Microphone Array (Realtek Audio) not working after Audio-Driver_RRPJK_WIN_6.0.9511.1_A77_03 is installed with PC reboot

I have never had a High Definition microphone setup, but I was thinking Intel was involved.  You might check for that on your download page or check Windows in case there are any optional driver updates available.

@Saltgrass​ Thanks for the suggestion. I don't see any Intel updates available. BIOS seems up to date: BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. 1.18.1, 10/3/2023

It appears there is only one Driver on the Dell site.  It does say the Waves MaxxAudio Pro is essential for certain capabilities.  I see from your attachments, that was installed several hours after the Realtek driver was installed.  Did you install the Waves driver separately or did the Realtek install do that for you?

You do show the Intel Smart sound, so that may be involved.

Is there anything on your system which may be taking control of the Microphones?

If you look at the Microphones in the Waves utility, does it show the Microphone as operating?

The High Definition Audio device is the Windows Basic driver being used instead of the newer one.  It may be best, if you are loading new drivers, after downloading and having them available, you go offline and get the new drivers installed, then reboot.  Only go back online after rebooting and checking the status.

@Saltgrass​  Yes, Waves MaxxAudio Pro was installed as part of the driver installation via High-Definition-Audio-Driver_RRPJK_WIN_6.0.9511.1_A77_03.EXE. I attempted several times to delete and re-install the driver, and I think the MaxxAudio Pro executable persisted throughout.

The user interface for Waves MaxxAudio Pro does not launch for me, however, so I am unable to access the Waves interface (as has been noted by some others in previous threads, e.g., Realtek Update Without Waves MaxxAudio Pro - "Updating the driver didn't restore the MaxAudio app (i.e., the user interface) but it did restore the three executables that I had to manually uninstall once again, as described in my earlier post.").

I'm unaware of any other applications that would be accessing or taking control of the microphones; no other applications were running (browsers, external web cams, external mics or external speakers/headphones, etc.) that would have taken over mic access. As well, the mic worked as expected with the built-in mic, and the startup applications running in the environment at that time should be the same ones (via startup) as after installing the Dell driver.

The microphones are special due to the directional ability of that system.  The Windows basic driver will get most audio devices to work, but not at the level they should.

When I need to reinstall audio, I will uninstall the device and check the box to remove all drivers.  If it comes back with another Realtek driver, I might do it again until I get back to the Windows driver.  Once there, you should be able to do a clean install of the Realtek drivers, give it some time for the Waves to install and the be set to go.

I can't remember if I deleted the Waves software as part of this but make sure it is not just lying around your system.

@Saltgrass​  I think this is the process I used (the process as you described it for reinstall audio, above) when I attempted to uninstall the drivers, and how I was able to get back to the Windows basic driver. After uninstalling the device and the drivers, I attempted to delete the Waves software by using the IObit Uninstaller program, and having it delete any "leftovers." The Waves directory and executables persisted, though.

Recently (today), Windows Update installed a "Realtek Semiconductor Corp. - Extension - 6.0.9597.1"  The Microphone Array is still not working, though, after the Extension was installed.