Sound Cuts Out / Not Responding on Log Out and Now Log In!

[Ionait]

Hello. I recently returned to FFXIV in October after about a 6 month break. I never uninstalled the game so when I returned, I just launched it, it updated, good to go.

However, ever since I started again, my sound in game only lasts a few minutes and then cuts out and never comes back no matter what I do.

On top of that, when I logged out, no matter where or when or how, the game would fade to black but then freeze so I had to get a Windows "Not Responding" error, had to Ctrl+Alt+Delete and close it that way.

Now I go to log-in today and it is fading to black to log in from the launcher and then immediately freezing like it does on log out. I cannot log in now.

Any help would be great! I don't want to have to reinstall but I might try.

UPDATE:

Uninstalled and reinstalled last night. The same errors are happening. Right now I can't log in because after logging in on the launcher and clicking play, it brings up a black window and then never loads. I have to ctrl+alt+delete close it. I even left the window open for 30+ minutes. @_@ Very frustrating!

ANOTHER UPDATE:

Uninstalled. Wiped all FFXIV related files and folders from my computer. Not a trace of it was to be found. Even reset the launcher to default settings before uninstalling. Uninstalled. Redownloaded the installer from the website. Reinstalled.

The problems persist.

Most of the time it immediately goes to "Not Responding" after clicking play and I can't play at all. Other times it lets me select my character but there is still no sound while I play.

I just don't understand.