Windows Audio Service won't start; can only hear sound within DAW? - Hardware & Software

Hey fellas I couldn't find a megathread so lemme throw this at ya, I've been looking everywhere and have tried a dozen solutions but nothing fixes this issue. I received a random BSOD after having no major issues with my custom build for a long time and upon restarting found that my audio wasn't working. Windows Audio won't start, I've tried to launch it from the Services window as well as restarting the linked/dependent services like RPC and MMCS, I've also reinstalled the drivers, removed+replaced it via regedit and performed a system restore, along with the standard Windows troubleshoot of course; nothing seems to solve the issue. I wanted to see if I could hear sound via the headphones hooked up to my audio mixing interface that's linked to the PC via USB, so I opened FL Studio, a digital audio workstation, and to my surprise there are no sound issues at all (playing from my main speakers, I didn't have to try using the mixer's drivers). FL Studio uses ASIO4ALL v2 and when I set my output to the primary sound driver it gives an error. I'd assumed it would be an issue with the motherboard but I don't believe that could be the case after this. Would anyone have any suggestions? I've tried even the most obscure of solutions such as checking to see if the Audio Service is somehow caught in my antivirus' quarantine chest. The little speaker icon has a red X and opens the troubleshooter when clicked and declares the problem to be "One or more audio service isn't running" and the Playback tab is completely empty even after checking the disabled/disconnected options. I'd really appreciate any help as I'm a musician so this ridiculous inconvenience is a huge setback and I've honestly exhausted all the other help threads on this issue and can't find any potential fixes that I haven't already tried. Thanks in advance for any possible help! [sp]ignore the out-of-character formal writing i posted this to another place too but i figure yall are more reliable, please help <3[/sp]

Disable every audio output except your default one, then try FL Studio ASIO rather than A4AV2 (if you're running FL 12). I have like 6 audio drivers installed and nothing has ever conflicted

Thanks, I tried that but it doesn't seem to make a difference and fl studio just spits errors at me ("[I]pEnumerator->GetDefaultAudioEndpoint(eRender, eMultimedia, &pRenderDevice) failed[/I]") and there are no available options when I try to set the output. I disabled everything from my focusrite mixer drivers to even MIDI translators, as well as my audio enhancer; I use a program called Breakaway which lets you EQ your system sounds freely, works via a line-in option in the Playback tab, yet even that isn't appearing where it usually should. I only mention FL Studio because the playback tab shows 0 devices yet I can still hear sound in FLS if the output is set to Breakaway. I also just tried using the audio mixer's driver and that seems to work too, so I'm really confused. I initially assumed it'd perhaps be something to do with my motherboard but this seems to rule that out, right? I can't hear any sound in other programs; Youtube videos are silent and Windows completely refuses to open any audio files as it apparently believes there are no audio devices/drivers running, clicking the sound icon on the taskbar sends me straight to the troubleshooter which simply tells me that the Audio Service isn't running yet trying to forcibly launch it from the Services utility does absolutely nothing and, even while set to Automatic, refuses to start. Thanks for the suggestion but do you have any idea what else it might be?

Huh, I have a focusrite mixer too. Try unplugging the usb cable, that usually fixes any sound-related kinks. Try also disabling Breakaway and every audio driver you don't normally use (by the way ALWAYS use Focusrite ASIO)

i tried unplugging my focusrite and starting the audio service but it didn't work, i've already tried disabling every other driver including breakaway but none of it works (i always use focusrite in fls because it's got absolutely minimal latency while the others aren't as good because i use the on-board soundcard rather than an external one) [editline]12th October 2016[/editline] Oh cool I uninstalled the driver and used the hardware wizard to reinstall and upon rebooting I was met with a bunch of BSODs and restart loops (can't access any boot menus as the monitor receives no input half the time and the PC just runs with no action and the other times it just flashes a blue screen before restarting) I'd understand if this was an old abused machine but this is a really decent custom build that isn't even a year old so brb buying tape recorder and denouncing technology

Sorry to bump but I'd really appreciate some tips before I smelt this fucken machine down and sell the damn metal, I've been trying all day and I just can't solve this issue, could it possibly be a windows issue, do I need to buy a new hard drive? The monitor doesn't even receive input most of the time, I have an msi motherboard which I heard are decent but could that be the issue? Pleaaase help I spent a decent bit to build this rig and shits got me wishing I'd just bought some sorta notoriously-reliable laptop if they even exist. I've reseated all the components and left it turned off for several hours in case it was a heat issue but no luck, I just can't think of what the problem might be

Is reinstalling Windows completely out of the question? Windows is really terrible when it comes to handling sound, especially when you start using stuff like ASIO4ALL. It sounds like Windows really messed up the drivers to the point where you might as well reinstall.

Have you tried completely uninstalling fl studio? I've used asio4all and have never had this issue. Dunno how to solve it unfortunately.

[QUOTE=Xyrec;51200117]Is reinstalling Windows completely out of the question? Windows is really terrible when it comes to handling sound, especially when you start using stuff like ASIO4ALL. It sounds like Windows really messed up the drivers to the point where you might as well reinstall.[/QUOTE] Yesh I can't reinstall with a legit copy as my licensed version came loaded on a HDD I got with a prebuilt, it didn't work so I had to return it but I kept the HDD and they didn't have any problem with it or ask for it back, but I think that means I can't locate a license key or anything and of course I don't have a CD to install it from. Thanks for the suggestions lads I appreciate it but now my problem has elevated to my PC simply not even launching, if I resolve this and my audio is still buggy then I'll be sure to try these ideas out though [url]https://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1537641[/url]