Voicemeeter or Audio problem after WIN10/11 update (JUN 2023)
Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2017 10:19 am
In some cases, WIN10 or WIN11 update can bring some problems and disturb audio driver installation. In fact all the audio stack can be impacted by a WIN10 update and make you PC totally unusable from a day to another, mainly because audio driver could have been badly re-installed and some windows audio parameters could have been changed.
Audio format enumeration / audio stack busy
After audio driver installation (so possibly after a windows update), Windows can enumerate all audio format on all audio Pins (system, offload, loopback) and consequently disturb application willing to connect to audio device in the first minutes after Windows Startup.
INSTALLATION PROBLEM with non PNP audio driver or old WIN7 driver
The problem has been fully identified: Windows Update is not able to re-install NON-PNP Audio Drivers correctly (since 1998 - by design). The driver installation procedure is not using the driver Hardware ID as unique identifier in the installation process, and consequently is merging driver properties and pins with possible previous installed drivers (USB devices are not impacted).
The problem is there since VISTA, this is why we ask to our users to REBOOT after installation and REBOOT after de-installation - to let the system finalize the process correctly) but WIN10/11 automatic update, can re-install audio driver at once, and create a complete mess in the audio stack.
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THIS PROBLEM IS EXPECTED TO HAVE BEEN FIXED WITH WINDOWS BUILD 19500 (to be validated).
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REPORT TO MICROSOFT
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You may report the problem to Microsoft with the title: "Windows Update cannot re-install non-PNP Audio driver correctly" and precise your specific problem in the body: something like: "after WIN10 update sound is not stable anymore" or "impossible to select a given device [device name] " or "this device [device name] does not work anymore".
Then you can generate a PNP file (containing information on your installed devices) for Microsoft developer team and attach it to your e-mail.
1- run the command prompt in administrator mode.
2- type: pnputil.exe /export-pnpstate myfile.pnp /force (the export process can take a minute).
3- get back the pnp file (that should be created in the current directory) to attach it to your e-mail (might be zipped first)
Direct Email: mateer@microsoft.com
Other Microsoft Report Procedure explained by Matthew van Eerde:
https://matthewvaneerde.wordpress.com/2 ... dback-hub/
https://matthewvaneerde.wordpress.com/2 ... ioned-way/
Twitter Discussion Reference: https://twitter.com/no_identd/status/13 ... 1195393024
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After each WIN10 or WIN11 update, we recommend to check your windows audio configuration: what is your default playback device and what is your default recording device (and default communication devices too if needed) and if our audio devices have kept the same name and icon according driver name... It seems windows audio driver installation can merge audio pins randomly when re-installing audio driver. more info about our VAIO's checking: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=688
With WIN10 April 2020 Update (version 2004) still bring potential problem in audio stack since it can re-install driver badly... The solution is to re-install our Voicemeeter and virtual audio cable as explaine below...
With WIN10 April 2018 Update comes new Windows options related to Microphones or any recording device:
Go to your Privacy Settings for Microphone (and camera) and switch the main switch to "on" if it is set to "off"
With WIN10 October 2018 Update the default audio format of our virtual audio cable could have been changed to 8000 Hz Mono !?! we don't know why, but we recommend to change it in 44100 Hz Stereo (in Windows Control Panel / Sound Dialog box -> Properties / Advanced Tab).
With Win10 version 20H2: MME Voicemeeter devices can be show in device list for Voicemeeter 32bits (registry access rights has been changed for RegEnumKey function apparently) - willbe fixed in next Voicemeeter update (MARCH 2021).
After WIN10 or Win11 update, if you get problem in the sound (stability problem) or you get strange behavior with audio application (bad audio, frozen app), or with device (the device cannot be selected anymore in Voicemeeter) we recommend to re-install Voicemeeter and our Virtual Cable by the following steps:
1- unplug all USB audio device + REBOOT (to restart without USB audio device connected).
2- De-install VB-CABLE one by one + REBOOT
3- De-install Voicemeeter + REBOOT
4- Check your remaining audio devices are working ok.
5- Check there is no presence of our virtual audio driver in Windows Device Manager (in both sections: multimedia controller and audio input output).
6- Re-install VB-CABLE and Voicemeeter one by one , REBOOT after each operation, check your device list in Windows Sound Dialog box.
7- When all is re-installed, re-plug your USB audio device. check again your default playback and recording device
8- Run Voicemeeter and check systray option. Audio should work again correctly.
