Steam is killing ALL my audio!

[fico23]

This is a new problem but it seems like when I launch games, my sound goes away. I then try to sample sounds by it says the device is already in use. I have to restart the computer and then the sound comes back. I disabled/enabled my device, uninstalled it and reinstalled it, and then also took away Exclusive Mode as well. I'm getting sounds from a Scarlett 2i2 which had no problems and Windows didn't do any big updates nor did the interface. Sounds work fine outside of Steam but then I launch a Steam game, GONE and then ALL the audio is gone, and then I get a blue screen if I unplug the device from the PC and forces my PC to restart. I also restarted the Windows Audio service and no dice there either. Is this something new that is happening? Anyone has had this issue? I'm on Windows 10 as well. Any suggestions would be awesome.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

What audio device are you using?

[chiefputsilao✖️ping]

right click 'sound' icon on taskbar.
click 'sounds'.
under 'communications' tab, set to 'do nothing' when windows detect communications activity.

right click 'sound' icon on taskbar again.
this time, click 'open volume mixer'.
set steam (and other devices/applications) audio to your preferred level.

[dominicky]

Originally posted by fico23:

This is a new problem but it seems like when I launch games, my sound goes away. I then try to sample sounds by it says the device is already in use. I have to restart the computer and then the sound comes back. I disabled/enabled my device, uninstalled it and reinstalled it, and then also took away Exclusive Mode as well. I'm getting sounds from a Scarlett 2i2 which had no problems and Windows didn't do any big updates nor did the interface. Sounds work fine outside of Steam but then I launch a Steam game, GONE and then ALL the audio is gone, and then I get a blue screen if I unplug the device from the PC and forces my PC to restart. I also restarted the Windows Audio service and no dice there either. Is this something new that is happening? Anyone has had this issue? I'm on Windows 10 as well. Any suggestions would be awesome.

Do you use realtek audio?

[fico23]

Actually I think it might be OK now. I wasn't using Realtek but I just swapped the main device cable from a USB 2 to a 3. Since then I have not had any issues. Thanks for all the advice everyone :)

[BeardmanDaniel]

Originally posted by chiefputsilao✖️ping:

right click 'sound' icon on taskbar.
click 'sounds'.
under 'communications' tab, set to 'do nothing' when windows detect communications activity.

right click 'sound' icon on taskbar again.
this time, click 'open volume mixer'.
set steam (and other devices/applications) audio to your preferred level.

OMG, man, you saved me. I unistalled drivers, reinstall, restarted. idk, what i didn't do. But the communication check was the problem. Thanks a lot!

edit: well, i still get disconnected randomly. fml. thanks anyways.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Originally posted by BeardmanDaniel:

Originally posted by chiefputsilao✖️ping:

right click 'sound' icon on taskbar.
click 'sounds'.
under 'communications' tab, set to 'do nothing' when windows detect communications activity.

right click 'sound' icon on taskbar again.
this time, click 'open volume mixer'.
set steam (and other devices/applications) audio to your preferred level.

OMG, man, you saved me. I unistalled drivers, reinstall, restarted. idk, what i didn't do. But the communication check was the problem. Thanks a lot!

edit: well, i still get disconnected randomly. fml. thanks anyways.

Yes it's been a setting since Win-Vista and it must be disabled (set to do nothing) to avoid audio in/out dipping. The reason it is a WINOS default is for when using say a Mic, when you speak, or when you hear another person speaking back, it will auto lower any background appa, even game audio, so that speech can be more clear.

[Microsoft Outlook 2003]

Originally posted by chiefputsilao✖️ping:

right click 'sound' icon on taskbar.
click 'sounds'.
under 'communications' tab, set to 'do nothing' when windows detect communications activity.

right click 'sound' icon on taskbar again.
this time, click 'open volume mixer'.
set steam (and other devices/applications) audio to your preferred level.

i know necroing is generally frowned upon but holy ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ ♥♥♥♥ thank you! i've been having this problem for so long where checking my steam voice settings permanently makes my entire pc audio go quiet until i reboot and i never knew how to fix it until now

[Ducky]

i dunno what my problem is, looked all over and found squat, whenever i start up rust, and only rust. my audio sets to zero for my whole pc. i don't know the issue, all my drivers are updated, the inputs and outputs are correct, ♥♥♥♥♥ wack.