Windows 10 Upgrade Killed Headphone Jack Connection, Then I Uninstalled All Audio

I should have specified system critical drivers, as those are the ones I was referring to (i.e. RST, Video, Audio, touchpad, networking, etc.)

• To provide an example, Broadcom/Dell Wireless Windows 10 drivers for BCM4352/DW1550 ac cards contain at least 2 Windows 8 system files that cause IRQL BSODs every 15 - 60 minutes.  Even though both companies were made aware of this in early August, Dell still offers the corrupted package as the most recent version (7/28/15)

There are Windows 7/8 drivers that will work fine on Windows 10, however most don't, and whereas I may have the knowledge on how to do in depth troubleshooting on my systems, most users don't (or don't have the time). I don't believe it's okay for me, strictly my own personal opinion about myself, to tell another user to do something that I wouldn't do myself.  

I also look at it as simply a matter of convenience... it's better to clean install an OS, install all drivers in the proper order, update windows, install all software, and then take a WIM of the system as a base to build upon.  This ensures you know 100% nothing installed is of issue and should you have issues in the future, you can backup a few files, apply the WIM, copy the backup files back, and be on your merry way.  Users could also choose to create a custom refresh image instead.

Hi,

Try uninstalling the Sound Blaster driver from Device Manager again (including the software) and then on the Action setting, click scan for hardware changes. It may install the generic audio driver, test the audio after this to confirm if it works.

so does that mean even after a clean install my audio is still gone?

this has been over one month of trying/installing/uninstalling

i really dont want to spend the 1 full day moving all files and reinstalling and then moving files back

when i uninstall the sound blaster from device manager and click search for hardware changes, high definition audio device appears, and then changes back to sound blaster after a few seconds. the process does not work.

when i delete sound blaster from programs and features and uninstall from program manager at same time, then, under other devices on the device manager, 'audio device on high definition audio bus' quickly appears and the disappears before changing back to sound blaster after a few seconds yet again

If it's immediately recognizing it again as sound blaster, it's probably because you're not ticking the box to delete the driver software.

If you are ticking the box to delete the driver software, you'll need to track down the oemxx.inf for the sound blaster drivers.

do any of these links explain how to find and delete that oemxx.inf?

I couldn't find it in a C:// search, so I'm unsure where to look -

In the folder, C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository - what subfolder would it be listed under?

social.msdn.microsoft.com/.../how-can-i-find-the-oemxxinf-for-my-device-under-cwindowsinf-folder

msdn.microsoft.com/.../ff542439%28v=vs.85%29.aspx;MSPPError=-2147217396

forums.creative.com/showthread.php

infs can be found in C:\Windows\INF. To find the specific oemxx.inf, open up device manager, find the component and open up it's properties.  Go to Details - Inf Name

As to C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository, in order to find the original name of the inf, you must look in the original installation files for that driver.  If the driver install is packaged in an .exe file, you'll need to run the .exe until the Setup window shows, navigate to C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Temp, view by date, and open up the newest folder(s) until you find the extracted install files.  

• While you can use 7zip, or cmd/PowerShell, to extract .exe files, it's dependent on how the .exe was packaged - some are simply a compression of the original install directory, while others are not.

so is this the file i want to delete? oem2?

should i delete any other similar files in that folder too? the pnf as well, or no?

if so, even after deleting it, i will need to also do the file repository process?

what is it that i will want to delete there? all of the driver folders?

The file you have highlighted in a PNF file, not INF.  The INF is the file directly above it, however you have file extensions turned off so you're not able to see the inf extension.  You would also remove the accompanying PNF (Precompiled Setup Information, created by Windows for the efficient processing of INF installs. 

• Quick FYI: I always recommend, for numerous reasons, to turn off hide file extensions within Folder Options - View

As I mentioned previously, to determine what driver folder you need to delete in the file repository, you must first re-download the driver setup program, and determine the correct name for the driver's folder you want to delete in the file repository.  You'll see each folder has the driver name as the first part of the folder name.  For example:

• File repository folder 1394.inf_amd64_fcc50b582e49fe25

• The driver file name is the part in bold, 1394.inf

Prior to deleting infs, you should attempt to remove the drivers via device manager first, ensuring you tick the box to remove installation files when you select uninstall.  Doing this should ensure the inf's and accompanying folder are deleted.

The fact that sound blaster was auto re-installing is indicative of not performing that step.

