Certain system sounds are deep and distorted

I recently reinstalled OS 22H2 and it was updated to 23H2 trough Windows update.
Regardless of update, certain system sounds are too deep and distorted since the system was installed.
In previous instance that was installed, same Windows version sounds worked fine.

For instance moving the slider for sound (sound icon on taskbar) produces a sound so you can hear the new value,
this sound is too deep and distorted.

Sound of notification messages (ex. received from some site like from this forum into notification center) is also deep and distorted compared to other system sounds that work fine.

Things I have tried and didn't work:
1. Reinstalling audio drivers.
2. Disabling audio enhancements in audio properties.
3. Running audio troubleshooter
4. Testing sound with "Test" button in audio properties.

For point 4, test is fine and sound is good perhaps because the system sound used for test is fine, not all system sounds are faulty.

Additional information that might be useful is that unlike with Windows I had installed previously, during this installation I let Windows connect to internet and update itself prior first use, this resulted in WU downloading all sorts of drivers, but I've installed manufacturers drivers afterwards and have disabled driver installment trough WU in advanced system settings.

@zebal

When you installed the Nvidia driver, did you install the Nvidia HD audio part of that driver?






Or... to put it another way, when you look at Device Manager with View > Show Hidden Devices...
do you see any warnings?

@Ghot
Thanks for input, yes I did install everything except GForce experience.
I recall WU installing outdated NVIDIA drivers but I overridden them with my own.

zebal said:

Additional information that might be useful is that unlike with Windows I had installed previously, during this installation I let Windows connect to internet and update itself prior first use, this resulted in WU downloading all sorts of drivers, but I've installed manufacturers drivers afterwards and have disabled driver installment trough WU in advanced system settings.

Click to expand...

I think the problem is in here somewhere.

When I install Windows (any version), I do it without internet.
When the install is finished, I install the motherboard drivers (from manufacturers site), and the vid card driver (from Nvidia.com).

THEN, I block drivers included in Windows Update, and THEN and only then do I reconnect the internet and do the Windows Updates.

Installing the manufacturer's drivers after Microsoft already installed drivers, sometimes cause issues.


Also, you may want to check this... for the current "chipset" drivers
Usually the chipset drivers at Intel (or AMD), will be newer than the ones at the manufacturer's website.





I realize this is like finding your way through a maze, but Microsoft should stay out of the driver business.
They're not good at it. Microsoft used to just "collect" manufacturer's drivers and add them to Window's Driver Store.
They were only used when there was nothing else available.

Somewhere between Win 7 and Win 10... MS decided they could do the drivers themselves.
And they thought it would be nifty to include them in Windows Updates...
Well, they were wrong. As I said... "they aren't good at it". At least not so far anyway.

Ghot said:

I think the problem is in here somewhere.

Click to expand...

I'll uninstall all drivers including those from WU and also uninstall them from WU and then re-install my own later.
Will report back if that worked later.

@zebal

I'm not "sure" it's a software issue, but if all you did was re-install Windows (and touched no hardware anything), then it's probably a software issue.

zebal said:

I'll uninstall all drivers including those from WU and also uninstall them from WU and then re-install my own later.
Will report back if that worked later.

Click to expand...

It might be easier, to just re-install Windows the way I described in post #4

IF... you did mess around with any hardware things, like cables, connections, etc., you might want to check them also.




Doing drivers in Windows is like building a house of cards... really high.
This is why we're so fanatic about backup software.
Once we get the drivers... right, we don't want to have to deal with that rigamarole ever again. LOL

Ghot said:

I'm not "sure" it's a software issue, but if all you did was re-install Windows (and touched no hardware anything), then it's probably a software issue.

Click to expand...

The only difference with previous system is that this one connected to internet.
And right now I figured out that I downloaded newer audio drivers which I didn't have in previous system so will try that first.

Ghot said:

It might be easier, to just re-install Windows the way I described in post #4

Click to expand...

Yeah, if nothing works then I'll lose patience and do just that lol

zebal said:

The only difference with previous system is that this one connected to internet.

Click to expand...

Others may not agree, but I NEVER have the internet connected when I install Windows or drivers.
I pre-download the drivers and save them on a storage drive, so I don't have to go online to get them.

Microsoft can sneak in their drivers, pretty fast... if they have an internet connection.
Once you "block drivers included in Windows Updates", things seem to work out a lot better.
But if you were connected to the internet before you blocked drivers... it's already too late.
And they do it silently... you won't even "see" it happen.



But I'd say... 90% of the time (if you didn't mess with anything hardware), any audio or visual issues are because of driver conflicts.
Ofc, failing hardware can also cause audio, visual issues, but I don't believe that's the case here.

@zebal


This is how I always install Windows (any version)...

