Still cannot get Windows 10 2004 Update due to Conexant driver issue

[spinality]

This is a long-standing issue: Windows Update will not install 2004 due to a compatibility problem. Is there any update on progress that will let us move to the current OS release? It seems my last few HP systems have been plagued by Conexant audio problems. It's very annoying.

This is the text from the Windows 10 site:

Synaptics and Microsoft have found incompatibility issues with certain versions of drivers for Conexant or Synaptics audio devices and Windows 10, version 2004 (the Windows 10 May 2020 Update). Windows 10 devices with affected Conexant or Synaptics audio drivers might receive a stop error with a blue screen during or after updating to Windows 10, version 2004. The affected driver will be named Conexant HDAudio Driver under Sound, video and game controllers in Device Manager and have versions 8.65.47.53, 8.65.56.51, or 8.66.0.0 through 8.66.89.00 for chdrt64.sys or chdrt32.sys.

To safeguard your update experience, we have applied a compatibility hold on Windows 10 devices with affected Conexant or Synaptics audio drivers installed from being offered Windows 10, version 2004 or Windows Server, version 2004 until the driver has been updated. If your organization is using Update Compliance, the safeguard IDs are 25702617, 25702660, 25702662, and 25702673.

[TheOldMan]

Checking on progress on that issue, I found there has been some progress:  Notice that if you have device IDs 25702662 or 25702673 it should now work.  I found this information on this site:

https://borncity.com/win/2020/12/20/windows-10-2004-20h2-teilfix-fr-probleme-mit-conexant-audio-trei...

I had seen a note from colleagues the other day that the upgrade stoppers for device IDs 25702662 and 25702673 had been lifted.

Microsoft and Synaptics are still working on a solution for protection IDs 25702617 and 25702660 and plan to provide an update in one of the next [Windows] releases. For this reason, Microsoft is maintaining the set compatibility lockout for Windows 10 devices with affected Conexant or Synaptics audio drivers. Affected machines will not be offered the upgrade to Windows 10 2004/20H2 until the driver is updated. The compatibility issues and upgrade lockout affect the following client and server platforms:

• Client: Windows 10 version 20H2, Windows 10 version 2004.
• Server: Windows Server version 20H2, Windows Server version

Microsoft advises against manually upgrading to the new Windows 10 versions via the Update Now button in Windows Update or the Media Creation Tool (MCT) until corrected drivers are available. The only thing left to do is to wait until this problem is fixed.

[spinality]

Thanks, yes I had seen that. As you say, we just have to wait for an updated solution to float down the stream. I'm glad it hasn't just slipped through the cracks (apparently). What a headache this particular vendor's drivers have proven.

[TheOldMan]

Yes - apparently the older hardware is not a priority for driver development.

However, I suspect the new issue of Windows after this spring may have it solved.  Here's hoping

[Ferrumic]

I also have an Envy 795-0* machine (autumn 2018 purchase) with this problem, and have so far resisted the temptation to try the "use MS driver" workaround described in detail on this Microsoft discussions page https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-hardware/updating-to-windows-10-version... 

My intention is to wait awhile in the hope that there will be a release to fix this. Meanwhile, I have two questions:-

1. The latest status of the two problem items on the MS dashboard says that they are "Confirmed". No-one seems to be able to say what this means exactly, given that we are months on in this. Does anyone know? Is it just a "holding" or similar status?
2. Why is there absolutely no feedback or response here (that I can see) in the forums from HP? This is a rerun of the catastrophic KMODE bootloop BSODs of last May, where the hardware vendor seemed oblivious to the problem. I would at least expect some statement from HP, who were once a reliable company, but now seem not to care one bit about providing even minimal support for the hardware and software they have sold to their customers .

Any further information would be gratefully received

[TheOldMan]

I have no input on this, other than to say it is a Microsoft and the hardware manufacturer driven cure.  Since the hardware drivers are not HP only, it is up to the hardware manufacturer for the Conexant or Synaptics audio devices.  HP does not make these and HP is not the only PC maker that uses these devices, so it will eventually be solved.  No point in bad mouthing HP for not solving the driver problem, since those devices worked fine with the Windows system for when these PC were produced.

Since more than one OEM and retailer have been effected by this problem, it will be solved.

I remember when Windows 10 first came out, there was a problem with some of the older graphics platforms that used specific hardware that was built into the onboard hardware.  The original solution was to use a discrete graphics card but the onboard problem was eventually solved.  Then, later there was a problem with Realtek NIC onboard hardware that was causing problems with internet connections.  I installed a WiFi card to get around that problem, but it later was solved, too.

There is always a workaround but it takes time  Be patient or use a hardware solution to replace the offending device problem.

In the link you provided, I saw where the one user made the update work by removing the affected .dll's.  Which you can try and then add different hardware device for now.  IE USB or PCI card.  I know you think that is not a solution but it is a working choice or leave the Windows 10 version "as is" since it does work with the older versions.

[Ferrumic]

Thanks for your reply. I only hope your (and my) confidence, that MS and Synaptics will eventually sort this out and remedy it, is well-placed.

As regards the workaround I linked to on the Microsoft site, I have taken several steps to check whether important parts of this will work, without implementing the whole and waiting to see if 2004 or 20H2 are offered. Audio works as well with the MS driver as the Conexant, although there are some minor problems with Conexant programmes that run from Task Scheduler and/or Services.

It isn't dependent upon any hardware changes, and relies on circumventing the update blocks by substituting the MS audio driver (offered on my machine as an alternative to the Conexant), disabling the Conexant DLLs "pro tem", and perhaps (but not apparently always necessarily)  blocking driver updates using GPEDIT. Some have achieved an update, mainly to 2004, by waiting for WU or by downloading and using the Media Creator. Thereafter the Conexant driver reinstalls itself.

My main reservation about this fix is that, as long as the Conexant driver problem isn't properly solved by MS via WU, it appears that it may be necessary for every update; from 2004 to 20H2 and presumably future releases. That's definitely a "no-no" in my view.

I shall therefore be holding my breath and hoping this gets sorted out soon.

[TheOldMan]

Yes, here is hoping!

[Ferrumic]

In the end, I tired of waiting, and went through the steps to swap audio drivers, disable Conexant and so forth. This gave me an update to 20H2, without any problems.

I detailed numbered steps on this page at Microsoft:-

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-hardware/updating-to-windows-10-version...

As I have mentioned, it would logically follow that, without a proper fix being provided by MS, this rigmarole might be required for any future Feature Updates, which wouldn't be good.

As it happens, there's nothing very striking (to me, anyway) on the front of the 2004/20H2 update, and, as usual, some things which were good in 1909 and before have been removed.

[TheOldMan]

It is good to have found a workaround that works for you.  If it proves to still be a problem in the future, then you know how to fix it.