9- Check that Voicemeeter Devices are correctly named and displayed with right icon:
10 - ReStart Voicemeeter.
Audio format enumeration / audio stack busy
After audio driver installation (so possibly after a windows update), Windows can enumerate all audio format on all audio Pins (system, offload, loopback) and consequently disturb application willing to connect to audio device in the first minutes after Windows Startup.
INSTALLATION PROBLEM with non PNP audio driver or old WIN7 driver
The problem has been fully identified: Windows Update is not able to re-install NON-PNP Audio Drivers correctly (since 1998 - by design). The driver installation procedure is not using the driver Hardware ID as unique identifier in the installation process, and consequently is merging driver properties and pins with possible previous installed drivers (USB devices are not impacted).
The problem is there since VISTA, this is why we ask to our users to REBOOT after installation and REBOOT after de-installation - to let the system finalize the process correctly) but WIN10/11 automatic update, can re-install audio driver at once, and create a complete mess in the audio stack.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THIS PROBLEM IS EXPECTED TO HAVE BEEN FIXED WITH WINDOWS BUILD 19500 (to be validated).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REPORT TO MICROSOFT
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You may report the problem to Microsoft with the title: "Windows Update cannot re-install non-PNP Audio driver correctly" and precise your specific problem in the body: something like: "after WIN10 update sound is not stable anymore" or "impossible to select a given device [device name] " or "this device [device name] does not work anymore".
Then you can generate a PNP file (containing information on your installed devices) for Microsoft developer team and attach it to your e-mail.
1- run the command prompt in administrator mode.
2- type: pnputil.exe /export-pnpstate myfile.pnp /force (the export process can take a minute).
3- get back the pnp file (that should be created in the current directory) to attach it to your e-mail (might be zipped first)
Direct Email: mateer@microsoft.com
Other Microsoft Report Procedure explained by Matthew van Eerde:
https://matthewvaneerde.wordpress.com/2 ... dback-hub/
https://matthewvaneerde.wordpress.com/2 ... ioned-way/
Twitter Discussion Reference: https://twitter.com/no_identd/status/13 ... 1195393024
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After each WIN10 or WIN11 update, we recommend to check your windows audio configuration: what is your default playback device and what is your default recording device (and default communication devices too if needed) and if our audio devices have kept the same name and icon according driver name... It seems windows audio driver installation can merge audio pins randomly when re-installing audio driver. more info about our VAIO's checking: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=688
With WIN10 April 2020 Update (version 2004) still bring potential problem in audio stack since it can re-install driver badly... The solution is to re-install our Voicemeeter and virtual audio cable as explaine below...
With WIN10 April 2018 Update comes new Windows options related to Microphones or any recording device:
Go to your Privacy Settings for Microphone (and camera) and switch the main switch to "on" if it is set to "off"
With WIN10 October 2018 Update the default audio format of our virtual audio cable could have been changed to 8000 Hz Mono !?! we don't know why, but we recommend to change it in 44100 Hz Stereo (in Windows Control Panel / Sound Dialog box -> Properties / Advanced Tab).
With Win10 version 20H2: MME Voicemeeter devices can be show in device list for Voicemeeter 32bits (registry access rights has been changed for RegEnumKey function apparently) - willbe fixed in next Voicemeeter update (MARCH 2021).
After WIN10 or Win11 update, if you get problem in the sound (stability problem) or you get strange behavior with audio application (bad audio, frozen app), or with device (the device cannot be selected anymore in Voicemeeter) we recommend to re-install Voicemeeter and our Virtual Cable by the following steps:
1- unplug all USB audio device + REBOOT (to restart without USB audio device connected).
2- De-install VB-CABLE one by one + REBOOT
3- De-install Voicemeeter + REBOOT
4- Check your remaining audio devices are working ok.
5- Check there is no presence of our virtual audio driver in Windows Device Manager (in both sections: multimedia controller and audio input output).
6- Re-install VB-CABLE and Voicemeeter one by one , REBOOT after each operation, check your device list in Windows Sound Dialog box.
7- When all is re-installed, re-plug your USB audio device. check again your default playback and recording device
8- Run Voicemeeter and check systray option. Audio should work again correctly.
9- Check that Voicemeeter Devices are correctly named and displayed with right icon:
10 - ReStart Voicemeeter.