Steps to Re-enable Windows Audio Service
My friend called me yesterday as he was facing the problem of Audio not working on his computer. On being asked he told that by mistake he disabled all the services of the computer (Quite stupid, I know). But he was having a hard time to solve that problem as the services were not starting again and gave an error message each time.
Disabling the service included disabling the Windows Audio Service that resulted in audio of the system not working. Nor installing the audio drivers again solved the problem, neither restoring the system to an earlier time.
So if you also want to re-enable the Windows Audio service then try this fix:
1. Windows Audio Service is dependent on the Plug and Play service of the computer and you will see that disabling the Windows Audio Service also disabled the Plug and Play service.
2. So the solution is quite simple and is to just enable the Plug and Play service before the Windows Audio Service.
3. Type services.msc in the Run box to open the Services running in the system.
4. Enable the “Plug and Play” service before any other.
5. Now start the “Windows Audio Service” which will start without any errors this time.
You may require rebooting, but the sound has been enabled for sure.
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May 15th, 2009 at 9:57 am
This solution didn’t work for me. Plug and Play is started, but it still won’t let me start Windows Audio
The error I get is “The dependency service or group failed to start”. I guess it’s dependent on something else too but I don’t know what.
May 15th, 2009 at 10:54 am
Okay, I got it. I snooped around through the services and found that Windows Audio service has the following dependencies. These services MUST be started first so that Windows Audio will start:
Plug and Play service must be started BEFORE
Windows Audio Endpoint Builder
BOTH of above must be started BEFORE Windows Audio Service
DCOM Service Process Launcher must be started BEFORE
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
BOTH of above must be started BEFORE Windows Audio Service
Multimedia Class Scheduler must be started BEFORE Windows Audio Service
If you are having the same frustrating horrible Vista experience I was having, I hope this will fix the problem for you.
How to find this information:
1. Start > Run > type “services.msc”
2. Scroll down until you find Windows Audio
3. Double-click on Windows Audio
4. Click on the Dependencies tab.
5. See “This service depends on the following service components:”
6. If any component has a + sign next to it, click on the + sign to see which services are further dependencies.
7. Now, write down each service name and start them all… you must start the lower-level service so that the one above it (depending on it) will start.
How to start a service:
1. Run services.msc if it’s not already running
2. Scroll to the service you need.
3. Double click on the service.
4. On the General tab, see “Startup type:” and select Automatic.
5. Click Apply
6. Click the Start button
I really helps. This stuff can be really frustrating for non techie people like me!
October 23rd, 2009 at 1:26 am
Thanks for the great tips. You’ve saved me much money and lots of time!
October 31st, 2009 at 1:36 am
thank you! it works!!!
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:27 am
Thanks Deefer.
1. Just enabling PlugandPlay did not work for me either as I had the same error message: “The dependency service or group failed to start.”
2. After enabling all the dependencies as you described in your comment however everything is working fine.
Thank you, it works.
Also, disabling a lot of processes has made my Vista 2 to 3 times faster, so it was worth the experimentation.
December 31st, 2009 at 4:06 am
Followed DeeFer list but got,”Windows could not find Windows Audio Endpoint Builder” even after I started Plug and Play. So now what? I did get instuctions on how to start services with instruction about “local” and “network” but also a cautionary note about being qualified to make changes.
February 3rd, 2010 at 6:59 am
This worked for me, I only had to remove: “AudioEndpointBuilder” from the list:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Services/Audiosrv
and in the DependOnService remove all entries except RpcSs and then restart your computer
(I left MMCSS)
February 15th, 2010 at 6:00 pm
My problem is Windows Audio is not listed in my services manager! Help!
March 5th, 2010 at 10:20 am
Enable the service called POWER!
It fixed everyting
March 10th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
i typed in services.msc in the run
and it says (the service cannot be started either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it)
please help!!!
