The cure:

Originally Posted By: fiddler2007
Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
I’ve had this happen. No matter how often I uninstall it, Windows keeps adding back an HD Audio driver for my monitor. Why? It has also flipped my audio to the WAS driver which, on my system, doesn’t work well.


The HD audio driver keeps coming back after uninstalling it, and i have also disabled all RealTek audio on my mainboard's BIOS (ASUS x99). The only way to get rid of this persistent HD, and out of the way on my system, is: disable it in Device Manager, and leave the drivers be .. F


Originally Posted By: limestone
.... But then again, hey Microsoft, pretty sloppy update actions to change settings without permission.
You'll really need to turn off windows update in services, and if you (accidentally) updated your (1803 only?) with some manually downloaded KB#######, you will need to check/do it again as they pester you occasionally by automatically switching it back on ....

Handy Tool?: Windows Update switch -F