System unable to sleep, suck audio stream

[ETHREAL1]

Since iCue updated to version 5.17.110 I occasionally get a stuck audio stream that does not exist that prevents the system from sleeping. Running a Powercfg /requests results;

Both seem to be tied to the headset.

I often play music with Plex while playing games as well as being in a Discord chat. Before 5.17.110 as long as I disconnected from the discord chat and paused my music after closing a game the system would be able to sleep. The thing that I find odd is after the update to 5.17.110 even closing everything that makes any audio and changing the audio device used it still thinks an audio stream is active... Force closing iCue instantly makes the request vanish, also yanking the headset transceiver makes the request vanish even if the headset is still in use via USB. My Darkstar Mouse is also using the Transceiver.

It's inconsistent what causes it to happen, it does not always happen, just sometimes. It may also be important that I use Dolby Atmos for the headset. I will test the next time it happens if disabling Dolby Atmos causes the request to vanish.

I found this post from long ago that seems to be the same issue but posting is no longer allowed so I will just list it here.

 

[ETHREAL1]

On 8/8/2024 at 6:06 PM, ETHREAL1 said:

I will test the next time it happens if disabling Dolby Atmos causes the request to vanish.

Disabling Dolby Atmos does also make the Request vanish, could be some bug with Atmos effecting the Headset/Corsair drivers?

[AuroraRaven]

Also been having the issue the last few days.

[ETHREAL1]

1 hour ago, AuroraRaven said:

Also been having the issue the last few days.

interesting, not even a Corsair device by the looks of it unless I'm missing something. Do you use Dolby Atmos by chance?

[Rizz67]

Having the same exact issue. - 

[ETHREAL1]

6 hours ago, Rizz67 said:

Having the same exact issue. - 

Also not a corsair device... Interesting? I'll ask the same question, Are you using Dolby Atmos by chance?

[ETHREAL1]

Updated to 5.18.106 and the issues is still present, however I think it has to do with the Corsair EQ and Sidetone stuff getting stuck.

I use Dolby Atmos and I noticed that when I have the headset on the EQ area says that "Your headset sound is controlled by Windows Spatial Sound." which it is, but if I turn the headset off the EQ panel shows back up.

My suspension that it's Dolby Atmos related is still present. I noticed that if i close down all sound making programs, open iCue, turn off the headset, and turn it back on the phantom audio stream is gone.

Would really like some kind of response from Corsair about this...

[Fiasco17]

I don't use Dolby Atmos.  This just started happening in the last couple days.  When I run the powerconfig requests, I get the same thing.  The device is always the output I have selected when the current instance of iCUE was launched.

I really hope they jump on this quickly.  It is a pain having to manually turn iCUE off before I walk away from my PC and back on again after it comes out of sleep.

[ETHREAL1]

3 hours ago, Fiasco17 said:

I don't use Dolby Atmos.  This just started happening in the last couple days.  When I run the powerconfig requests, I get the same thing.  The device is always the output I have selected when the current instance of iCUE was launched.

I really hope they jump on this quickly.  It is a pain having to manually turn iCUE off before I walk away from my PC and back on again after it comes out of sleep.

That eliminate Dolby Atmos, it has to be iCue... good to know. It's also still interesting that I am so far the only one that even is using a Corsair device. I still suspect that its somehow related to the way Corsair does things like headset announcements and Side tone (actually comes from iCue not the headset)

One thing I do find interesting is for me an audio stream does have to be started for it to get stuck such as music. I close and immediately reopen iCue and my system is able to sleep. It's also not 100% of the time this happens.

Edited August 23 by ETHREAL1
grammer

[Retro Erik]

I have the same issue. I am pretty sure it's iCUE that creates the problem.

- If i stop ICUE powercfg reports no audio usage.
- If i start ICUE powercfg report that audio is in use.
- If i Restart-Service audiosrv, powercfg reports no audio usage - the problem is fixed - until i wake the computer again.
- If i go to audio settings in the Windows tray and turn on and off Windows Sonic for headphones, it fixes it - the same way as restart of service fix it - until i wake the computer again.