April 20th, 2010 at 8:33 am
I had problem of Audio service not starting and Power Options not selectable in Control Panel. I use Win7 and I checked with another computer reasons and found in Registry that following key and subkey was missing:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Power. What I did was to export from one registry the values to the computer that was not having this key thru a flash disk. And restarted the computer to find both working. For those who can’t do this import here are the values you should write in the registry manually:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Power
Name Type Data
(Default) REG_SZ
Description REG_SZ @%SystemRoot%\system32\umpo.dll,-101
DisplayName REG_SZ @%SystemRoot%\system32\umpo.dll,-100
ErrorControl REG_DWORD 1
FailureActions REG_BINARY 0000 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
0008 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00
0010 14 00 00 00 02 00 00 00
0018 60 EA 00 00 02 00 00 00
0020 60 EA 00 00 02 00 00 00
0028 60 EA 00 00 02
Group REG_SZ Plugplay
ImagePath REG_EXPAND_SZ %SystemRoot%\system32\svchost.exe -k DcomLaunch
ObjectName REG_SZ LocalSystem
RequiredPrivileges REG_MULTI_SZ SeTcbPrivilege
SeSecurityPrivilege
SeAssignPrimaryTokenPrivilege
SeTakeOwnershipPrivilege
SeLoadDriverPrivilege
SeBackupPrivilege
SeRestorePrivilege
SeImpersonatePrivilege
SeAuditPrivilege
SeChangeNotifyPrivilege
SeUndockPrivilege
SeDebugPrivilege
ServiceSidType REG_DWORD 1
Start REG_DWORD 2
Type REG_DWORD 20
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Power\Parameters
(Default) REG_SZ
ServiceDll REG_EXPAND_SZ %SystemRoot%\system32\umpo.dll
ServiceMain REG_SZ UmpoMain
June 28th, 2010 at 9:51 pm
Attempted to enable plug and play but its says it cannot start due to error 193: 0xc1.
dont know if you know anything of this but if you could help i would really really appreciate it.
Regards.
July 14th, 2010 at 7:21 pm
I have a problem related to Windows Audio service.
The dependencies i.e RPC and Plug&Play are working but the Windows Audio service does not start automatically.
I have to start it manually.
September 8th, 2010 at 8:54 am
when i enabled all the things in that one comment that guy said the audio service still says
windows could not start the windows audio service on local computer.
Error 1079: The account specified for this services is different from the account specified for other sevices running in the same process
September 21st, 2010 at 3:38 pm
thank you very much for sharing.
September 26th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
“The Audio Service service on Local Computer started and then stopped. Some service stop automatically if they are not in use by other service or programs.” this is dialog i get when i try to start the audio service on service.msc
Anyone can help me to solve this issue?
October 9th, 2010 at 7:18 am
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP!!! I am horrible at computers! I have sound now! YAY!!! I had to enable the dependecies. I have to tell you, besides understanding what those words mean in English, I have no idea what they mean for computers. Thank you so much for your help!!!
November 5th, 2010 at 2:41 pm
enabling the “power” service is what did it for me. window 7 32 bit. love how MS continue to provide no real support on services!
November 21st, 2010 at 9:52 pm
i done all passages but when i want to start windows audio endpoint builder it gives me the error ”windows could not start the windows audio endpoint on local computer error 0xc0000096:0xc0000096” so if i cant able windows audio endpoint builder i can’t able also windows audio …:(
November 26th, 2010 at 3:36 am
Sweet was the damm Power service screwing it up for me aswell..
Did not think it would have any effect on a not lap top.. silly me
Thx a lot dude
January 3rd, 2011 at 4:21 am
This did not work. Plug and Play was already started, and Deefer, I cannot even press one button but OK button. -.- This pisses me off SO much.
January 4th, 2011 at 1:54 pm
This didn’t do. My system components were all started and yet windows audio still won’t. It says “Error 5: cannot start on local computer.”
January 24th, 2011 at 5:19 am
can someone help me plz Deefer’s solution is not working
everytime I play a video or music it always pop up saying Windows Audio has Stopped Working TNX for advance
January 24th, 2011 at 5:58 am
I have checked Multimedia Class Scheduler,Remote Procedure Call,DCOM Server Process Launcher,Windows Audio Endpoint Builder,and Plug and Play and they are all set in automatic
and it’s still not working plz help
February 17th, 2011 at 4:28 am
i did what deefer did on the second part on how to start a service, i kind of alt + del somethings…. and i think tahts the reason why it wont let me click on the down arrow to place it on automatic… help please, because i try and its all on gray so its on the mode where it wont let you click to scroll down and find the options…. i need help my number is 816-399-8540 text or call i really need sound lol
February 24th, 2011 at 8:32 pm
I have a laptop with Windows XP home SP3. IBM Thinkpad T42. I am having the same problem with Windows Audio Service stopping intermittently and I have to keep turning it back on within services.msc. How do I stop it from turning off BY ITSELF and keep it on at all times? It used to have no problem but only the last few months did I start noticing this frequent problem of Audio Service being turned off on it’s own. I understand the computer is doing it (not me) – but where do I start looking when it was “on” from the start of the computer anyway?