- just redownloaed the driver - it's called: Audio_Driver_73XDP_WN64_1.1.3_A01 (4).EXE

- when installing the .exe file, the local/temp folder updated with 2 new folders

Folder 1: {1416BC8D-2CBA-4CCC-9B4B-DB93566A70D8}

- contains a subfolder with plethora of creative soundblaster instillation items

Folder 2: a subfolder with 1 file - CTDeInst.dll

Which do I delete? Both?

Do I delete these from file repository after or before deleting the INF and PNF files after uninstalling the drivers again?

- when it sets up the download folder path, it selected C:\Program Files (x86)\Creative\Sound Blaster Recon3Di\

- here is the log from installation:

[12/20/15 10:28:51] Extraction-miniunz path: C:\PROGRA~3\dell\drivers\AU629A~1.3_A\miniunz.exe

[12/20/15 10:28:51] Extraction-arguments:  -x C:\Users\GOODEL~1\DOWNLO~1\AU6544~1.EXE -o -d C:\PROGRA~3\dell\drivers\AU629A~1.3_A

[12/20/15 10:28:56] Extraction-GetExitCode: 0

[12/20/15 10:28:56] Identified Behavior : attended

[12/20/15 10:28:56] Temporary payload log file name: C:\ProgramData\dell\drivers\Audio_Driver_73XDP_WN64_1.1.3_A01 (4)\DUP9751.tmp

[12/20/15 10:28:56] Translated Command Line : SETUP.EXE /s /v" LOGFILE=\"C:\ProgramData\dell\drivers\Audio_Driver_73XDP_WN64_1.1.3_A01 (4)\DUP9751.tmp\""

[12/20/15 10:28:56] Path : C:\ProgramData\dell\drivers\Audio_Driver_73XDP_WN64_1.1.3_A01 (4)

[12/20/15 10:28:56] Identified Behavior : attended

[12/20/15 10:37:10] Append Vendor Software Log: C:\ProgramData\dell\drivers\Audio_Driver_73XDP_WN64_1.1.3_A01 (4)\DUP9751.tmp

[12/20/15 10:37:10]

--- Start of Vendor Software Log ---

[12/20/15 10:37:10] ASCII payload log file detected.

[12/20/15 10:37:10] Date and time executed : 12/20/2015  10:29:05

- when installing the .exe file, the local/temp folder updated with 2 new folders

Folder 1: {1416BC8D-2CBA-4CCC-9B4B-DB93566A70D8}

- contains a subfolder with plethora of creative soundblaster instillation items

Folder 2: a subfolder with 1 file - CTDeInst.dll

Which do I delete? Both?

Do I delete these from file repository after or before deleting the INF and PNF files after uninstalling the drivers again?

I'm unable to tell from your posts...

1. Did you ever uninstall the drivers via Control Panel - Programs and rebooted afterwards?  If not, please do so first.
   1. If you did, please proceed to 2 and confirm either way in your reply
2. When you uninstalled the drivers via device manager, did you tick the box to also delete the install files?
   1. If not, please do this and reboot the PC.  
   2. If you did tick the box, but did not reboot after uninstalling via device manager, please redo the uninstall via device manager.
3. If you did everything above in the chronological order listed, then please proceed to delete the oemxx.inf and file repository folder and confirm either way in your reply

The first folder will contain INFs, as these are the driver install files.  You will need to match the INF names in that folder to the inf name on the file repository folder... however, ticking the box to uninstall the install files when you uninstall via device manager should delete the INFs, as that's the purpose of that box.

I uninstalled repeatedly. it kept coming back in device manager. sometimes changing and appearing in name from audio to sound blaster, sometimes not.

i proceeded, deleted and uninstalled from programs and features.

i then deleted oem2 inf and pnf files.

could not locate anything in file repository. might it have gotten deleted by my other actions? the folder i located/identified initially is no longer present.

is that a step, or is there another step, i should take next before reinstalling driver?

I think you're good to go then, however just an FYI for future reference:

If you utilize Device Manager to uninstall a driver, the box that pops up to confirm the uninstall will have a tick box at the very bottom that says something to the effect of "delete source files", and you will want to check this if you want to completely eliminate that driver from the PC.  

That tick box deletes the correct INFs from the INF and Repository folders.

**Before you go forward, have you rebooted, after removing the INFs and uninstalling from Programs and Features, to verify it's no longer showing in Device Manager?**