[How To] Reinstall the Audio Driver and related software on an MSI Laptop
Answer
If your laptop experiences audio issues such as no sound at all, speaker crackling/distortion, microphone not working, audio failure after a driver update, or Nahimic/DTS not opening properly, reinstalling the audio drivers completely will usually resolve the issue. A complete driver installation is necessary to get the full microphone, speaker, and sound-effect experience.
Keep the network offline during uninstall and reinstall to prevent Windows Update from automatically installing a generic driver that overwrites the MSI-provided driver version.
This article applies to MSI laptop products with the HDA audio architecture.
How do I confirm my laptop uses the HDA audio architecture?
Right-click the Start button on the taskbar and select Device Manager; expand "Sound, video and game controllers"; check the device names in the list:
If you see "Realtek Audio," your machine uses the traditional HDA architecture — continue following this guide.
Step 1: How do I find and download the audio drivers I need?
1. Go to MSI Official Website and enter your laptop's full model name in the search bar (for example: Titan 18 HX A2WJ; you can confirm this in MSI Center → Support → System Information).
2. On the product page, click in order: Support → Driver → Audio.
3. Use all driver names listed on that page as your installation checklist.
4. Based on your checklist, download all audio-related drivers from the MSI website and extract them into the same folder on your desktop.
5. After downloading, disconnect Wi-Fi or unplug the Ethernet cable, and keep the network offline until you finish all of Step 3.
Step 2: How do I correctly uninstall the existing audio drivers and software?
Make sure the network is disconnected before performing the steps below.
1. Uninstall all audio-related items from "Installed apps"
Open Windows Settings → Apps → Installed apps. Search the following names one by one. For each item you find, click "..." on the right → Uninstall. If you can't find an item, skip it:
Nahimic 3
DTS Audio Processing
Realtek Audio Console or Realtek Audio Control
Realtek Audio Driver
2. Delete the remaining Nahimic folder (applies if you previously installed Nahimic)
Open File Explorer → type C:\ProgramData in the address bar → find the A-Volute folder and delete it.
If you can't see the folder, enable "Show hidden items" under View and look again. If you still can't find it, skip this step.
3. Uninstall audio-related devices in Device Manager
Right-click the Start button on the taskbar and open Device Manager; handle the following items in order, and skip any you can't find (if "Delete the driver software for this device" appears, check it → repeat until the checkbox no longer appears):
a. Expand Audio processing objects (APOs) → right-click every driver listed under this category → Uninstall device.
b. Expand Sound, video and game controllers → right-click every driver containing "Realtek Audio" → Uninstall device.
c. Expand System devices → right-click every driver containing "Intel Smart Sound Technology" → Uninstall device.
Step 3: In what order should I install the audio drivers and apps?
Keep the network disconnected during installation. Reconnect only after everything is installed, you have rebooted, and you have confirmed normal operation.
For every driver below, right-click install.bat and run as Administrator — this is the standard installation method. If the extracted folder doesn't contain install.bat, follow the installation method described in the Description section of that driver's download page on the MSI website. Note: only install the audio drivers and apps that appear in your checklist.
1. Install Intel Smart Sound Technology driver
2. Install OED Extension Drivers — Realtek OED Driver, Nahimic OED Driver, or Intel Smart Sound Technology OED driver
3. Install Intel MVA Driver
4. Install Realtek Audio Driver
5. Install IntelliGo APO driver
6. Install Nahimic Driver or DTS Driver
7. Install the audio apps that apply to your laptop
On the MSI website product page, go to Support → Utility & Others to confirm which audio apps apply to your laptop. These are usually:
Realtek Audio Console / Realtek Audio Control
Nahimic 3
DTS Audio Processing
8. After completing the steps above, reconnect to the network, reboot the computer, and test the speakers and microphone. Confirm that Nahimic or DTS opens normally.
FAQ
Q: After installing the drivers and rebooting, why is there still no sound?
A: Click the speaker icon in the bottom-right of the taskbar, then click the arrow next to the device name to confirm the correct output device is selected (usually shown as Speakers or Realtek Audio). If there is still no relevant option, go back to the uninstall steps to confirm you completed a clean uninstall, then reinstall in order while offline and reboot again.
Q: After uninstalling the driver, Device Manager keeps showing a leftover device that won't fully go away. What should I do?
A: When uninstalling the device, check "Delete the driver software for this device" if it appears. Reboot and repeat the steps 2–3 times until the item disappears or changes to a generic device name, then proceed with installation.
Q: Why must I disconnect the network during installation?
A: To prevent Windows from automatically installing a generic driver that overwrites the MSI-specific driver, keep the network offline from the start of uninstall until everything is installed and you have rebooted and confirmed normal operation. Reconnect only after confirming it works.
Q: The Audio page on the MSI website shows multiple drivers. Do I need to install them all?
A: Yes. Install every audio-related item listed on the MSI website, following this guide's order. If a driver isn't in your checklist, skip that step and continue to the next.
Q: Both Nahimic and DTS appear on the MSI website. Which one should I install?
A: Usually only one appears for your model — install whichever the page shows. If both appear and the website doesn't clarify, contact MSI Technical Support to confirm.
Q: A driver's extracted folder has no install.bat, only Setup.exe or .inf files. What should I do?
A: Go to that driver's download page on the MSI website and follow the installation method described in the Description section.