No input devices found (microphone)

It appears a lot of people are experiencing (and posting here on this forum) 'No input devices found" problems.

No Audio Output Device Installed - Dell Community

I also see a lot posts on the Microsoft website. Hopefully Dell and Microsoft can work together and come with a solution to the no input problem.

KB5003173 No Audio Device Installed - Microsoft Q&A

In meantime, please contact Dell Care in the link below, hopefully they will be able to solve the problem real soon.

How to contact Dell through multiple channels - Dell Community

Thanks for the reply @LSUFAN51 

First link you've shared are for the audio output, which works on my PC. My issue is about audio input (internal microphone) and I hardly find similar issues on Google. The ones I find just advices to check application permissions, device settings etc. which is not suitable for me because I see not device at all.

I'll try the second link and post the result here.

Meanwhile, Dell support already contacted me and working on the issue.

Make sure any driver you install is from Dell, not Realtek. Dell customizes all drivers from all makers to work on the laptop board. The manufacturer's drive will not work.

Hopefully Dell Support resolve this problem soon. Please let us know there findings. Look forward to an update.

Thanks.

net localgroup Administrators /add localservice
net localgroup Administrators /add networkservice
Restarted the Windows Audio service in services.msc

This part didn't work for me No change.

Also there is no "Quick audio check" option in the boot menu. I've completed all the tests there and no issue found.

@Mary G All the drivers installed automatically, I didn't install then manually, also checked using Dell Update tool it says everything is up to date.

Also Dell web site shows drivers for Vostro 5490 and the audio driver is Realtek there.

Additional info, latest Maxx Audio application is also installed and it also reports no device for microphone. 

Dell Update tool reports: Audio driver is "Realtek(R) Audio 6.0.8984.1" but I also see "Realtek(R) Audio 6.0.9147.1" in Programs and Features.

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I am wondering why Dell Update application want to install an older version of Realtek Audio (6.0.8984.1) onto the system? 

Please open Device Manager and check if the latest Realtek(R) Audio 6.0.9147.1 is correctly installed. At the left bottom of the taskbar, right click windows logo, select device manager. Right click Realtek Audio for Microphone, select Properties, check version. Also check Roll back option is greyed out.  

Dell Inspiron 3048:

I see no device in Device Manager:

But I see the latest version (6.0.9147.1) in Apps & Features 

But Dell Update tool reports it is 6.0.8984.1

If I uninstall the driver and re-install it, then OS doesn't start anymore (PC boots but Windows doesn't reach to login page, I've waited 30 minutes), so I have to reset my PC to factory or a prior state by using recovery tool in Boot menu. Because of that I cannot try much about re-installing driver.

I also tried uninstalling "High Definition Audio Device" as suggested in another forum, didn't work for me.

" If I uninstall the driver and re-install it, then OS doesn't start anymore (PC boots but Windows doesn't reach to login page, I've waited 30 minutes)"

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What people in other forums are preferring is to uninstall and reinstall the driver from device manager, not from Apps settings.

You should always back up your data and important stuff, or create an image of windows 10. The best way to do this is get a backup software such as Macrium (free version) or Acronis, so many to pick over the internet.

In meantime, I suggest you create a restore point before installing any drivers. This way, if anything goes wrong, you can go to the restore point rather than reset or reinstall windows 10.

Windows 10 - How to Create a System Restore Point - YouTube

Create windows 10 media from Microsoft. The media has the System Restore tool to help you restore the computer before the problem started.

How to Create Windows 10 Installation Media (Official Dell Tech Support) - YouTube

How to use System Restore:

How to use System Restore to fix your Windows 10 computer - YouTube

It appears both Realtek drivers are downloaded but not installed onto the computer. Please click on yellow folder at the bottom of the taskbar, click on This PC, select Downloads (or documents) and then search for latest Realtek driver file, when you find it, right click on it , select Run As Administrator and then follow instructions to complete the installing process.

Here's a image of my Realtek driver (Inspiron 3048):

Please disregard my comment in the other thread about uninstalling and reinstalling driver from device manager. I forgot that I didn't see any of the Realtek driver listed in device manager....

I uninstalled the Realtek Audio Driver from Apps & Features as support engineer suggested, confirmed that Dell Update tool also doesn't show the driver, I also uninstalled High Definition Audio Device from Device Manager. 

Then manually installed the latest Realtek Audio driver, note that this driver suggested by the support engineer:

It didn't solve the issue, additionally audio input device disappeared now I cannot use the speakers too.

Open device manager app again, expand Audio inputs and outputs, and 'Sound, Video and Game Controller'

Click on Action, select Scan For Hardware Changes, hopefully Realtek driver appears

If the driver doesn't appear, select View, and then Show Hidden Devices. Let see if the driver appears.