BTW I have similar symptoms of when the computer starts, the theme manager / task bar goes grey and not blue anymore, the interface changes etc…
–Ryan in Kansas
February 28th, 2011 at 12:51 pm
Thanks guys for your knowledge & help.. To skiwi, u are awesome.. IT WORKS!!!!! After all i’d tried all steps which u guys mentioned… Thanks again guy…
March 1st, 2011 at 11:34 am
Thank so much for the info..I fixed the sound!! whooo!
March 28th, 2011 at 1:10 am
Great help! Thanx a million!
April 24th, 2011 at 1:45 am
for windows vista –got to run and type services.msc then go to windows audio(managers au).then click properties and then click dependencies and you will find the below items
1.multimedia class sheduler
2.remote procedure call
3.windows audio endpoint builder
now go to run and type msconfig and then go to services .tick those 3 services above and now you got your sound .if you still don’t get any sound then enable all the services .
April 24th, 2011 at 1:46 am
i got the same problem and i solved it with the above way .thx for the help
May 23rd, 2011 at 10:45 pm
the reply from FIX mentioning POWER did it for me too BUT there is NO listing in windows audio dependancys which would lead you directly to power ??? dont bother with microsoft help and support or any of the microsoft FIX IT programs as they DO NOT help with any problems related to the windows services….Thank god for people like you and for the invaluable advice keep up the good work
May 24th, 2011 at 10:48 am
Thanks for the power service registry, it really works
May 25th, 2011 at 5:22 pm
This worked! Thank you so much!
July 2nd, 2011 at 4:43 am
Hello I have a big problem and I cant fix my volume I got the computer from a friend and said she lost her volume, I have tried everything and nothing seems to work what can I do… what kind of information do you need in order to help me.
July 2nd, 2011 at 4:47 am
I have tried downloading conexant and realtek and realtek high definition and still nothing I’m not good at computers I’m a step by step type of computer person.
July 22nd, 2011 at 8:46 pm
Thank so much for the info..I fixed the sound.
August 9th, 2011 at 8:00 am
I would like to ask one question: is this work in safe mode?
August 9th, 2011 at 9:53 am
It shall work in normal as well as safe mode.
August 24th, 2011 at 12:19 am
Yeah, that final tip about the power service… Damn. Luckily I continued reading through all the responses, otherwise I would’ve missed that one! Great show – thanks a lot!
September 28th, 2011 at 9:29 pm
This is brilliant mate, your help is much appreciated.
December 14th, 2011 at 7:37 am
Deefer, years later, you’ll never see this, but you’re still a wonderful, terrific, amazing entity known as a human being.
February 10th, 2012 at 5:29 am
I tried lots of these solutions..the one that worked for me was to use “regedit”. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Services/Audiosrv and delete all the entries in the “DependOnService” except RpcSs.
I restarted the computer and had the same red cross on the audio icon. However I then (again) tried the troubleshooter (from the audio icon) and this time it completed successfully and claimed to have fixed the problem. The other times it failed. Now I do have working audio again, no thanks to Billy Gates and his crappy programmers.
April 30th, 2012 at 10:35 pm
Found this on another site:
Open a command prompt:
net stop audiosrv
net start audiosrv
May 8th, 2012 at 4:39 am
None of the information above worked for me… so what I did was (and it worked immediately after I rebooted my computer):
1) Go to your control panel
2) Select hardware and sound
3) Select Sound, and then manage audio devices
4) Right click anywhere within the window
5) Check or select (if it is not already checked)”Show disabled devices”
6) Right and enable speakers
7) Lastly, restart your computer
This is how I got my computer’s audio to work again… I hope this works for everyone else who has this problem
Good luck you guys
May 8th, 2012 at 4:41 am
Right click and enable speakers*