Windows computers come with several ways to update high definition audio device drivers including Windows 7's Sound Utility. This nifty utility is found in the Windows Control Panel and is aptly named "Sound." You can also access it in Windows Vista or Windows 7 by going to the Start button, typing "sound" in the Search bar, and clicking on the link that appears in the list. Sound contains four tabs, Playback, Recording, Sounds, and Communications. For working with your high definition audio device drivers, you'll want to select the Playback tab. Here you should see a list of playback devices such as your computer's speakers as well as a description of the type of device. For example, you might see an icon of a speaker labeled "Speaker/HP: Realtek High Definition Audio Default Device." Select the device that needs updated HD drivers to highlight it and then click on the Properties button. A new box appears with tabs of its own such as General, Levels, Enhancements, and Advanced. Like the Sound box, these tabs are filled with interesting tools that you may want to explore at a later time. In the meantime, click the General tab as this is where you will be able to begin working with the high-def sound device drivers. First, make sure that the device in question is enabled by looking at the bottom of the General section where it says "Device Usage." If the device has been disabled, that could be the root of your problem. Next, look at the section labeled "Controller Information." This will list the high definition audio controller for the device such as Realtek HD Audio. Your controller may be a different brand. Now, click the Properties button which will launch the Properties dialog box for your audio controller. The General tab will let you know if any issues are interfering with the device or if the device is working properly. It may even alert you to missing or damaged DH sound files. To update the high definition device drivers, click the Driver tab and then click on the Update Driver button. If this button is disabled, you may need to sign on as a system administrator or access the Properties dialog box via the Device Manager. Once Update Driver has been clicked, you'll have two options for updating your HD files: letting Windows do it automatically or browsing your computer for the high definition audio device drivers. If you do not have a copy of the updated high definition audio device drivers, you'll need to let Windows search for them on your behalf. Windows does this by searching a database of device drivers maintained by Microsoft and then downloading and installing drivers that specifically match your device. Keep in mind that drivers may not be available or your system may already have the most current version available. Once the computer downloads and installs the high definition audio device drivers, reboot your computer. While not all driver updates require a reboot, many do. Rebooting now takes just a few minutes and potentially saves you from confusion.
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