Latest Realtek HD Audio Driver Version

[seeker]

Edit: I actually did this on Windows 10 - 1709, and only realized afterwards that I was posting on the Windows 7 Forum. I'm leaving the post up as it may help some people.

What worked for me was going to the Microsoft Update Catalog and doing a search for "Realtek Sound Driver", here's the link: Microsoft Update Catalog

Then I sorted the results by clicking on the "Last Updated" column, which put the most recent drivers at the top. The second item listed [this will change over time] was version 6.0.1.8346, size 134.3 MB. I downloaded the .cab file and used 7zip to extract it to a folder.

Then I installed it manually using Device Manager, i.e.: Under "Sound, video & game controllers", I right-clicked on "Realtek High Definition Audio" and clicked on "Update drivers", then -> "Browse my computer..." and navigated to the folder with the unpacked driver files. Be sure you have check-marked "Include subfolders".

The driver installed with no problems. I am now running the latest driver, AND the Realtek Audio Manager has returned.

 

[erpster4]

it looks like the Realtek R2.82 (8186) drivers cause the Realtek HD Audio Manager control panel app not to show up as I have just tested these drivers on an old Intel motherboard using Realtek ALC861 audio chip and the driver was installed either thru the HDART.INF file (when using 32bit Win7) or the HDXRT.INF file (when using 64bit Win7). possible realtek audio driver bug/problem with R2.82 and not a problem with the R2.81 release.

The newer Realtek audio drivers from MS (like the build 8300s) seem to have working Realtek HD Audio Manager control panel apps again when driver is installed either thru HDART.INF or HDXRT.INF.

 

[v1j4y]

Would like to take this opportunity and share my experience till date...

To be very honest the last perfect stable driver version which worked was R2.81(6.0.1.8036). The following next updates (official/unofficial) from various other sources are not working or maybe not compatible with the system. As mentioned by seeker from his above post, i actually followed the steps which were mentioned and only that version seemed to work but partially.
I don't know maybe i have missed few steps but the end point is, no newer versions seem to work.
The versions provided over windows update catalog, i believe, that they are only meant for Windows 10 and it ain't working perfectly for Windows 7.
Been trying from the past several days and after a lot of installations/un-installations i have to come back to the same old version i.e. 6.0.1.8036

 

[erpster4]

Brink.

Microsoft has finally posted a new Realtek audio driver for Windows 7 - version 6.0.1.8397
https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=6.0.1.8397

supported hardware ID listed is the following:

hdaudio\func_01&ven_10ec&dev_0867&subsys_1565824d

but does include the HDXRT.INF file (for 64bit Windows only) to install on many Realtek audio devices besides the listed hardware ID.

Would like to take this opportunity and share my experience till date...

To be very honest the last perfect stable driver version which worked was R2.81(6.0.1.8036). The following next updates (official/unofficial) from various other sources are not working or maybe not compatible with the system. As mentioned by seeker from his above post, i actually followed the steps which were mentioned and only that version seemed to work but partially.
I don't know maybe i have missed few steps but the end point is, no newer versions seem to work.
The versions provided over windows update catalog, i believe, that they are only meant for Windows 10 and it ain't working perfectly for Windows 7.
Been trying from the past several days and after a lot of installations/un-installations i have to come back to the same old version i.e. 6.0.1.8036

Can you tell me what hardware device ID your Realtek audio device is using, v1j4y? Use Device Manager to gather the hardware ID for the Realtek High Definition Audio device listed in the Sound, video and game controllers section of Device Manager.
example > My Hewlett-Packard Pavilion M8417C media center computer uses a Realtek ALC888S audio chip with hardware ID "HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0888&SUBSYS_103C2A6C&REV_1001" and the Realtek driver installs thru the HDXCPCOld.inf file because that INF file specifically mentions this ID. If a specific ID is not mentioned in certain INF files, then the driver installer defaults to using the HDXRT.INF file to setup the Realtek audio device.

 

[Brink]

Thank you erpster. First post updated.

 

[v1j4y]

Hey erpster,

I wasn't able to find the audio chip my system is using. Here's the Hardware ID

HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0282&SUBSYS_10280597&REV_1000

HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0282&SUBSYS_10280597

The latest version released is working flawlessly. Installed it couple of mins ago.

Thanks erpster...

 

[erpster4]

Hey erpster,

I wasn't able to find the audio chip my system is using. Here's the Hardware ID


The latest version released is working flawlessly. Installed it couple of mins ago.

Thanks erpster...

SUBSYS IDs beginning with "1028" means the Vendor ID is Dell. "DEV_0282" could mean the Realtek audio device could be ALC282, used on certain laptops. v8397 should work under Windows 7 SP1 on many desktop & laptop PCs with Realtek audio devices.

 

[erpster4]

Even though the 6.0.1.8459 X64 driver from Microsoft is listed for Win10 v1803, it not only installs & runs under Win7 SP1 but 8459 seemed to have produced a working Realtek HD Audio Manager control panel applet for old Sony VAIO laptops (and possibly old Sony VAIO desktop PCs)

Drivers v8454 and below never had a working Realtek HD Audio Manager for Sony brand machines and this was a problem for many years with Sony & older Realtek audio drivers until recently with v8459. Older drivers before 8459 had working Realtek audio control panel for nearly all OEMs except Sony.

