Headphones not working on Windows 10 PC, no audio

Hi

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Community ,
I'll be glad to assist you today.

It seems like the recent Windows and Intel driver updates may have introduced some conflicts or performance issues, particularly around power management and CPU scaling. Here are some steps you can try to resolve the instability:

1. Rollback Graphics Driver: Since the issue started after updating the Intel graphics driver, try rolling back to a previous version that was stable for your system. You can do this through the Device Manager.
• Right-click on Start → Device Manager → Display adapters → Right-click Intel graphics → Properties → Driver tab → Roll Back Driver.
2. Check for Power Plan Settings: Sometimes, updates can alter power management settings, which might cause instability in CPU frequency. Ensure that the power plan is set to “Balanced” or “High Performance” (depending on your usage) and that processor power management settings are correctly configured.
• Go to Control Panel → Power Options → Change plan settings → Change advanced power settings → Processor power management → Set the minimum processor state to around 5-10% and the maximum processor state to 100%.
3. Reinstall Intel Graphics Driver: If rolling back does not help, try uninstalling the driver completely, then reinstalling it from the Intel website. Sometimes a clean reinstall resolves any conflicts.
• Uninstall via Device Manager, then download and install the latest version directly from Intel’s website.
4. Check Windows Update: Ensure that no additional updates are pending, especially related to the Intel Management Engine or any CPU-related firmware updates. Sometimes these updates are critical for maintaining stability after major OS or driver updates.
5. Update BIOS/Firmware: Check if there are any BIOS updates available for your device, as they often include fixes for processor and power management issues.
6. Clean Boot: Perform a clean boot to rule out any software conflicts that may be causing the jerks or instability.
• Press Windows + R, type msconfig, go to the Services tab, and check “Hide all Microsoft services” → Disable all. Then go to the Startup tab and disable all startup items. Restart and check if the issue persists.
7. Check for Malware: Sometimes malware can cause unexpected CPU behavior. Perform a full scan using Windows Defender and Malwarebytes to rule this out.



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