Reinstall Audio Service

[MilesAway]

Hi, I am using Windows Vista Ultimate system. Since past two days whenever I start my system I get an error message saying something like “Audio Service has stopped working.” So in order to start this service I went to services.msc but whenever I try to restart the Audio service, it ends up with an error message saying “Audio service can't start.”

I am using AC'97 audio card on mainboard. Already tried re-re-installing the most recent drivers but no help. Can anyone please tell me what should I do to fix the problem? Many thanks.

[DesTiny!]

Just try out the following to fix the problem. Right click My Computer icon on the desktop, click Manage and select Device Manager from the left Pane. Now on the right side, select your Sound device and click the Red icon on the top to uninstall the same. This will remove your sound as well as all its driver.

Once done, restart the computer and let windows install the device and compatible driver for the same automatically.Hopefully it should work fine now.

[Knud]

Hello MilesAway. You actually need to clean the driver cache from the downloaded drivers else it still uses those "Latest date" is newest. To do so go to the folder where you had unpacked the drivers and look in the INF folder for the corresponding inf file, you have to remove those both before it will detect the older one's again.

I dont think rolling back driver from device manager is gonna work as i have already tried it when i was having this problem.

[Fajardo]

Did the Audio stopped working recently or since you installed Vista? If it was working fine earlier and the problem started recently then simply perform a System Restore. Select a restore point earlier than the problem occurred and restore the computer. It will fix the problem automatically.

[MilesAway]

Thank youi very much for all your helps guys. I tried restoring system, no success. Tried rolling back the drivers, yet no success. Tried installing the most recent drivers but yet the same result.

Actually i think the problem is something else because on boot up under services applet, it says the service is stopped but when i check in Device Manager it says the device is working fine. Very strange, isn't it? Should i try re-installing my operating system?

[Loeb]

After some serious researching, I figured it out.

If you are having issues with Audio Service, open registry editor by typing "regedit" in Start > RUN and navigate to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Services\Audiosrv

Here you will find that audiosrv requires the following privileges:
SeChangeNotifyPrivilege
SeImpersonatePrivilege
SeIncreaseWorkingSetPrivilege

Open local security policy and locate the follwing policies:
Bypass traverse checking
Impersonate a client after authentication
Increase a process working set

Add the Local Service account to each policy and then reboot. In short, for any service, if you get the privilege error, search the registry and find out what rights are required, find them in the local security policy and add the account used by that service.

[vaccaro18]

If you or your company is using GPO check the "increase a process working set".
In server 2008 go to GPO, computer configuration, policies, windows settings, security setting, local policies, user rights.
Set the "increase a process working set" to not defined. Run a gpupdate /force and restart your pc.
I have been pulling my hair out on this one for a month now. i hope this helps

[GaryCN]

Somewhat of an old thread but I am having this same issue on Windows 8 Developer Preview I'm not sure if this image will help troubleshoot the problem.