Windows 8 'The Audio Service is not Running'

[conorbamodwyer]

A number of days ago audio on my laptop suddenly vanished. When I click the sound icon, which is accompanied by the red 'mute', a troubleshooter opens and fails to fix the problem. I've scoured the internet regarding fixes (the run services solution will not work - an error comes up proclaiming it is a duplicate? - and I've come to the conclusion that I must run a windows refresh, which is not possible for me. When I go into Change PC Settings > Update and Recovery > Recovery, rather than showing a screen containing the longed for 'Get Started' button, only a blank white space appears preventing the refresh to be started.

Are there any alternative methods of refreshing windows (I don't have the Windows CD or USB), a way of filling the blank screen or any other way of solving this audio problem?

Thank you.

Also if it is of any help, my laptop is Fujitsu and runs Windows 8.1

 

[ussnorway]

1. Ime using the refresh to fix a single sound driver is a bit extreme… it's your computer/ choice.

2. Sounds like you don't actually have a 8.1 back up image available… if your system started as a windows 8 and you grabbed the free upgrade to 8.1 then your laptop image will be a 8 image and NOT comparable with 8.1.


In any event a factory reset will return the computer to the way it was on day one- removing all your files in the process- or you can download a free windows 8/8.1 iso from Microsoft and run the sfc over your system to see if that solves it however it's unlikely ime because this only looks at the Microsoft dll's and a sound driver generally comes from 3rd party vendors… Microsoft just isn't known for making good sound drivers in general and I'd suspect this is a case of remove the Microsoft driver and all will be right again.