. Finding an actual download link for the app/software has proven elusive. Second best, I also gleaned, was the Realtek Audio Control app on the Microsoft store. I've tried installing it a couple of times, but the progress button just spins and the partially visible message indicates something has gone wrong at their end.
Roadblocks at every turn, it seems.

Click to expand...

And in the way out in left field department...
Ed Tittel knows his stuff, so I would consider the below link very carefully.



I've never needed this... the audio driver from my motherboard manufacturer's site always gave me the Realtek Audio Console.
Then again, I've been on AMD motherboards for 20 years.

I never had any luck with the RealTek driver from my mobo's website for my Asus Z370 board (my System Two).
I did, however, have excellent results from this RealTek package. The software looks dated, but it works.

gmosley said:

The motherboard is an ASUS TUF Z370 PLUS LGA-1151 M.2 ATX
The Graphics card is MSI GRFORCE GTX960 OC

Click to expand...

On a side note, you should input this info into your system specs.