Del XPS 13 no audio devices

I have the same problem since yesterday.

I had a TV screen with audio output on HDMI. I shut down the TV, removed the HDMI link and closed my Alienware 17 R3 laptop screen. When I opened it again, I had the same problem as you.

What I tried :

-Reboot multiple times

-Update, uninstall, reinstall all sound drivers

-System recovery from past week

More information  :

-Yes I checked that all audio devices were visible

-Sound works with bluetooth external speakers as well as my TV speakers on HDMI

-Headphones on jack does not work

It seems that the sound card doesn't even exist anymore.

Hello. Try using Windows System Restore to return to a date before today.

If that doesn not help, you could run the ePSA audio tests.

If you don't hear the tones during the test then the hardware has failed. If you do hear the tones, the hardware might not have failed.

Perform a system recovery (return the laptop to the original factory configuration) to restore audio; however if it still does not work after the recovery, that means the hardware has failed.

Please let me know the full model name of your XPS 13 and I will see if there is anything in my notes about it. The models are: 9333,43,50, 60, L321x & L322x.

My dell XPS13 model is "XPS 13 (9350)"

I tried the ePSA audio test, and followed the instruction of saying no to the video test, as the option of "Perform quick audio test" didn't show up. I can hear the beeps so the speakers are working.

Seems to be some kind of issue with the sound drivers.

"XPS 13 (9350)"

The link you put in your first post goes to the XPS L321 support page, so you might want to check that you are getting the correct Realtek driver.

issue with the sound drivers.

Have you tried using Windows System Restore yet, to try to undo possible changes to the system's configuration that could have caused the driver to disappear and make it impossible to install a new driver?

One reason that a driver will not install is hardware failure.

It is troubling that the Windows native (High Definition Audio Device) driver will not install  in lieu of the Realtek driver. If there is a software problem, then it could be on the Windows level. Some versions of Windows allow you to perform a reset without affecting your data.

Other things to look at, short of performing a system recovery or a Windows reset, are check the BIOS to make sure audio is not turned off. Most of the laptops do not have a BIOS setting for audio, but some do.

Update to newest BIOS, although it is not likely to help.

Check that the Windows Audio Service is not turned off. [In the Windows search box, type  services.msc   then hit the 'Enter' key. The Services window will appear. Scroll down until you find "Windows Audio" towards the bottom of the list. Check that it is enabled, set to automatic, and started. If it isn't, double click on it and change the Startup type to Automatic, then click Start, Apply, and OK.]

Check for a virus.

Here is what I have in my notes for the XPS 9350 model, but none of pertains to your issue:

XPS 9350 & 9550.

Issue 1: After a full shutdown then boot, video & audio are not playing and it keeps loading. It will resolve once I restart the system. Happens with Realtek audio driver  (V6.0.1.7829, but not with HD Audio Device default driver. Downgrading to previous (March) driver does not fix it.

Solution: as a temporary fix after login in go to your Task Manager [CTRL+ALT+ESC], select Details tab and kill (End task) the audiodg.exe. It will start again by itself and you should have audio back.

Issue 2: On booting the PC without any headphones, the speakers work. However headphones do not work if inserted.  On removing the headphones, the speakers then cease to work. However if booting the PC with headphones inserted, the headphones do work.  On removing them, the speakers do not work.  The headphones do not work if reinserted. Both these scenarios are fixed by rebooting the PC. 

Solution w/several confirmations : I logged a tech support ticket with Dell and got just the sound daughter board replaced. Loss of sound after unplugging headphone jack has been resolved.

Solution  2 for Issue 2: 1. Updated audio drivers to latest (Audio_Driver_37Y88_WN32_6.0.1.7628_A03.EXE) 2. Updated BIOS to latest (XPS_9550_1.1.19.exe) 3. Restart 4. Open the startup manager(Esc+Shift+Ctrl, navigate to startup tab) 5. Disable "HD Audio Background Process" and "Waves MAXXaudio Service Application" 6. Enable "Realtek HD Audio Manager" if not already enabled 7. Restart

Solution 3 for Issue 2:  What did work for me was to uninstall the current drivers (A03) and install the older A01 driver. With the older driver I can switch back and forth between speakers and headphones with no problems. [latest is A05]

Issue 3 (9350): static in speakers after Window AU build 1607.

Solution 1: reinstall Win10 and let it "find"  older Realtek driver 6.0.1.7654.

Solution 2: remove the current Realtek driver and re-download it from the Dell site.

Hello jimco, problem solved.

I've redownloaded the Audio driver from this url: www.dell.com/.../advanced

Realtek High Definition Audio ALC3266 Driver

Versión: 6.0.1.7829 ,A05

I don't know why I ended up in the the other url.

Thank you very much.

Hello jimco, problem solved.

I've redownloaded the Audio driver from this url: www.dell.com/.../advanced

Realtek High Definition Audio ALC3266 Driver

Versión: 6.0.1.7829 ,A05

I don't know why I ended up in the the other url.

Thank you very much for your help.

Right click Intel High Definition Audio

Update driver software

Choose driver from PC

Pick from list

All manufacturers...

Choose Realtek on the left

Then choose Realtek HD Audio Manager (the january 2016 one)

Install it

Fixed!

Thank you both for posting your solutions, which I have added to my notes.

Sephyrroth, is your second post a correction of your first post?

It helps!!!!! Thanks for sharing! life saver!!!1