Digital Audio Output (S/PDIF) failure after windows update

"High Definition Audio Device" means you are using Microsoft's generic audio driver, not drivers from your audio chipset maker. Microsoft's generic audio driver only gives you absolute minimum audio features --- most likely not even have digital out function.

Microsoft does not pay Dolby for Dolby Digital in Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 --- which means that you will be restricted to PCM stereo when you use spdif (even if that works with Realtek or Conexant drivers) unless your motherboard maker paid Dolby for your specific motherboard model.

I have now found the reason why I had this sound problem.

I wouldn't have thought this would make a difference, but when I changed the spatial sound format setting from Off to Windows Sonic for Headphones the sound output started to work again!

Any explanations?

Tried everything you suggested including the System File Checker to no avail, even though it did find some corrupt files that it reported that it fixed. This same problem occurred for me last year and somehow I managed to get the sound working again but this time round I have no luck.

To my mind this is clearly a case of Windows via an update having screwed up the S/PDIF audio output driver functionality.

I would suggest that there are not a lot of people using S/PDIF digital audio or there would be a lot more complaints about this.

Hi dschul,

My name is Darren, I'm here to help you with your problem.

Firstly, please try running the troubleshooter:

Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Select troubleshoot tab > under "get up and running", click on playing audio > click on run the troubleshooter and follow on-screen directions.

Next, you can try updating the audio driver to solve your issue:

Go to Start > Type "Device Manager" and hit enter > right click on your audio driver and select update driver > Click on "Search automatically for updated driver software" to ensure that you have the latest driver.

If this issue started occurring after a recent windows update, you can try roll back driver:

Go to Start > Type "Device Manager" and hit enter > right click on your audio driver > select properties > select driver tab > click roll back driver

If roll back driver isn’t available or did not work, you can try uninstall your audio driver and scan for hardware changes:

Go to Start > Type "Device Manager" and hit enter > right click on your audio driver > select properties > select driver tab > click on uninstall device > select "Delete the driver software for this device" and click OK > In Device Manager, on the Action menu, select Scan for hardware changes > Wait for it to scan and reinstall the driver then restart your pc and check if the issue still persists.

However, if the issue still persists, try run the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/929833...

I hope this helps. If this is not exactly what you need, please explain more so that I can help you better.

Thanks

What happened with this update? All of a sudden I checked my PC and my audio system was not working. Does anyone have a solution?

Thanks.