Contents
Part 2. Methods to fix ‘Audio Service Not Responding’ error

  1. Install a Realtek or High Definition Audio Device driver:

A good number of users confirmed that they managed to resolve the Audio Service not responding issue by simply installing a Realtek or High Definition Audio Device driver. So, we want you to try doing the same thing (installation of the required driver in your case) to see if you get the same results. First, you will do well to consult your PC’s manual to know what sound components are inside it.

We advise you to check and confirm the devices to know whether a Realtek or High Definition Audio driver would do well on your computer. Here, you will have to make do with a different sound software in place of the IDT High Definition Audio CODEC or a similar program, which is currently in use on your computer.

These instructions cover the installation procedure for the required driver:

  • First, you have to open the Device Manager app:
  • Use the Windows button + letter X keyboard combination to get the Power User menu up quickly and then click on Device Manager.
  • Assuming you are now on the Device Manager window, you have to carefully review the categories listed them.
  • Once you find the Sound, video, and game controller category, you have to click on its expansion icon (to see its contents).
  • Now, you must locate the sound or audio device that your computer is currently using (or the one with which you are experiencing problems defined by the Audio Services not responding error).
  • Right-click on the device to see its menu options. Select Update Driver.

Your computer is supposed to bring up a dialog or window to ask you how you want Windows to proceed with the driver update operation.

  • Click on the second option, which is usually Browse my computer for driver software.
  • On the screen that follows, you must click on Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
  • At this point, you must click on the checkbox for Show compatible hardware (to deselect this parameter).

This way, your computer gets to list all devices that matter, and not just devices that Windows deems compatible or important.

  • Now, you must go through the presented list. There, you must check for High Definition Audio Device. Click on this device (to get it highlighted).

Or – if you do not see High Definition Audio Device – you can check for any relevant Realtek device and then click on it to get it highlighted.

  • Click on the Next button to get on with the task.

We have taken you as far as we should in this driver installation process.

  • Follow the on-screen instructions (pay attention to your screen) and perform the relevant tasks (play your part).

Once everything gets done, you have to close all programs and then restart your PC. Here too, after the reboot, you have to check things on your computer to confirm that the Audio Service not responding problem is gone for good.

  1. Update your audio drivers:

If the Audio Service not responding issue persists even after you installed the required Realtek or High Definition Audio Device driver, then you certainly have to update the driver software for your sound devices. If you could not get your computer to install the required driver for any reason (in the previous procedure) or if the driver installation procedure failed (at any point), then you too have to update the drivers for your sound devices.

The driver update operation may not be as straightforward as the previous procedures we described (above) in this guide, but it is one of the most effective fixes when it comes to delivering results. We will describe different methods of performing the task.

By updating all your sound drivers, you get to introduce fresh code and configuration for a wide variety of setups and settings. This way, your computer gets as many chances as it needs to get rid of the inconsistencies and irregularities responsible for the Audio Service problem. After all, the discrepancies that crept into the current drivers will become a nonfactor – since the current drivers will be replaced by new drivers.

Your computer (like most machines) probably utilizes several drivers for its audio devices, so you will have to update the drivers for multiple devices. For this reason, we advise that you use only automatic functions to do the job here. Ideally, you should rule out the manual driver update procedure. The latter will be too cumbersome because it requires you to perform the same tedious (individual) tasks for several drivers over a prolonged period of time.

We will now describe the recommended methods based on automatic functions or processes.

  • Here, you can use the automatic driver update function for drivers, which can be accessed from Device Manager. To update a driver for a specific sound device, you have to do this: Open the Device Manager app, expand the relevant category to see the device whose driver you want to update, right-click on the device to view its options menu, select Update Driver, and then click on the first option (that forces Windows to search for the driver software automatically).

Your computer will perform precisely the tasks that appear in the description of the driver update procedure. All you have to do is follow the on-screen steps (as they appear) and provide the necessary affirmations (where necessary) to allow Windows to do its job. Once everything gets done (assuming Windows finds and install a new driver version), you must open the Device Manager app again and then initiate the same driver update task for another device.

