Intel Driver Compatibility Issue Blocks Latest Windows 10 Update

Windows 10 users may not be able to install the latest update due to a compatibility issue with Intel drivers, Microsoft and Intel said over the weekend.

The issue, which Microsoft said it and Intel discovered, affects the Windows 10 May 2019 Feature Update, also known as Windows 10, version 1903.

Users attempting to install the update may encounter an error if they have versions between 15.1.0.1002 and 15.5.2.1053 of the Intel Rapid Storage Technology (Intel RST) drivers installed.

The RST drivers are intended to improve the performance of storage hardware.

‘Compatibility hold’

Users may encounter a “compatibility hold”, Microsoft said, with the resulting error message stating that the iastora.sys driver “causes stability problems on Windows”.

Versions 15.5.2.1054 or later of the driver are compatible with the Windows 10 version 1903, with the recommended version being 15.9.6.1044.

Microsoft said users should download updated RST drivers from Intel or from their device manufacturer.

But Intel said it recommended the use of the device manufacturer drivers, which are sometimes customised for particular devices.

“Intel recommends that end users utilise driver updates provided by their system manufacturer/provider or via Windows Update to eliminate the potential impact caused by loading non-customised drivers,” Intel said on its website.

DPC latency

Microsoft also released a cumulative update to Windows 10 version 1903, saying that it fixes an issue that had caused distorted audio for some users.

The cumulative update KB4505903, released on Friday, fixes an issue with driver latency that had caused issues with some audio interface drivers, Microsoft said.

“The Windows 10 1903 DPC latency spike issue (causing audio glitches on some PCs) is fixed in KB4505903,” said Microsoft principal programme manager Pete Brown on Twitter.

He said users can apply the patch via Windows Update or manually from Microsoft’s website.