Skip to main content
Start a Conversation

Unsolved

This post is more than 5 years old

SuperPyroManiac

1 Message

90105

February 26th, 2015 00:00

Microphone freezing tasks

So I recently received my new XPS 13, paid a large sum ($1,000) for the 8GB with i5. Either way it's a great laptop, and has a beautiful screen and design. I have one issue though that is causing me a lot of stress and hair pulling.


When I access any task that activates the built in microphone, the task stops responding. The webcam works fine though. So my common tasks like TeamSpeak and Skype just crash as soon as I try to do something that requires the mic. I have all the proper driver installed, and when I first got it, with the default settings Dell has installed (All the drivers were pre-added from what I saw) it had the same issue. I upgraded the OS for a clean slate, re-installed all the drivers and it is working great, audio is perfect etc. The microphone still is broken though. When I open the recording devices in the audio settings, the whole sound system crashes. But it does show the microphone as enabled and set as default device.

I have been destroying Google search trying to find an answer, and a few people have the same issue but no response on what causes it or how to fix it.

Jim Coates

4 Operator

 • 

13.6K Posts

February 26th, 2015 05:00

Hello. This issue is new to me. Would you mind clarifying some things for me?

When I access any task that activates the built in microphone, the task stops responding.

So even if you open a simpler program like Windows Sound Recorder, it opens but is unresponsive?

When I open the recording devices in the audio settings, the whole sound system crashes.

This happens when you just click on the Recording tab of the Sound properties?

new XPS 13

If it is a new one then probably the XPS 13 9343 model which has Realtek audio. If you have the

Realtek audio driver installed then I suggest you switch to the Windows native audio driver.

1. Open the Device Manager (type devmgmt.msc in the Windows search box).
2. Expand the "Sound, video & game controllers" and right click on "Realtek High Definition Audio".
3. Select to "Update Driver Software".
4. Click on "Browse my computer for driver software".
5. Click "Let me pick from a list of drivers on my computer".
6. Put a check in the box "Show compatible hardware" if not already checked.
7. In the list of devices, click "High Definition Audio" (the native driver).
8. Click "Next".
9. On the Update Driver Warning box, click "Yes" (install the driver).
10. Restart the laptop if prompted. If not prompted, then no need to restart.
[To get back to the Realtek driver,  do it again but reverse the names in steps 1 and 6.]












If it does it with both the Realtek and the native driver then it is probably not a driver issue. That leaves Windows or hardware, but because it did it both fresh from the factory and after Windows re-install, probably not Windows. I would contact tech support about a possible repair.

culicidae

9 Posts

April 15th, 2015 07:00

View More

View All

No Events found!

Top