Ideally, you should use the automatic driver update function on all the devices to ensure all your audio drivers get updated. Once all the driver update processes reach completion, you have to restart your computer to finish things. After this reboot, you can a simple test to see if the Audio Service not responding error comes up again. If the problem persists or if the driver update procedure we just described fails for any reason, then you have to try the second method below.

  • Here, for the tasks ahead, you need to get Auslogics Driver Updater first. Once you finish installing the program, you must run it and instruct it (or allow it) to do its work. The application is likely to run a scan to detect or identify all the missing, corrupted or broken, old or outdated, and malfunctioning drivers on your computer and also gather useful data on them. It will then use that information to go online to help you search for new drivers for the troubled devices.

Invariably, at the end of it all, the recommended application will download manufacturer-recommended drivers (ideal replacements) and install those new stable drivers as replacements for the bad software. The drivers for your audio devices will be replaced by new drivers – and the problem (you are looking to fix) gets resolved. In fact, since almost the devices in your machine are likely to end up with updated drivers, you will have fixed things for almost all driver problems or cases. Nothing gets left out – and this is the best outcome.

Here too, once the update processes for all drivers reach completion, you have to close all programs and then restart your computer to round up things. The new drivers are guaranteed to begin their work only after the reboot operation because Windows needs to take note of the wide variety of changes that occurred. At this point, finally, you must run some tests (as you always do) to confirm that the Audio Service issue has been dealt with for good.

  1. Modify a specific key in the registry:

The procedure we are about to describe works on only certain computers, or it might not apply to every user, so we kept it as the last thing on our list. If you are still struggling to resolve the Audio Services not responding problem, then it is time you gave this fix a chance. A reasonable number of users had some success with it, so it may prove useful in your case too. Before you proceed with the procedure, you may want to take certain precautions.

The registry holds entries for sensitive components in the Windows operating system environment, so you must avoid errors while working on it. Serious mistakes might cost you a lot. If you are not sure that you will always do the right thing, then you will do well to create a backup of your registry (its current form). The proposed backup will come in handy if things ever go wrong (and they very well could).

These are the instructions you must follow to perform the task on the registry:

  • First, you must utilize the Windows logo button + letter R key combination to launch the Run dialog.
  • Once the small Run window shows up, you must type regedit into the text box displayed on it.
  • Now, to run the inputted code, you have to tap Enter (on your machine’s keyboard) or click on OK (on the Run window).

Your computer is supposed to bring up the Registry Editor window now.

  • Here, from the top-left corner of the Registry Editor window, starting with Computer, you must navigate through the directories on this path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SYSTEM \ CurrentControlSet \ Services \ AudioEndPointBuilder \ Parameters

  • Now, in the final directory, you must locate ServicDll. Examine this entry carefully to see if its value exists along this path:%SystemRoot%\System32\Audiosrv.dll

If Yes, then you must do this:

  • Right-click on the ServicDll entry to see its menu options. Select Edit.

The Edit String window for ServicDll will be brought up now.

  • Here, you must delete whatever you see in the box Value data, fill it with%SystemRoot%\System32\AudioEndPointBuilder.dll, and then click on the OK button to save the changes.
  • Close the Registry Editor. Close other active programs (if they are currently open).
  • Restart your PC.Windows will now take note of the changes you made in the registry and apply them accordingly.
  • Now, you must check things on your computer to verify that the registry hack did enough to resolve the Audio Services not responding error.
  • Other things you can try to resolve the Audio Service not responding error on a Windows 10 computerAt this point, if the Audio Service error still comes up to bother you, then you will do well to try these procedures and workarounds on our final list.
  1. Run all the sound, audio, and hardware troubleshooters from the Settings and Control Panel applications.
  1. Check your antivirus (or antimalware utility) for missing or deleted registry keys and then restore them.
  1. Use System Restore to reverse or undo changes that may have caused the error.
  1. Reset/refresh Windows to eliminate the issues responsible for the error.
  1. Clean install Windows 10 on your machine (if all else fails).