Multiple users with Lenovo machines - Thinkpad P53. Synaptics audio driver 9.0.285.40 is the culprit. Vantage/system update states there is an update, you try and update and restart and it keeps appearing with audio/mic still unavailable.
Just to clarify, the other related thread (on which you've posted) about the loss-of-sound issue stemming from the application of Synaptics audio driver 9.0.285.40 getting applied (automatically by Lenovo Vantage?) does provide at least a workaround fix, that others say is successful.
Sure, this obviously shouldn't be happening, but the fix provided in that other thread says to:
"Go to the support site, download the Synaptics Audio driver, save it in the desktop screen.
Next, go to device manager, fully uninstall the current audio driver, be sure to tick the box to completely delete the driver.
Go back to the desktop, click and install the fresh copy of the Synaptics audio driver.
Once done, restart the machine.
Thank you, this fix worked! Audio has been restored. The key was checking the box to completely delete the driver when uninstalling the device. I had tried uninstalling the device and reinstalling before, but missed checking the delete driver box."
Since the support site is providing the very same 9.0.285.40 driver version, and since the other thread reports that it is crucial when uninstalling the previously automatically applied (and perhaps corrupt/defective) driver version of the same number by checking the "delete driver" box when uninstalling it (so that it cannot be automatically reinstalled by Windows when you reboot the machine, but instead requires a "fresh install"), have you done that?
Your point that it appears there's something wrong with the automatically applied driver of the very same version number seems to cause a problem, while the manually available driver of the same version number does not cause any problem when manually installed after downloading, this may be true. And I agree that whatever is going on here should be addressed and corrected. But most important is to get your sound working properly again on your P53.
So have you been able to restore mic/sound on your P53 by simply manually uninstalling the driver (and deleting it), and then manually running the manually downloaded driver (of the very same version number) from the support site? Presumably the automatically installed driver file is somehow physically not the same as the one available through manual download, which needs to be corrected. But supposedly this remedy is supposed to work to get sound back.
Or did you try that proposed workaround/fix and it did NOT work for you?
Not him, but I'm having a similar issue on a L13 Yoga (Type 20R5) where I have uninstalled and deleted the driver software, then restarted, then reinstalled the Synaptics Audio Features (which I assume is the Synaptics Audio Driver) from here: https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/thinkpad-l-series-laptops/thinkpad-l13-yoga-type-20r5-20r6/20r5/20r5002lus/r90z6acr/downloads/driver-list/component?name=Audio and restarted. The system still will not make sound despite the sound device being detected in Device Manager and volume being adjustable in the toolbar. Also when I click on the below test button in MMSYS.CPL, I get the error: "Error! - Failed to play test tone"
This is for a client of mine and I have tried disabling Intel Audio as well as updating the Intel Display Driver via the support site above. Nothing has helped. The suggested fix has not worked for me and I am unsure on how to proceed.
@DSperber wrote:
Just to clarify, the other related thread (on which you've posted) about the loss-of-sound issue stemming from the application of Synaptics audio driver 9.0.285.40 getting applied (automatically by Lenovo Vantage?) does provide at least a workaround fix, that others say is successful.
Sure, this obviously shouldn't be happening, but the fix provided in that other thread says to:
"Go to the support site, download the Synaptics Audio driver, save it in the desktop screen.
Next, go to device manager, fully uninstall the current audio driver, be sure to tick the box to completely delete the driver.
Go back to the desktop, click and install the fresh copy of the Synaptics audio driver.
Once done, restart the machine.Thank you, this fix worked! Audio has been restored. The key was checking the box to completely delete the driver when uninstalling the device. I had tried uninstalling the device and reinstalling before, but missed checking the delete driver box."
Since the support site is providing the very same 9.0.285.40 driver version, and since the other thread reports that it is crucial when uninstalling the previously automatically applied (and perhaps corrupt/defective) driver version of the same number by checking the "delete driver" box when uninstalling it (so that it cannot be automatically reinstalled by Windows when you reboot the machine, but instead requires a "fresh install"), have you done that?
Your point that it appears there's something wrong with the automatically applied driver of the very same version number seems to cause a problem, while the manually available driver of the same version number does not cause any problem when manually installed after downloading, this may be true. And I agree that whatever is going on here should be addressed and corrected. But most important is to get your sound working properly again on your P53.
So have you been able to restore mic/sound on your P53 by simply manually uninstalling the driver (and deleting it), and then manually running the manually downloaded driver (of the very same version number) from the support site? Presumably the automatically installed driver file is somehow physically not the same as the one available through manual download, which needs to be corrected. But supposedly this remedy is supposed to work to get sound back.
Or did you try that proposed workaround/fix and it did NOT work for you?
Thanks! This worked for me as of 9/2/22. I had this speaker/microphone issue for months without knowing the cause.
P.S. The message indicated
"The key was checking the box to completely delete the driver when uninstalling the device. I had tried uninstalling the device and reinstalling before, but missed checking the delete driver box."
However, I did not find the foregoing "box" to check to completely delete the driver. Anyway, I simply uninstalled the Synaptics audio driver from Device Manager. Installed the one downloaded from "support site" as instructed in the message: move cursor to PC icon in the support site --> click Detect Product (to automatically detect my P53) --> click Drivers & Software --> click Manual Update --> click Audio --> download Synaptics Audio Driver for Win 11. Then, reboot.
** I chose Manual Update instead of Auto Update in Drivers & Software page because someone mentioned that auto update did not work. I had not confirmed this though, since the Manual Update worked for me.
