Computer not detecting external speakers

Question

Hello, this is kind of urgent, but I have a pair of Altec Lansing XT1 speakers that suddenly stopped working today. I put my PC to sleep for about 2 hours before waking it up to suddenly find my speakers not producing any playback. I tried to left click the speaker icon that allows me to change the playback device, but my earbuds are the selected and only option there was on the menu. This has happened before once but the speakers suddenly magically started to work again. This isn't the case right now. I've tried everything to fix this, but on the sound playback menu thing, it used to have Realtek HD sound device and the Altec Lansing device option but now, the Altec Lansing option has disappeared and now I just have the Realtek HD sound device as my only connected device. I continuously unplugged and plugged the speakers, but the computer isn't picking them up.

Answer 1

Hi Phillip. I'm Greg, 10 years awarded Windows MVP, specializing in Installation, Performance, Troubleshooting and Activation, here to help you.

1. See if you can System Restore to a point before the problem started:

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-system-r...

System Restore is your first line of defense and can take you back to a point before a problem began like a time machine. If it doesn't help then you can undo it. Read about it first in the tutorial above and then try restoring to just before this started. If System Restore is not enabled on C drive do that now so it's available in the future.

If the problem repeats or System Restore doesn't work then check which Windows Updates were installed at Settings > Update & Security > Windows Updates > Update History, uninstall them there or System Restore again, then immediately check for and block the Updates with the Hide Updates tool explained here: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/8280-hide-s...

2. What worked here is to reinstall the drivers:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

Check for driver in Device Manager under Audio Input & Output devices, if no named drivers try the generic driver, first from Driver tab try Update Drivers > Automatically, then Update Drivers > Browse > Let Me Pick to try all previously installed drivers.

Update the sound driver from the PC or motherboard maker's Support Downloads webpage for your exact model. While there compare to make sure you also have the latest BIOS, Chipset, Display, Network and all other drivers. If no newer then uninstall the Sound controller driver in Device Manager, restart PC to reinstall it.

3. Try troubleshooting from the Altec Lansing speakers manual:

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/929640/Altec-...

4. Try these steps specifically for speaker problems, including after Updates:

https://windowsreport.com/fix-speakers-stopped-... (Avoid ad links which intrude into editorial copy, especially avoid Restoro and Reimage ads)

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/no-sound-dont-wor...

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

https://www.alphr.com/no-audio-after-windows-10...

https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-to-...

Feel free to ask back any questions. Based on the results you post back I may have other suggestions if necessary.

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