dv7 "no speakers or headphones plugged in" error

i just completed a series of HP updates for my HP envy dv7333cl and no longer is my sound working.
i had upgraded from windows8 to 8.1 some months ago...but the sound still worked thereafter.
there have been further 8.1 updates that might have come into play.
my suspicion is some kind of a driver error/conflict.
please advise.

product# is 00179-60772-35706-AAOEM