Mic suddenly halts capturing audio during a cold boot process
Mic suddenly halts capturing audio during a cold boot process
Every morning when I power on my PC, the microphone often fails to capture audio. Once it functions, simply removing the USB cable and reinserting it resolves the issue. Using a headset with a dongle also helps, as long as you select "7.1" mode. However, both solutions only last a few minutes before the mic stops again. The reliable method is to reset the PC using the reset switch on the front panel or restarting within Windows, which keeps the microphone operational throughout the day.
I’ve also experimented with another headset (Hyperx Cloud II) that works on a different machine, but the problem persists. A SFC scan revealed corrupted files, which fixed the "levels" setting in the sound control panel—now the mic responds when adjusted. I’ve reinstalled several drivers (USB, audio, Hyperx), yet nothing resolves the issue. It seems to occur only during gaming sessions, though I haven’t used Discord much outside of those times.
My PC specs include Windows 10 Pro 64-bit Z690 Aorus Elite DDR4 (BIOS F21/F23), Intel i5-13600k (stock), 2x16GB Corsair Vengeance RAM at 3600 MHz XMP, RTX 3090 TI FE (stock), 2 Kingston NV1 1TB SSD (including one for the boot drive), Crucial MX 500 1TB storage, and Corsair RM850X (2021) 850W 80+ gold. It’s been a while since this problem started, and I’ve tried many fixes without success. I’m open to any advice and will consider all suggestions, even if I think I might have missed something.
Demons. Consider swapping out your RTX 3090ti for an iGPU setup and testing without a major source of interference. A USB extension cable might work as an alternative. An 850W power supply seems insufficient for that GPU; the recommended minimum is 850W, though some GA102 cards experienced spikes. You could also adjust the TDP in software like MSI Afterburner or Asus GPU Tweak III to under 75% and observe effects. It’s possible nearby USB ports are causing magnetic noise, especially if your headset is connected through the front panel between PSU and GPU.
Thank you for your reply. The removal attempt didn't succeed as expected. While I was taking it out, I realized I had faced similar problems before using an RTX 2060. From what I recall, there haven't been significant changes when issues started occurring that I could clearly link to the hardware. I'm curious about how the system would behave differently after a restart versus a fresh installation. Would hardware respond uniquely in each case? And how would software adjust its behavior? Since hibernation is turned off, a cold boot should match a restart, but it doesn't seem to be the same. I'm starting to suspect these issues might be caused by something else.
I received both the 13600k and the 3090Ti, as far as I recall, I experienced problems before upgrading to the 13600k. About a year prior to switching to the 13600k, I got a 12600k, which replaced my old i7-3770. It seems the issues might have begun with the 12600k. When setting up Windows, I usually install it fresh on a new drive when space runs low on the boot drive—I don’t remember doing that for the 12600k either. For the 13600k, I haven’t installed Windows on a new drive recently. I tried reinstalling Windows with personal files recently to fix things, but it didn’t work. I have a fresh 1TB NVMe drive that’s almost empty. Would a clean Windows install on a new drive be a viable solution?
If the problem stems from a deep software issue after reusing a Windows reinstall, then yes. If it relates to a hardware fault, then half the solution lies in addressing the motherboard's audio component, which could affect other devices too. Disabling that part might help resolve the issue.
Hey, the latest Windows update didn’t help much. The BIOS was updated too, but nothing changed. Since it’s a fresh install, I started wondering about the hardware. I recalled that when I assembled my PC with the 13600k, I used new components. The only reason I moved up from the 12600k was because the latter was being passed to my partner. I kept just peripherals and drives. I think I had problems before the 13600k, but now I’m doubting my mind since it seems like the issue has appeared on two systems. Maybe the headset is the culprit? When I switched headsets between the 12600k and 13600k, the latter worked perfectly on the other machine (the one that had problems before), yet I still faced issues with my PC using the same headset. Four possible explanations come to mind:
1. My memory might have failed, and I actually started experiencing problems when setting up the 13600k, making it likely a hardware fault.
2. The issue could be linked to drives, peripherals, or even the power strip.
3. The surface under which my PC sits might be affecting performance.
4. There might be another factor I haven’t considered.
Over the past few days, I discovered a few things that could offer some hints. Disconnecting and reconnecting to a Discord call helped the mic work briefly. Similar fixes involved reconnecting USB or toggling 7.1 on the dongle and changing the audio input in Discord. Switching settings in Discord sometimes restored functionality, too. I disabled and re-enabled the mic under the Recording tab in "Sounds," which temporarily resolved the problem. Recently, my mic cut out again, so I went into Sound settings to toggle it on and off.
I noticed that when I changed something in Discord, the mic worked elsewhere—even in Windows sound settings. Disabling and re-enabling it there seemed to help. It’s strange, but disabling "Realtek Digital Output" (which I’d previously turned off) allowed my mic to pick up sound again. Realtek was disabled before, so it probably isn’t directly related, but turning it off might have caused the issue.
It’s possible that my microphone loses connection without Windows detecting it, until some sound setting—whether in Discord or Windows—triggers a refresh of the audio devices and reconnects the mic. I’m still puzzled, but these steps gave me some leads. Thanks for your support, @Agall—I wouldn’t have reached this point alone.
You're experiencing intermittent audio dropouts while using your headset. It sounds like the issue might be related to the microphone connection or compatibility. Could you share the specific model of your microphone?
It seems the problem lies with the built-in audio hardware, as analog 3.5mm connections are unreliable. My friend uses a wireless USB headset and faces the same issue, suggesting it could be related to the motherboard. Likely there’s an unstable connection to the sound device. The latest software update should help, but testing various drivers or turning off digital output might resolve it.