Windows 7: ASUS/Realtek, Latest Realtek versus default W7 Audio driver

I installed the Realtek HD audio driver from the ASUS download site (P8Z68-V Pro MB) and all was well until I installed an MSI 560TI video card and let it install the Nvidia HD Audio drivers. The problem I have been chasing ever since was the Realtek HD Audio Manager popping up after the system exited extended sleep state (overnight). After much trial and tribulation and several Google Searches I concluded that the Realtek/ASUS HD Audio driver was conflicting with the Nvidia driver(s).

I did what suggested on one of the sites and that was to delete the Realtek HD Audio drivers and just let Windows 7 install the default Microsoft drivers. Problem gone! Now I am curious, what did I give up and if I install the latest Realtek driver for Windows 7 64-bit (v267) from the Realtek site will the Nvidia conflict return?

Generally the Microsoft installed HD Audio Codec does not have all the features the motherboard vendor's sound drivers do. In most cases the actual driver is preferred and should be installed instead of the generic HD Audio Code drivers.

The NVIDIA driver is for the Video and the build in audio for HDMI audio. It should not be interferring with the PC's sound and in this case Realtek. I would uninstall the Microsoft drivers and reinstall the RealTek and see if you still have the problem. Generally a driver causes problems when exiting from sleep mode. Actually on "extended" sleep mode of overnight its really better to just shut down the system and then reboot in the morning. If you want it to be operational when you wake up, the BIOS should have an option for auto power on at whatever time you set.

Yes but, I use WHS 2011 to wake up several computers in my home network during the night and let it do the system backups on a daily basis. The ASUS P8Z68-V Pro/2600K system is the only one I have a problem with the Realtek HD Audio Manager popping up uninvited! Like I said above, the Windows 7 default HD Audio Driver seems to solve that issue although I have not tried playing a movie via the HDMI port and the Nvidia HD Audio driver(s). The reason I jumped to the Windows 7 HD Audio driver as a temporary solution is that I noticed my old reliable Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P/Q9550 system uses the default Windows 7 HD Audio Driver. It also has the Realtek sound chip and the MSI 560TI video card with the Nvidia HD Audio driver(s). Since I have not had any feedback on the Realtek v265 driver I'll try installing it and see if the problem returns on the ASUS system.

If the Windows HD Audio Codec works for you then keep it. I was just noting that the actual sound chip's drivers are preferred and in some cases required (e.g. on Dell's the Dell Integrated Sound drivers are needed as non-Dell's such as the Windows HD Audio Code will either not work or not work correctly).