Lost sound in EU4

[YuraO]

I updated the game and started a new play after not playing for a few months. When the game started, I noticed there is absolutely no sound in the game - no music, ambience or any sound whatsoever. Other game, windows, have no issues with the sound. I've tried many things like rebooting, going into sound mixer and playing around there, disabled steam overlay, nothing helped.

I used to have no issues before and googling did not find anything that would help me with my issue.
I don't use nor have I ever used any mods.

Thank you

PS: I posted similar message in a bug report section but got no response for a few days.

 

[AndrewT]

I posted similar message in a bug report section but got no response for a few days.

Most likely because it's not a game bug - if it were everyone would get it!



DXDIAG is a program you run from the Windows search box on the task bar. After running it will open a window and start collecting info with a progress bar in the lower-left corner. When it completes click the 'save all information' button and save it to a file then attach that file here.

Please attach here your Documents/Paradox Interactive/EU4/settings.txt and pdx_settings.txt .
From your Documents/Paradox Interactive/EU4/logs/ folder, attach here system.log , error.log .

 

[YuraO]

Files attached

 

[AndrewT]

I don't see nay cause for this in those files; you have only one sound output and it uses the default MS driver, not some third party one that might have such problems.

If you plug in a USB headset do you get any sound then?

Run the game up then alt-tab out to Windows. Right click on the Speaker icon in the Windows taskbar, open volume mixer. Scroll across to the game; is it set to mute or a very low volume?

 

[YuraO]

I don't have a USB headset, its just a standard 3.5mm jack.
I went through the volume mixer, the game is not muted (first thing I checked) and its set to normal volume. I hear all windows sounds, i hear anything on the browser and i have no issues with any other games.

 

[YuraO]

Just ran Stellaris and it also has no sound (in addition to not responding to my input when i run full screen, but borderless works fine albeit without sound). Ran Bannerlord 2 and its fine. Seems like a Paradox only issue.

EDIT: I've completely removed Paradox Interactive folder from the %userprofile%\documents folder and still no sound.

 

[AndrewT]

Any chance you can borrow a headset or any other form of output, for the purposes of this test?

What if you make a new Windows user on this machine and log into it with that - any different?

If not, please install and run the free utility Speccy. Send its output to a text file and attach that here please.

 

[YuraO]

Any chance you can borrow a headset or any other form of output, for the purposes of this test?

I have another headset with a 3.5mm jack, same story

What if you make a new Windows user on this machine and log into it with that - any different?

uhm, not sure how to do that

If not, please install and run the free utility Speccy. Send its output to a text file and attach that here please.

Attached

 

[AndrewT]

have another headset with a 3.5mm jack, same story

It would need to be a different type of device to use a different audio driver, like a USB headset or speakers.

uhm, not sure how to do that

A quick google found this link:

Manage User Accounts in Windows - Microsoft Support

Learn how to add user accounts in Windows 10 and Windows 11. With an account, each person has separate files, browser favorites, and a private desktop.

support.microsoft.com

That Speccy output shows some sounds hardware with no drivers, whch is unusual:

Audio
Sound Cards
High Definition Audio Device
AMD High Definition Audio Device
AMD Streaming Audio Device

The first one is the one we see in the dxdiag. I assume the AMD video card you have has audio n it too, woul dthat be right? Can you check with AMD for drivers for that?


The only other thing we see in Speccy there is a number of Failed or In Progress Windows updates, going back to April 2021. I'm not sure they are related to this problem, but it's not a good thing to see! You might want to look into that to, to get all the Windows updates applied.

 

[YuraO]

It would need to be a different type of device to use a different audio driver, like a USB headset or speakers

Unfortunately I don't have any USB headsets to test out at the moment.

What if you make a new Windows user on this machine and log into it with that - any different?

Wouldn't I also need to install the game for this user? Or will I be able to use it from the other user?

The first one is the one we see in the dxdiag. I assume the AMD video card you have has audio n it too, woul dthat be right? Can you check with AMD for drivers for that?

Hmm, yes, video card came with some kind of HD audio drivers. But I am using onboard audio that are on my Gigabyte mobo. I even disabled AMD sound through device manager.

The only other thing we see in Speccy there is a number of Failed or In Progress Windows updates, going back to April 2021. I'm not sure they are related to this problem, but it's not a good thing to see! You might want to look into that to, to get all the Windows updates applied.

Could speccy be wrong? My PC is up-to-date (see screenshot) and I don't see any failures there.

 

[AndrewT]

Wouldn't I also need to install the game for this user? Or will I be able to use it from the other user?

I'm not sure, to be honest. Either way is that a test you can do? Are willing to try?

Could speccy be wrong?

I don't think so; they are after all getting that info from Windows' own records! But as I say I don't have a lot of confidence that is anything to do with this sound issue.

 

[YuraO]

I'm not sure, to be honest. Either way is that a test you can do? Are willing to try?

I created a local account, switched to it and was able to start the game without installing anything and... it has sound!
That's a positive move, right? Although I am baffled at why my current game is messed up - I uninstalled it completely, then reinstalled it, I completely removed the Paradox folder in my Documents... where else does this game leave its mark?

 

[AndrewT]

I completely removed the Paradox folder in my Documents... where else does this game leave its mark?

Only there and the Steam-EU4 folder, nowhere else.

I don't think it's the game, I think it's that Windows user profile. In what way it might cause this I do not know though! Maybe some app or utility is starting in the original profile but not in the new one, and it's getting in the way somehow? I didn't see anything like that in Speccy, but of course I don't know every possible app and utility.

 

[YuraO]

Only there and the Steam-EU4 folder, nowhere else.

I don't think it's the game, I think it's that Windows user profile. In what way it might cause this I do not know though! Maybe some app or utility is starting in the original profile but not in the new one, and it's getting in the way somehow? I didn't see anything like that in Speccy, but of course I don't know every possible app and utility.

Arrrgh, so im SOL? Something affects Paradox games but nothing else, that is super weird... any other ideas to consider?

 

[AndrewT]

I don't know anything about diagnosing problems with particular Windows profiles I'm afraid.

My only further suggestion would be to do a Windows Reset, which is a lot to contemplate to get this game going properly, I know!

 

[YuraO]

After so many days of playing without sound (I just listened to some ambient chill on youtube music), I FINALLY found a solution to this problem.

The fix was to REMOVE or RENAME an environmental property SDL_AUDIODRIVER (I renamed it to SDL_AUDIODRIVER2 on the screenshot). I believe I added it awhile ago in order for DOSBOX to have sound (some windows update messed it up and that was the solution). This variable, somehow also affected Paradox games like EU4 and Stellaris.

So just remove it or rename it or perhaps setting to the correct value would fix it, but I never bothered to find the right value. I renamed the variable and restarted PC and voila - got sound!