Audio problem requires PC restart

[DLee12]

Lately, something on/in the audio system of my PC (an HP almost 9 years old that's still on Windows 7 & uses Realtek HD) appears to be failing. I try to play a music CD in Windows Media Player (Version 12.0.7601.23930), but Track 1 fails to play, then Track 2 fails to play, and so do all the others. Then I discover on YouTube that when I try to play a video, either I get a message saying that something is wrong with the audio such that my PC needs to be restarted or I get no audio whatsoever. So, upon restarting my PC, everything becomes fine again, but the very first time this happened was in either late November or early December (2020). Then the exact same thing occurred again just a few days later. Now it just happened to me again (3rd time) less than 2 hours ago.

Very sorry (apologies) if this type of problem has already been addressed here many times before, but what could be my audio system's problem such that my PC needs to be restarted to fix it? And what can be done about it? Please help - I would very much appreciate anyone trying to help!

 

[file3456]

Have you tried to remove and reinstall the audio driver?

What is the exact make and model of the HP?

Some DLL, service or process could be mucking the audio driver up.

 

[DLee12]

I apologize (very sorry) for not replying much sooner, but it actually took a few months before the exact same problem occurred again, and I'm not sure if I was actually able to try removing & reinstalling the driver, but I think I did, and unfortunately it required for my PC to be restarted in order to take effect. And now I have a new PC that I just got last Monday morning (June 21st). But thanks very much anyway.