Windows Audio Service not enabled

I logged in one day a few days ago and could NOT get my sound to work. First I clicked on the speaker in my taskbar because there was a little red cirle with an "X" in it there. A little pop-up saying "The Audio Service is not running" appeared with the "i" in a blue circle. I left-click and nothing happens. I right-click and I get the pop-up menu with "Open Volume Mixer" grayed out and the other three choices below, non-responsive.
I'm on an HP Pavillion 6400 running Vista 32-bit. Everything is updated and current.
Next, I go to Control panel. Right-click on the "Sound" speaker and get the "Open" and "Create Shortcut" options. "Open" is in heavier/thicker black print. I click on that... nothing. I don't want a shortcut so on to the next. I Left-click on the speaker and get a message, in a little window with an "i" in a blue circle, telling me that "This computer cannot play audio because the Windows Audio Service is not enabled". It's next sentence is "Would you like to enable WAS?" I click "Yes". and get a "beep" along with a different little window ("i" in a blue circle) telling me "Failed to start the WAS. Some functionality will be unavailable." I click "OK" And get the "Sound" window with three tabs for Playback, Recording and Sounds. Playback has 1. Speakers, with Conexant High Definition Audio and Working alongside the icon and a green check mark and 2. SPDIF Interface with Conexant HDA and Working but no check mark. Recording has 1. Microphone with Conexant HDA and Working with green check mark and 2. WaveOut Mix with Conexant HDA and Currently Unavailable. Sounds has all the Windows beeps, clicks and hoots listed but when I highlight any of the noises and click "Test" I get nothing.
I go to Device Manager and open "Sound, video and game controllers" to find Conexant High Definition Audio. I Left-click it to highlight and brings up CHDA Properties telling me this device is working properly under the General tab. Driver tab tells me all about CHDA and gives me options for Details, Update, Roll Back Disable and Uninstall Driver. Details tab is pointless except for labeling everything what it already is.
I uninstall the driver, reboot my PC and insert my CD with all my drivers on it to re-install the driver. Once finished I reboot again and still get no sound.
I'm willing to answer any questions on what I've written here. I tried to be as complete as possible telling what I get here and what I've done to try to correct the situation. Anyone else have any bright ideas? Please let me know. I'm out of them!!

 

Well I found out what it was. My Audiosrv/Audiosrv.dll isn't on or is erased or something. Don't ask me how THAT happened! I've been trying to find a way to turn it on but regedit shows audiosrv with two subfolders and I don't really understand either one let alone the controls in audiosrv. I have tried Process Hacker and a few other programs like it but to no avail. Nothing allows me to turn on audiosrv. I've been trying to find the audiosrv.dll file to download and install but I really have no idea how to do that...

 

Thanks for writing.
I have the same setup for Vista. Actually there's already a audiosrv.dll in the C:/Windows/System32/ folder... I'm trying to figure out how it got turned off or what was done to cause Windows Audio Service to quit working. I have thought about deleting the one in the Win/Sys32 folder and replacing it with a new one I've already downloaded but don't see as how that would do any good.
It appears audiosrv.dll is used by 5 different programs in Windows. I'm so messed up over this and of course Microsoft is unreachable for questions concerning an Out-of-date OS...
Thanks for your input though... If you have any other ideas, let me know. Oh yeah, I already use Everywhere... just a bit too old school from time to time!

 

Yeah, I just said "I thought about it". Not that I'd do it. I have already tried the sfc /scannow. N A D A!! I'm still getting "The Audio Service is not running" message. I go in through services in Task Manager to turn Audiosrv on and I get
"The operation could not be completed. The dependency service or group failed to start."
NOTHING affects this setting! I'm thinking that a reformat and re-install to the factory settings is going to be my only recourse. Thing is, I'm seriously beginning to doubt that'll work either!

 

Try this:

Go the Start Button, and in the Search box type Run and enter:

Code:

regsvr32 "C:\Windows\System32\audiosrv.dll"

This will re-register the dll. Reboot from there and see if audio is restored.

