This is no doubt a bug in the Realtek drivers or Windows itself - but those folks are not likely to fix it.

A good half dozen times since installing Fallout 4, all windows audio has stopped, including in the middle of the Fallout 4 splash screen.

Online advice has ranged from awful - to worse, including reinstalling the audio drivers to reinstalling Windows.

In the hopes this may help a fellow Fallout 4 Windows 10 user:

1) Your Audio is working? Go away - nothing to see here.

2) Right mouse on the audio ICON at the bottom of the Windows 10 screen and select "Playback Devices".

3) On your selected device, right mouse select "Test". Works? Go away - I can't help you.

4) Since it says "Can not pay test sound", this fix is for you.

5) Open Task Manager. If you don't know what that is, find someone who does.

6) Select the "Services" tab. You used to need msc to get here. Windows 10 improvement.

7) Sort by description, and scroll down to "Windows Audio".

8) Windows Audio and Windows Audio Endpoint Builder will both say Running. In spite of that - He's dead Jim.

9) Right mouse on each and select "Restart".

10) Your audio should now work, even across reboots. No installs or reboots required to make it work.

Restarting the Audio service will temporarily fix the problem, but most likely its the driver causing the issue.

Updating the driver may fix it. Usually the motherboard (or System) manufacturer will have the most recent driver package. You can also download the driver directly from Realtek, but it won't necessarily be the most recent package. If you still have issues you can get sound from a different source (HDMI Audio, soundcard, USB audio device, external DAC, etc...)

The main problem I have with my integrated audio (realtek) is that it has weak amplification. I often have the sound volume over 80%.

At one point, I was installing audio drivers almost daily, from both Realtek or ASRock (Extreme 6). A new install would fix it - once, and require a reboot.

Also of note -when the audio dies - all audio dies. Even to my Bluetooth receiver. Restarting the services fixes everything.

I am a big believer in easy fixes.

Yes, because the audio service hangs (crashes) all audio would be affected.

Using Windows 10 driver instead of Realtek driver helps?

In that I uninstalled all drivers at one point and let Windows pick his own - nope.

Can't say that was really a default Window driver though - just the one he picked for me.

I am by far happiest with the solution I posted. Resetting the services takes less than a minute.

Strange that your windows audio service hang. Anything at event log?

Do a search on Windows 10 Audio and maybe Realtek. Problems are pretty common.

Nothing in event log - a hang is not a crash. As far as Windows is concerned, audio is healthy.

Does it help switching driver from Realtek High Definition Audio to High Definition Audi Device from Microsoft.