An application that captures and plays audio stops responding in Windows 7 or in Windows Server 2008 R2

Consider the following scenario:

• You use a multimedia application to capture and play audio at the same time on a computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2.
• The application calls the waveInStart function to capture audio from an audio device.
• The application calls the waveOutWrite function to play audio on the same device.
• The application calls the waveOutReset function if the MM_WOM_DONE message does not come in time.

In this scenario, the application intermittently stops responding.

Typically, this issue occurs when the following conditions are true:

• A time-out issue occurs when the waveOutOpen function tries to create an instance of an audio device. Therefore, a following call to the waveOutWrite function fails and the audio is not played. This situation may occur on an audio device that has a high response latency.
• The application calls the waveOutReset function to recover from the time-out issue. The waveOutReset function tries to stop playback in the application. At the same time, the application receives a continuous flow of incoming audio to capture. The combination of the attempt to call the waveOutReset function and the incoming audio causes the waveOutReset function not to work correctly. Therefore, the application stops responding.

The issue occurs because of an error in Wdmaud.drv component. This error causes the waveOutReset function not to work correctly when there is a continuous flow of incoming audio.

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, you must be running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2.

Registry information

To use the hotfix in this package, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace a previously released hotfix.

File information

The global version of this hotfix installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 file information notes

Important Windows 7 hotfixes and Windows Server 2008 R2 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, hotfixes on the Hotfix Request page are listed under both operating systems. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under "Windows 7/Windows Server 2008 R2" on the page. Always refer to the "Applies To" section in articles to determine the actual operating system that each hotfix applies to.

• The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 R2 and for Windows 7" section. MUM and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are extremely important to maintain the state of the updated components. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows 7

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows 7 and of Windows Server 2008 R2

For all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

For more information about how to program multimedia applications by using the Waveform Audio interfaces, visit the following Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Web sites: For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Additional file information

Additional file information for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows 7

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows 7 and of Windows Server 2008 R2

Additional files for all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2