virtualbox.org

VirtualBox 6.1.12r139181 (Qt5.6.2)
Host: Windows 10 64-bit
Guest: Fedora 32 64-bit

After running my VM, if any audio device in the host OS is disabled/removed or enabled/added, the following happens in the guest OS:
1) Audio and video of any sort (e.g. a .wav file opened in VLC Player or a YouTube video) freezes, and any new playback will not start.
2) No sound plays, including system sounds.
These issues are resolved when the guest OS or the entire VM is rebooted.

After searching, I found a couple of related posts, but no real understanding of the problem or better solutions. Rebooting is not tolerable. I require the use of a Bluetooth headset which unfortunately unpairs itself with the host and must frequently be reconnected. This is how I came onto the issues above. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and I am happy to provide any additional information needed.

We have had folks have trouble playing audio when using more than just old-school 1/8" stereo jacks. I have not seen any pattern to the fixes, though, if there were fixes at all.

Try, as a test, not using any extra audio devices like the Bluetooth device. If regular wired headphones work well, then add other devices one at a time. It could be just an unfortunate incompatibility.

Thank you kindly for an immediate response, @scottgus1. Regular wired headphones do work well (so much so that my only pair wore out from use ). Originally, I thought it was an issue with Bluetooth or perhaps a sensitivity to changing the default audio output while running the VM. From my testing this week with a piece of audio mixing software (and knowing that the host's default audio output does not change when plugging in/out 1/8" headphones), it has become fairly clear that adding or subtracting any audio device in Windows, even one at a time, creates the problem. Hopefully, there is more I can learn and try.

If you do remember any of the details of what other folks raised, please let me know. Thanks again.

You could provide us with a zipped VBox.log file for analysis:

Start with the host and guest both powered off. Reproduce the problem, writing down exactly whatever audio related action you do or notice and at what time. Shut down the guest OS and post a zipped VBox.log file.

Take a look at the #18594 and the version 6.1.17 build 141128. This one looks like to be solved.