Edit 6/20: nope it was not the 8459 driver from MS, BUT the special 8459 FF03 driver package I found that had an rtkhdaud.dat configuration file in the Config folder; that DAT config file when installed onto the \Windows\System32\drivers folder made the Realtek HD Audio Manager control panel program work on the Sony laptop. older rtkhdaud.dat files from older drivers won't make the Realtek audio control panel program work on the Sony computer but this new one did.

{attached is that config file if anyone needs it on their Sony computer using Realtek HD audio}

see attached picture below - 8459 x64 installed on my brother's Sony VPCEB44FX laptop running Win7 SP1

 

[Haubi]

Hello,
my soundchip is named Realtek ALC889 and I want to install the latest driver with fully working HD-Audio Manager. At this time v6.0.1.6662 is installed and working.
Do you recommend the easy way to take the installer from the official website or should I take the cab-file from Microsoft in 1st post?

HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0889&SUBSYS_1458A022&REV_1000
HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0889&SUBSYS_1458A022

Thanks in advance.

 

[erpster4]

Hello,
my soundchip is named Realtek ALC889 and I want to install the latest driver with fully working HD-Audio Manager. At this time v6.0.1.6662 is installed and working.
Do you recommend the easy way to take the installer from the official website or should I take the cab-file from Microsoft in 1st post?

HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0889&SUBSYS_1458A022&REV_1000
HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0889&SUBSYS_1458A022

Thanks in advance.

better yet Haubi, try this v6.0.1.8437 Realtek HDA audio driver from Gigabyte (Asia) (USA) (EUR)
since you are using a Gigabyte motherboard.

v8437 is compatible with Windows 7, 8.x & 10. open the ZIP file in a file archiving tool like 7zip, WinRAR or Winzip, extract all files & folders inside, locate & run the setup.exe file from the HD_Audio folder and let the setup program install the HDA drivers and then restart the computer.

And note to Brink:

The old "www.realtek.com.tw" site no longer works as it redirects here:

首頁 - 瑞昱半導體

So, to view the new Realtek web site in English go here:

Home - REALTEK

And that means the link to the R2.82 (6.0.1.8186) driver is no longer working. Search for a new download link to it from the Realtek Downloads page.

 

[Brink]

Thank you Erpster. Link updated in first post.

 

[jraju]

Hi, Brink,
I heard that realtek latest audio drivers download resulted in mouse freezing and computer freezing at the startup or before going to the desktop, starting windows screen or welcome screen.
Do you experience any sort of mouse freeze , computer crash.
I am having that problem, as i found , sfc scan ,chkdsk and every other memory scan are not having any problem. i read this a problem driver update .
if suppose, i iuninstalled and let the computer to download drivers, it fetches, i think, from preconfigured folder and download the latest 12/18 driver.
There is no roll back option to roll back further.
How to get generic drivers from microsoft website.
If i just boot to allow the pc to update connected driver software, microsoft also updated their updatte server drivers to the 2018 december.
i will be happy to get a solution to my unknown freeze problems

 

[jraju]

Hi, brink , here is the link
see point No. 9
2019 Fix: Cursor freezes, jumps or disappears in Windows 10, 8 or 7

 

[chasoscar]

I was llooking for a good driver backup and it updated my current drivers. Again I am confused, now I have Realtek HD audio driver 6.0.1.8549. I thought the latest version for Win7/64 was 6.0.1.8397 ? Sorry for my confusion.

 

[jraju]

Hi, Brink,
Why no reply to my query regarding the link i sent to this forum in my previous post

 

[Melchior]

I was llooking for a good driver backup and it updated my current drivers. Again I am confused, now I have Realtek HD audio driver 6.0.1.8549. I thought the latest version for Win7/64 was 6.0.1.8397 ? Sorry for my confusion.

I am using version 6.0.1.8606

 

[chasoscar]

I am using version 6.0.1.8606

So 6.0.1.8397 listed on the 1st page is not the newest? Have you got a link for 6.0.1.8606. Someone should update the link on 1st post.

 

[Melchior]

So 6.0.1.8397 listed on the 1st page is not the newest? Have you got a link for 6.0.1.8606. Someone should update the link on 1st post.

I go here for my drivers BUT Brink doesn't like it since its a 3rd party driver site.. I have never had any issues... thankfully...
https://www.station-drivers.com/ind...emid=352&func=select&id=508&orderby=4&lang=en

 

[erpster4]

forget getting the newest Realtek audio drivers from a 3rd party site like Station Drivers or Necacom.

get them here:

https://github.com/alanfox2000/realtek-hda-release/releases

ask alanfox2000 on what Realtek HDA driver to use - latest version there is currently 6.0.1.8622


by the way, I am using v6.0.1.8619 provided by ASRock, as they recently posted the 8619 HDA driver that works from Windows 7 to Windows 10.

it's just that Microsoft no longer posts up any new Realtek audio drivers for Windows 7 on MS Update Catalog anymore and only for Windows 10

 

[Melchior]

erpster4, Why Alanfox2000? who is he and where does he get the drivers from?