Conexant Drivers in a Lenovo Z50-70 from 2014

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I have this 2014 Lenovo Windows 8 machine that was upgraded to Windows 10.  Currently on Winver Version 1809.  Although Automatic Updates is turned off under domain control, it has been receiving updates, and reports currently “up to date.”

This machine has Conexant audio and video drivers.  About a year ago, both audio and video (camera) cut out entirely.  Based on discussions I’ve seen here, I guess this was due to a MS update that the domain allowed through.  I tried Lenovo driver updates, to no effect, and gave up, but it is still an inconvenience.

I don’t have the time to properly research this, but seeing all the recent references to Conexant drivers on AskWoody, I’m wondering if the issue has been finally fixed by Microsoft?

It would be against all my better judgment, but if I were to clone the hard drive and then just “Allow” Windows Update and let it rip, will I end up getting my audio and video back?

Or would I, as I suspect, end up with a bricked machine?

Thanks for any advice.

— AWRon

 

 

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I’m wondering if the issue has been finally fixed by Microsoft?

highly doubtful that either Conexant or Microsoft will completely fix the problem (it’s up to Conexant [or in this case Synaptics who now owns Conexant Systems] to issue new audio drivers to PC manufacturers or to MS). but since your Lenovo computer is almost 7 years old, it’s very unlikely you’ll get any new Conexant driver updates.

you may have to take your chances if you decide to upgrade your machine to Win10 v2004 or higher as long as you have already backed up your files onto an external storage drive before upgrading.

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I have the same problem with an older Lenovo G505 laptop that has Conexant Smart HD audio drivers.  The Windows Update from 1909 hangs at (I think 61% for days) and it eventually (times out) with an error code.  Someone suggested updating drivers with an Ask Woody Upgrade Now but I don’t know anything about that and I don’t see it on the Ask Woody web site.

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I Device Manager, right click on the Conexant driver and choose Properties.
Uninstall (do not delete) the driver(s).
Run the Win10 upgrade.
MS will replace the driver (with the same one most likely) during the install.

Let up know your results.

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Thank you, PK.

However, I would not do this without first cloning my hard drive to an identical replacement drive, for fear the upgrade will brick the computer.  (Highly likely in my view, since I lost the drivers in the first place through some other recent update.)

I don’t have time for that right now, so I will continue to block upgrades — unless anyone has seen any more specific information, e.g. that MS admits it was its fault that the drivers broke, and that it clearly states 2004 will fix it (or someone else has tested this).

Regards,

 

— AWRon

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So you think I should not do as PK suggested – uninstall the audio driver and then reboot to have Windows install the driver?  I have allowed WU to try to install the update at least 2-3 times and each time it hangs for many hours at xx% (forgot what the percentage is)

but a number of people have reported this hang at the

same percentage.

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anonymous wrote:

uninstall the audio driver and then reboot to have Windows install the driver?

This is not what I suggested.
Uninstall the Conextant driver (do not delete). Do not let Windows reinstall the driver here.
Run the Win10 upgrade. The driver will be reinstalled during the UPGRADE.
This has been the easiest workaround.

The other is to uninstall AND delete the driver then let the UPGRADE (not restart and let Win find it) reinstall it.

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Well, the WU for that update seems to show up whenever it wants to.  I have seen it fail where WU offers “retry” and I have seen the fail where it has a fail code that apparently indicates a time out.  Sometimes WU doesn’t show it as failed or awaiting application.  If the update is not showing in WU should I click on the “check for updates” and see if it then shows up?  Should I first uninstall the Conexant Smart Audio HD using Device Mgr?

If I uninstall the driver using Device Manager and then have to reboot will that cause a big issue for me?  Will my PC’s audio quit working as soon as I uninstall the driver?

In other words, will uninstall of the driver wind up bricking the laptop as was hinted at by the other guy?

As you can see, I am mainly a Windows novice – was a mainframe guy before retirement.

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Just now booted (first time today) and this shows to be stuck at 61%  – “Feature update to Windows 10, feature 20H2”.  So how do I get it out of the stuck at 61% mode so that I could start it back from scratch immediately after uninstalling the Conexant Smart Audio HD driver?  The WU panel does not have a “Cancel” button

btw – In device manager for the Conexant sound driver, I see this ” Conexant SmartAudio HD 8.66.16.50 7/9/2015″  I know that Conexant drivers were taken over by Synaptics, but I don’t see any good (compatible with the 20H2 WU) driver available for my Lenovo G505 laptop.  The laptop was originally Windows 8 but long ago was updated to Windows 10.

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I saw this. It might help.
https://www.driversupport.com/knowledge-article/fix-conexant-hd-audio-drivers-issues-in-windows-10/

I see it as 2 problems. I would first ignore everything and just upgrade or install 21H1. (or 20H2 if you absolutely have to but why not go with the latest?)
Then,
Uninstall audio and camera drivers and install the ones that are offered at the Lenovo site for your laptop.

This will either work or not and you will have no idea until you do it.
Macrium image the drive before you start.

If it doesn’t work you might explore the addition of USB sound and camera devices.

