The HP Envy 14 fe uses a Realtek ALC245 audio codec. Windows updates periodically replace the HP-customized Realtek driver with a generic High Definition Audio driver, causing the Bang & Olufsen audio system to lose equalizer support and sometimes stop producing sound entirely.
Why it happens
Windows Update replaces the HP Realtek audio driver (version 6.0.9xxx) with the generic Microsoft High Definition Audio driver, which does not support the B&O audio processing chain
The Realtek ALC245 controller requires HP-specific SSDT (ACPI System Description Table) entries in the BIOS to initialize correctly with the custom driver — the generic driver cannot parse these entries
The Windows Audio service can stop responding after a failed driver transition, leaving the system in a state where no audio device is visible at all even if the hardware is present
A pending Windows Update reboot can leave the driver in a partially installed state, causing the audio device to appear in Device Manager with error code 10 or code 43
How to fix
Reinstall via HP Support Assistant. Open HP Support Assistant, run a driver scan, and install the Realtek Audio driver listed under Audio. This installs the HP-customized package including the Bang & Olufsen Audio Control Panel component.
Block Windows from overwriting the driver. After installing the HP driver, open Device Manager, right-click the Realtek audio device, select Properties → Driver → Update Driver → Browse my computer, and choose Let me pick from a list. Select the HP Realtek entry. Then run gpedit.msc and enable the policy “Prevent device driver updates via Windows Update” under Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → System → Device Installation.
Restart the Windows Audio service. Press Win+R, type services.msc, and locate Windows Audio. Right-click and select Restart. Also restart Windows Audio Endpoint Builder. If either service is set to Manual, change it to Automatic.
Run the Playing Audio troubleshooter. Go to Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters → Playing Audio. This tool detects and repairs common audio service and driver state issues automatically, including resetting the audio device graph initialization.
“After a Windows update my HP Envy 14 fe showed no audio devices at all. HP Support Assistant found and reinstalled the correct Realtek driver in under five minutes. The B&O audio panel came back too.”
— Farah Nadia Zulkifli, content creator, Cyberjaya
Verifying the Bang & Olufsen Audio System After Driver Reinstall
Once the HP Realtek driver is installed, open the Bang & Olufsen Audio Control Panel from the system tray or the Start menu. Confirm the HP Envy 14 fe preset is selected under Sound Profiles. If the B&O app is missing, reinstall it separately from HP Support: search for “Bang Olufsen” in HP Support Assistant. The control panel is packaged separately from the core Realtek driver and is sometimes not included in an automatic driver scan.
Ryan holds a Computer Science degree and has spent over 15 years troubleshooting Windows hardware and driver issues across major laptop brands. He writes practical, step-by-step guides for everyday users at softwaredriverdownload.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Windows Update keep removing my HP Realtek audio driver?
Windows Update includes a generic High Definition Audio driver that can overwrite OEM-customized Realtek packages. To prevent this, use Group Policy to block Windows from updating device drivers automatically, or use the Show or hide updates troubleshooter from Microsoft to hide the conflicting generic audio driver update.
After reinstalling the driver, the Bang and Olufsen sound profile is gone. How do I restore it?
The Bang & Olufsen Audio Control Panel is a separate software component from the Realtek driver. Open HP Support Assistant and search for “Bang Olufsen” to find and install it independently. Once installed, open the app and select the HP Envy 14 fe sound profile from the Sound Profiles dropdown to restore the factory tuning.
The audio device shows error code 43 in Device Manager. What does this mean?
Error code 43 means Windows stopped the device because it reported problems. Uninstall the audio device from Device Manager (check Delete driver software), restart, then reinstall the HP Realtek driver from HP Support Assistant. If code 43 persists after reinstall, update the HP BIOS through Lenovo Vantage, as ACPI SSDT changes in BIOS updates can resolve persistent code 43 on audio hardware.
There is no sound only through the built-in speakers but headphones work fine. What should I check?
Open the Bang & Olufsen Audio Control Panel and confirm the active profile is set to Speakers rather than Headphones. Also check that the speaker output is not muted in Windows Sound settings under Playback devices. If speakers still produce no sound with a working driver, run the HP Hardware Diagnostics UEFI audio test by pressing F2 at boot to rule out a speaker hardware fault.
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