If you have trouble getting to the Run command, see:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/What-happened-to-the-Run-command

 

Cipher, I typed in "run" in the search bar after clicking on <Start>. I copied and pasted the... regsvr32 "C:/..." AND the quote marks around it. I hit enter and my PC rebooted by itself. After the reboot I went to see if it worked and got... "The Audio Server is not running."
I don't know if I was supposed to include the quote marks but I don't think it would've restarted otherwise, huh?
Thanks for trying. If you can think of anything else, I'm all ears...

 

Hiyas plodr. I went into services and Dhcp Client - running:
Windows Event Log - running
Windows Audio - stopped
I went to check the Dependencies and all were running except Multimedia Class Scheduler
When I clicked on it and hit <Start> I got "The operation could not be completed.
The service can not be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it.", and an <OK> button to close it out. So what do I do to enable the service if it won't start when told? Or to associate it with an enabled device?
I mean, it looks like we've narrowed this down to the Multimedia Class Scheduler and Windows Audio association but neither of them will start without the other. Do I need to reinstall another MMCS or WA? Oh yeah, I noticed, if it makes any difference, that the MMCS is in the "netsrvs" group but the Windows Audio (audiosrv) is listed as N/A. I hope this helps some with your diagnostics!

 

Yes, including the quotes was the way to do it...

 

Hey Cipher,
another member here directed me to a site called blackviper and it showed me the dependencies for Audiosrv. In the Services the one that was stopped, of course, was Windows Audio (Audiosrv) which was associated with the group N/A but the only one of five Dependencies that was associated with it, that was also stopped, was Multimedia Class Scheduler and it was in group netscvs. I couldn't get either to <Start> using the commands from right-click. Is this information any help? Both of the services had a comment window open up when I tried to <Start> them.

 

Her nym is plodr. Sharp and helpful. If I had a question about something plodr advised me on, I would address her directly. But hey, I'm Old School...

 

I think Janthony had a question for you ^

I was hoping the re-register of the .dll was gonna do it, since it was there but not working...

 

When I get two emails at the same time there's only one <Reply> button and I was taking it for granted that the "reply" was going to the last email sent.
Yes, Cypher. I have been communicating with plodr and following her advice in this situation. I have been following your advice as well. The gender of the people I communicate with is irrelevant to me. All that matters is their knowledge, intelligence and how "real" they are. So far both of you have offered very good advice even if nothing has come of it. I AM willing to try any and everything that stands a reasonable chance of success.
I don't mention the names of other people I communicate with because they haven't given me permission. I consider it part and parcel of my moral obligation to keep quiet about any and everyone I become involved with until they tell me it's okay to bruit their names about the place.
Thanks to the information I've received from the two of you I wandered into <Administrative Tools> < Services> and got Multimedia Class Scheduler to "Start" in "Automatic", where I couldn't accomplish that from Task Manager or even Process Hacker. Still couldn't get Windows Audio to start though no matter what I did. I think I need to reinstall Vista, although HOW on Earth I managed to delete, shut off or suspend the Audio Service I will NEVER know.
Now I'm sitting here trying to think if there's a way I can download and install the Windows Audio Service separately... or at worst, Vista, without having to reformat and start at the beginning with my recovery discs...

 

Re: Windows Audio Service not enabled - SOLVED

I've just once again enabled the Audio to work on my Acer Laptop. I had been STOPPING and DISABLING Services and Processes to Speed up my machine so shut down MMCSS which is a DEPENDENCY for Audiosrv and I changed it to Automatic and Started the MMCSS then Started Audiosrv it blo*dy worked.

So, make sure that you have the following Services set to Automatic. Audiosrv, Audio Endpoint ...., RpcSs and MMCSS.

details for the unknowing; either in your search box or run box enter "services".
Services are listed alphabetically (if not then Click the cursor on the column header to Sort it)
Locate the FOUR services listed above and Right-Click on each one and select Properties and in the middle of the wee page you will see an option box ... Select 'Automatic' and click 'Apply'
Then look at the top left column and you'll see an option to 'START the Service' ... click on 'START'.
That's 3 times I've sorted it now ... wonder what the next problem's going to be ... I've run out of coffee ... need to go, slainge mhath!