I would like someone from Corsair to comment this. 

[Fiasco17]

1 hour ago, Retro Erik said:

I have the same issue. I am pretty sure it's iCUE that creates the problem.

- If i stop ICUE powercfg reports no audio usage.
- If i start ICUE powercfg report that audio is in use.
- If i Restart-Service audiosrv, powercfg reports no audio usage - the problem is fixed - until i wake the computer again.
- If i go to audio settings in the Windows tray and turn on and off Windows Sonic for headphones, it fixes it - the same way as restart of service fix it - until i wake the computer again.

I would like someone from Corsair to comment this. 

This is exactly what I'm seeing as well.  It feels like Corsair, as of the latest release, is starting some audio stream for the current output every time iCUE boots but doesn't terminate it.  I can't believe they never saw this (or report it) during their QA testing based on my experience in software development.

[ETHREAL1]

1 hour ago, Fiasco17 said:

QA testing

What Testing.... That's not done in this day and age...

[Retro Erik]

I found a workaround using task scheduler. 

I created a task that runs this command:  C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe Restart-Service audiosrv

- It runs as the logged on user with highest privileges. 
- It runs when users unlocks pc (not when users logs on)
- i delay start with 30 seconds

If you dont want the blue powershell windows to flash, you can run as user:  "system"

Attached is my export of the Task in MXL format. Rename file to .xml and import in task scheduler. 

 

 

Restart Windows Audio Service at logon.pdf

[ETHREAL1]

3 hours ago, Retro Erik said:

I found a workaround using task scheduler. 

I created a task that runs this command:  C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe Restart-Service audiosrv

- It runs as the logged on user with highest privileges. 
- It runs when users unlocks pc (not when users logs on)
- i delay start with 30 seconds

If you dont want the blue powershell windows to flash, you can run as user:  "system"

Attached is my export of the Task in MXL format. Rename file to .xml and import in task scheduler. 

 

 

Restart Windows Audio Service at logon.pdf 3.88 kB · 0 downloads

I'm not sure this is exactly the same issue... At least for me the stream does not get stuck until after something does play audio like Plex or Discord. Only after that point does it get stuck. It's not stuck on boot and thus your fix does nothing for me... Perhaps it's dependent on the type of device? Again I am the only one that so far seems to be using an actual Corsair device... (Not saying it's not still a problem otherwise)

[Getumzz]

On 8/24/2024 at 6:03 PM, ETHREAL1 said:

I'm not sure this is exactly the same issue... At least for me the stream does not get stuck until after something does play audio like Plex or Discord. Only after that point does it get stuck. It's not stuck on boot and thus your fix does nothing for me... Perhaps it's dependent on the type of device? Again I am the only one that so far seems to be using an actual Corsair device... (Not saying it's not still a problem otherwise)

I have pretty much the same issue.
Doesn't matter if I have my Corsair headset turned off or using optical output to my soundbar, depending what I have selected when I boot up that source is stuck when I'm running the powercfg command.

So it's icue 100% messing with us.

[Gicgioc]

Hi, I'm writing from Italy and I apologize for my not so good English :)

I solved this problem that was plaguing my PC. It was difficult to understand the reason that did not allow my PC to go into sleep mode... As other users of the forum have done, with the command powercfg /requests the use of an audio stream was highlighted. Doing several tests, I noticed that the stream was used by the software of my Corsair keyboard, iCUE.

The solution was to disable Murals effects. Oddly enough, to stop the call to the audio drivers, I had to open the "devices" TAB and set my keyboard to visible; then I restarted the PC. I can confirm that to solve the sleep mode problem it was enough to disable iCUE from the automatic startup of Windows 11. However, in this way even with iCUE started, my PC regularly goes into sleep mode and powercfg /requests does not detect audio stream in use.

I hope this solution can help those who have had the same problem as me!

