No sound - how can I undo 'sc delete AudioEndpointBuilder'?

A little more than a week ago I made the terrible mistake of running sc delete AudioEndpointBuilder in the Windows command line. The consequences were truly disastrous.
I have no sound in my computer any more! How can I undo this apparently dangerous command?

A naïve attempt to just plainly run sc create AudioEndpointBuilder did not fix the problem.

Solution 1:

You have a few options.

1. You can download and unzip the following cmd file at:
   http://henke.atwebpages.com/AudiosrvEndpointBuilder.zipfile

To run the file, rename the extension from zipfile to zip.
Then right-click it and choose Run as administrator. The content is as follows:

@Echo off
:: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:: http://schulze.000webhostapp.com/win10//sc-create-AudiosrvEndpointBuilder.cmd
:: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:: Unless you substantially alter this code - or merely use small snippets of it - please
:: be sure to leave the following 20 lines intact:
 Echo.
 Echo  DISCLAIMER - Read https://stackoverflow.com/legal/terms-of-service/public#warranties !
 Echo  Credit - https://superuser.com/users/1102737/henke
 Echo  If this cmd file has been helpful to you, the best way to thank me
 Echo  is to upvote both the question and this answer - if you are allowed to.
 Echo     Link to answer - https://superuser.com/questions/1#2
 Echo  (c) Copyright Henrik D Schulze 2020-09-14 - http://schulze.000webhostapp.com/
 Echo     This answer to 'No sound - how can I undo sc delete AudioEndpointBuilder?'
 Echo  is licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
 Echo.
 Echo  = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
 Echo  =  If you do NOT want to run this file, hit CTRL + C, then Y, then ENTER !  =
 Echo  = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
 Echo.
 Echo  If you WANT to run this file, you need to right-click it and 'Run as administrator'.
 Echo.
:: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
pause

:: Save a backup of the existing registry keys for AudioEndpointBuilder:
%SystemRoot%\System32\reg.exe export^
 HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\AudioEndpointBuilder^
 %SystemRoot%\OLD!-backupOfAudioEndpointBuilder.reg
:: Delete the existing registry keys for AudioEndpointBuilder:
reg.exe delete HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\AudioEndpointBuilder /f
:: Create the registry keys for AudioEndpointBuilder:
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\AudioEndpointBuilder /v Description /d^
 @^%%SystemRoot^%%\System32\AudioEndpointBuilder.dll,-205 /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\AudioEndpointBuilder /v DisplayName /d^
 @^%%SystemRoot^%%\System32\AudioEndpointBuilder.dll,-204 /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\AudioEndpointBuilder /v ErrorControl /t^
 REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\AudioEndpointBuilder /v FailureActions /t^
 REG_BINARY /d "80510100000000000000000003000000140000000100000060ea000001000000c0d401000000000000000000" /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\AudioEndpointBuilder /v Group /d^
 AudioGroup /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\AudioEndpointBuilder /v ImagePath /t^
 REG_EXPAND_SZ /d "%%SystemRoot%%\System32\svchost.exe -k LocalSystemNetworkRestricted -p" /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\AudioEndpointBuilder /v ObjectName /d^
 LocalSystem /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\AudioEndpointBuilder /v RequiredPrivileges /t^
 REG_MULTI_SZ /d SeChangeNotifyPrivilege /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\AudioEndpointBuilder /v^
 ServiceSidType /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\AudioEndpointBuilder /v^
 Start /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\AudioEndpointBuilder /v^
 Type /t REG_DWORD /d 32 /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\AudioEndpointBuilder\Parameters /v^
 ServiceDll /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d ^%%SystemRoot^%%\System32\AudioEndpointBuilder.dll /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\AudioEndpointBuilder\Parameters /v^
 ServiceDllUnloadOnStop /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