Never automatically take/allow drivers.

- Thinkpad P15s Gen1 20T4-002KUS, i7-10510U, UEFI/GPT, 16GB, Sammy 500GB M.2.
others...
- Mint Cinnamon 21 current, Win 10 22H2. WuMgr. HP laserjets M254dw & P1606dn, Epson 2480 scanner.

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Well, the Conexant Smart Audio HD drivers:

on my Lenovo 1909 PC: 7/9/2015  8.66.16.50

on Lenovo.com website  6/2015      8.66.4.0

So it appears that the SmartAudio HD audio drivers on Lenovo’s website are even older and downlevel from what is already on my PC.  Maybe Synoptics has something newer but I am totally unsure.   So I can’t get newer from Lenovo.

I do not know why this forum app is double spacing every time I hit enter at the end of a sentence or why it has selected this font it is using now.   I have no clue how to make it simple text.  Please tell me how to fix this.

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Lenovo’s drivers always trail by months behind the current drivers.
I never download drivers from Lenovo (the only software downloaded from Lenovo are Firmware updates), always from manufacturers sites.

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Now that I have submitted previous entry I see that it changed font/appearance on the fly.  As I enter this text I now know that the forum app will change the appearance of what I’m typing.  What’s with that?  Also as I am entering this text I see that there is a small box above the text area that says “Paragraph”, but the other available entries in that box are “Heading 1” “Heading 2” etc.

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The thread 20H2 – Can’t Get There from Here addresses the Conexant Drive issue.

https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/conexant-drivers-in-a-lenovo-z50-70-from-2014/#post-2366356

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Correction – The proper link is

https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/20h2-cant-get-there-from-here/

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No, don’t do that, you could easily end up with a tangled mess of updates, drivers and lenovo stuff from 2014 until now.  In addition to windows, lenovo will try to update their stuff.  Even if cloning/updates works, you’ll fight problems forever.  Been there, done that.

Best option with a machine that old with an old version of win 10 and parts of win 8 remaining, is an ISO.  Use the media creation tool and start over with 21H1.  There’s an option to keep all your programs and files, which may work, may not due to age.  Do a backup first.  Use the USB option, allow usb boot by hitting F12 or whatever during startup if needed.

Use the ISO for another computer option, install it offline.  Do not do this online:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Down the road, be sure restore points (an internal backup) are enabled and make one occasionally and definitely before any changes are made.  Then you can roll back if anything glitches.

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What a mess!!!

— AWRon

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Yes, what a mess.  Conflicting advise from several people who want to help.  But it is so confusing and I am not comfortable trying all that ISO and tool stuff.  I have no backup for the W10 laptop but all my personal stuff I keep on my W10 desktop PC (which I do back up).  On the laptop I just have the browsers with the browser shortcuts I installed, Bitwarden extensions, and a couple of other apps that I could download/install if I needed to.   Guess I’ll either replace the Lenovo with a modern laptop or pay my PC guy to load the Lenovo with the most current Windows software.   As to the audio driver – no clue.   The Lenovo always has seemed to have a problem with keeping a solid wi-fi going – stutter-halting videos like it’s buffering even though it does not say that.  My in-house wi-fi is solid and fast – EERO mesh that easily runs my cell phones at 100MBps+ constantly at 5GHz.  speedtest.net shows fast wi-fi.  The Lenovo connects to wi-fi with a 5GHz USB dongle because the Lenovo wi-fi is 2.4GHz only.  I have tried 2 different brands of dongles -with same result.

I would, however, appreciate info on why typing text into these forum replies seems to be using a font/appearance that is formatted other that just a basic character with no special formatting and what effect the little box with the “Paragraph” in it means to me and how to just have nothing-special formatting of my text as I enter it.  And how to not have the text double-space when I hit the enter key.

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Just to sum up, the WU that has been “running” at 61% for a number of days including 2-3 re-boots has now ended (badly as usual).

Here is the data from WU:
Feature update to Windows 10, version 20H2
STATUS: Pending download
Feature update to Windows 10, version 20H2

Update history
Feature updates(3)
Feature update to Windows 10, version 20H2 (2)
Last failed install attempt on ‎5/‎23/‎2021 – 0xc1900104

I do not know how to stop the update from automatically trying again – do you?

I do not want WU to apply any untested patches so I don’t know what to do now.

And I still am asking about formatting my replies on this forum.

 

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I have paused WU for 7 days.

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Have you tried one of the suggestions in #2366080?

BTW, Shift-Enter gets you single space instead of double space.

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cwr64 wrote:

I do not know why this forum app is double spacing every time I hit enter at the end of a sentence or why it has selected this font it is using now. I have no clue how to make it simple text. Please tell me how to fix this.

Are you using the “Text” panel, or the “Visual” panel?

 

I typed the above in Text, switched to Visual, hit Enter, switched back to Text. Here is what it looks like:

I don’t think that one can change the font of direct text entry.
Cumbersome Workaround –
If one must have another font, create the entry (in Notepad?), do a screenshot, manipulate/crop it, Save As it, and Attach it here (Select File).

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