 

[ETHREAL1]

43 minutes ago, Gicgioc said:

Hi, I'm writing from Italy and I apologize for my not so good English :)

I solved this problem that was plaguing my PC. It was difficult to understand the reason that did not allow my PC to go into sleep mode... As other users of the forum have done, with the command powercfg /requests the use of an audio stream was highlighted. Doing several tests, I noticed that the stream was used by the software of my Corsair keyboard, iCUE.

The solution was to disable Murals effects. Oddly enough, to stop the call to the audio drivers, I had to open the "devices" TAB and set my keyboard to visible; then I restarted the PC. I can confirm that to solve the sleep mode problem it was enough to disable iCUE from the automatic startup of Windows 11. However, in this way even with iCUE started, my PC regularly goes into sleep mode and powercfg /requests does not detect audio stream in use.

I hope this solution can help those who have had the same problem as me!

 

This also does not seem to be my issue, I already have murals disabled.

With that said I am currently testing a simple scheduled task that resets the windows audio service after 30 minutes of no user activity. not perfect but should work in my case.

[elyss0n]

Just chiming in for a me too moment. Been having this issue since like a month ago. I don't use murals as well, I only have a lighting node and a k100, I'm sure the workaround to schedule powershell will work but I hope Corsair can respond on this matter as well.

[ETHREAL1]

I have made my own solution to the issue and anyone that want to incorporate the same can;
You need to make a batch file that has the following inside;

reg query "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Valve\Steam" /v RunningAppID |find /i "0x0" >nul
if errorlevel 1 (exit)
if "%1"=="" (goto Reset) else (timeout /t %1 /NOBREAK)
:Reset
sc stop "Audiosrv"
timeout /t 3 /NOBREAK
sc start "Audiosrv"

It also checks if a steam game is running (first 2 lines of the batch script) and will not reset the audio if a game is running. You then make a scheduled task that runs whether the user is logged in or not (so the CMD window does not show up) with highest privileges (needed to restart the Windows Audio Service) configured for Windows 10. The trigger being "On idle" and the action being to run that batch script with an argument that is your system sleep time in seconds. (900 is 15 Minutes) Then in the Conditions check "Start the task only if the computer is idle for" and set to 5 minutes (more on this later) and "Wait for idle for" to "Do not wait". Check "Stop if the computer ceases to be idle". In the Settings tab change the last "If the task is already running" set to Stop the existing instance.

And there, if the system gets stuck with that audio stream it will reset the Windows Audio Service which will then allow the system to sleep.

The Idle detection in windows is really stupid... This is way you have it set to 5 minutes and you have a timeout in the batch script to wait the set amount of time. Then have it set so that if the system is no longer idle it stops the script during the timeout so nothing happens.

Been testing is for a few days now and works perfectly. The only issue it has is if you use your computer as a boom box it will well reset the audio probably crashing the program and then the system sleeping but... other than that it works perfectly.

Would still like Corsair to fix there crud.... the User should not have to fix this themselves.

Edited 9 hours ago by ETHREAL1

[ETHREAL1]

Looks like there is some very minor work to still be done, have actually just had 2 issues happen at the same time.
1. It appears that the system slept during the 3 second timeout between the stop and start of the service meaning that it was not restarted, hopefully an easy fix.
2. video playing is considered being idle to windows...

[ETHREAL1]

28 minutes ago, ETHREAL1 said:

Looks like there is some very minor work to still be done, have actually just had 2 issues happen at the same time.
1. It appears that the system slept during the 3 second timeout between the stop and start of the service meaning that it was not restarted, hopefully an easy fix.
2. video playing is considered being idle to windows...

I think I have fixed these, Testing now. Fixed script that I'm testing if curious;

reg query "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Valve\Steam" /v RunningAppID | find /i "0x0" >nul
if errorlevel 1 (exit)
powercfg /requests | find /n "None" | find "[2]None." >nul
if errorlevel 1 (exit)
if "%1"=="" (goto Reset) else (timeout /t %1 /NOBREAK)
:Reset
sc stop "Audiosrv" && sc start "Audiosrv"