1. Download any drivers you will need and save them on a storage drive.
2. Get your Windows install media created.
3. Completely disconnect the internet.
4. Install Windows, and answer NO, or skip or later to everything.
5. Follow the tutorial's method to install to a local account.
6. After Windows is installed... install your drivers, and block drivers included with Windows updates.
7. Make sure all is working properly and make a temporary backup.
8. Install your programs and do your tweaks... then make another temporary backup.

Some programs require an internet connection to install or activate. Install these after the Windows Updates in step #9

9. THEN re-connect the internet and do your Windows Updates.

10. Finish up with any tweaks or customizations, if everything is working properly.... make your FINAL backup.
11. Use Windows as you would for a few days... if everything still works... you can delete the temp backups we made, during the Windows install. Just keep the FINAL backup.

12. Then... be fanatic about your backups. Make a new backup before any major changes. Changes like risky updates, unknown software, new drivers, etc.






This time... I remembered to make a text file of this post, so I don't have to type it ever again.

@Ghot
That's how I always install Windows but this time forgot to turn off router and it was already too late.

There is a bunch of INTEL System drivers installed by WU, and none of these can be uninstalled in settings app -> WU -> uninstall updates.

Also I installed intel chipset inf files from intel site and it made things slightly worse, I'm now almost certain it's those intel drivers that were downloaded by WU is the cause.

What's also unbelievable is that turning off driver installment from WU doesn't work, the setting in advanced system settings is ignored by Windows and it continues to download it's own drivers.
I installed older audio drivers (didn't help) and then checked for win. updates and it started to download newer audio drivers even though I disabled to download drivers

zebal said:

What's also unbelievable is that turning off driver installment from WU doesn't work

Click to expand...

I use the registry patch (Option #2, step #3, here)... it works...









Be aware that Microsoft will re-enable the including of drivers in Windows Updates, every now and then.
I have to check that drivers are still blocked after every Windows Update.
Winaero Tweaker has a check box for this registry entry, which makes it easier to re-enable the block...






Winaero Tweaker is really handy for quick registry edits. Just check mark the box and reboot and it's done.
I don't go crazy with Winaero tweaks. I really only use it for re-enabling things that MS keeps resetting to the way they want it.
"No Telemetry" is another one that MS keeps resetting.











Out of all these things Winaero can do... I only use the ones in the "Import or Export picture on the right.
I don't use the Disable Defender. I don't know why it shows on that list.

I'm going to reinstall system yet again (3rd time this week lol), then I'll make sure WU doesn't install drivers and will report back if that works.
If nothing else, it will be an additional clue to this Windows 11 labirint.

zebal said:

I'm going to reinstall system yet again (3rd time this week lol), then I'll make sure WU doesn't install drivers and will report back if that works.
If nothing else, it will be an additional clue to this Windows 11 labirint.

Click to expand...

Good luck. I have my fingers crossed.

Unfortunately reinstalling didn't fix the problem.
Even when the OS was clean installed with no drivers at all and no internet connection and nothing configured the same bad sounds are still bad.
I disabled driver installment from WU and none was installed, installing my own didn't change anything.

This must be 23H2 issue, it has nothing to do with drivers.
I'll continue troubleshooting tomorrow but I'm afraid I'll have to wait for windows updates to fix the problem in time

zebal said:

There is a bunch of INTEL System drivers installed by WU, and none of these can be uninstalled in settings app -> WU -> uninstall updates.

Also I installed intel chipset inf files from intel site and it made things slightly worse, I'm now almost certain it's those intel drivers that were downloaded by WU is the cause.

I installed older audio drivers (didn't help) and then checked for win. updates and it started to download newer audio drivers even though I disabled to download drivers

Click to expand...

For the Intel Chipset INF Drivers, don't do it via Device Manager. What you should do is run the .exe file from the command prompt with the
-OVERALL switch so it replaces everything on the system.

As for the audio drivers, what specific audio drivers are you actually using?

Almighty1 said:

As for the audio drivers, what specific audio drivers are you actually using?

Click to expand...

It's realtek 6.0.9601.1 (latest from MSI), I have tried with older driver as well as with no drivers at all, it's not driver issue.
Same applies to chipset drivers, tried older, newer, from manufacturer from Intel directly, no driver at all as well as windows update.

This is just one out of 3 issues so far I have with 23H2, one was here and yet another issue is that certain notifications don't work, for ex. I'm not receiving notifications from MS Edge even though everything is properly set.
Didn't have any problems with 22H2.

23H2 is just a failure release and I see other people also have various problems with it ex this thread and there are various reports elsewhere online.
I'm not sure it's worth wasting time to troubleshoot anything in 23H2 but other than waiting for fix from windows update.
But any insights are welcome.