:: Save a backup of the existing registry keys for Audiosrv:
%SystemRoot%\System32\reg.exe export^
 HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Audiosrv %SystemRoot%\OLD!-backupOfAudiosrv.reg
:: Delete the existing registry keys for Audiosrv:
reg.exe delete HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Audiosrv /f
:: Create the registry keys for Audiosrv:
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Audiosrv /v DependOnService /t^
 REG_MULTI_SZ /d "AudioEndpointBuilder\0RpcSs" /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Audiosrv /v Description /d^
 @^%%SystemRoot^%%\System32\audiosrv.dll,-201 /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Audiosrv /v DisplayName /d^
 @^%%SystemRoot^%%\System32\audiosrv.dll,-200 /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Audiosrv /v ErrorControl /t^
 REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Audiosrv /v FailureActions /t^
 REG_BINARY /d "80510100000000000000000003000000140000000100000060ea000001000000c0d401000100000020bf0200" /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Audiosrv /v Group /d^
 AudioGroup /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Audiosrv /v ImagePath /t^
 REG_EXPAND_SZ /d "%%SystemRoot%%\System32\svchost.exe -k LocalServiceNetworkRestricted -p" /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Audiosrv /v ObjectName /d^
 "NT AUTHORITY\LocalService" /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Audiosrv /v RequiredPrivileges /t^
 REG_MULTI_SZ /d "SeChangeNotifyPrivilege\0SeImpersonatePrivilege\0SeIncreaseWorkingSetPrivilege" /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Audiosrv /v^
 ServiceSidType /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Audiosrv /v^
 Start /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Audiosrv /v^
 Type /t REG_DWORD /d 16 /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Audiosrv\Parameters /v^
 ServiceDll /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d ^%%SystemRoot^%%\System32\Audiosrv.dll /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Audiosrv\Parameters /v^
 ServiceDllUnloadOnStop /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg.exe add HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Audiosrv\Security /v Security /t REG_BINARY /d^
 "01000480c0000000cc00000000000000140000000200ac000600000000001400fd01020001010000000000051200000000001800ff010f0001020000000000052000000020020000000014008d010200010100000000000504000000000014008d010200010100000000000506000000000018008d000200010200000000000f0200000001000000000038008d000200010a00000000000f0300000000040000abace86417c3b0f1abc5110bd73b6dc89d8a33d21867214545351283ff23a71d010100000000000512000000010100000000000512000000" /f

:: Create the services:
sc create AudioEndpointBuilder binPath=^
 ^%%SystemRoot^%%"\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalSystemNetworkRestricted" type= share start= auto
sc create Audiosrv binPath=^
 ^%%SystemRoot^%%"\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalServiceNetworkRestricted" type= share start= auto

:Description
 Echo  Please note!
 Echo  - - - - - -
 Echo  '%0' created the AudioEndpointBuilder Audiosrv services
 Echo  in the registry and in services.msc.
 Echo.
 Echo   = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
 Echo   =  PLEASE RESTART YOUR COMPUTER!  =   I hope your Audio works now. (It should!)
 Echo   = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
 Echo.
pause
:: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Echo.

If the above script does not restore the sound in your computer, there might be problems with the file AudioEndpointBuilder.dll and/or with audiosrv.dll. Those two files are usually located in C:\Windows\System32\. They could be missing or have the wrong version(s) compared to your current build of Windows 10. However, unless you have messed with these files, this is not very likely to be the problem.
Another reason why running the script does not get your sound back could be problems with your sound drivers. I consider this to be an unlikely cause as well. In Device Manager look for Sound, video and game controllers. The easiest way to install the latest available drivers might be to let Windows Update do it for you.

2. You can try upgrading to a later build of Windows 10. This is similar in effect to making a clean install of Windows 10. On my laptop with an HDD drive, this took about seven hours. Suggested links:
   https://www.askvg.com/windows-10-feature-update-available-for-download-and-upgrade/
   https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4028685/windows-10-get-the-update
   Or just make an online search, for example for "Windows 10" "Update & Security" "Update Assistant".

3. Make a clean install of Windows 10. By doing this, you will loose all software you have installed on your computer, so this should only be considered as a last resort.