Unable to Prevent Intel Smart Sound Technology (ISST) and Conexant Drivers from Installing

[DannyB07]

System: ZBook Studio x360 G5

OS: Windows 11 24H2 (May Update)

Audio Device: Bang & Olufsen (Conexant ISST Audio)

Driver Version: Intel(R) Corporation - System - 10.23.0.2903 / Conexant-MEDIA-9.0.278.150

Hello All,

I previously had Windows 11 (23H2) installed on the above machine. I had repeated problems with the above Conexant ISST Audio. The symptoms were no audio and an inability to start the Bang & Olufsen Control Panel. The problem was the install of Intel(R) Corporation - System - 10.23.0.2903 (ISST Driver) followed by the install of the above Conexant-MEDIA-9.0.278.150 driver. Starting with Windows own drivers, it is when the Intel Driver is installed that 'breaks' the audio first  (i.e. it appears in Device Manager under Other Devices as "Intel High Definition Audio" with a warning sign). The Conexant driver then installs afterwards appearing to have fixed the problem (Conexant ISST Audio appears under Sound, video and game controllers) but there is no sound and no way to open the control panel.

I uninstalled both drivers - reverting to Windows's own drivers - and to prevent them from reinstalling, I used the Show or Hide Diagnostics add-on for Windows to prevent these two drivers from being reinstalled by Windows Update.  Microsoft pushed the 24H2 update to my machine without problem and it ran smoothly on 24H2 after the update (Show or Hide continued to prevent the drivers from reinstalling so I was still using the Windows drivers).

However, I have now performed a fresh install of the latest version of Windows 11 24H2 and the problem is that the Show or Hide diagnostics add-on no longer prevents the Intel(R) Corporation - System - 10.23.0.2903 update and doesn't even show the Conexant-MEDIA-9.0.278.150 driver. The result is that when I uninstall these drivers, they are automatically reinstalled every time I connect to the internet.

I have also done the following: used Group Policy to exclude drivers from Windows Updates; used Control Panel to prevent automatic download of manufacturers apps. Neither of these are ideal because I want all my other device drivers and apps to auto update and neither seem to prevent the drivers from being installed by Windows Update.

Given the problems with these drivers, I really just want to stick with Windows's own drivers but I can't stop the Intel and Conexant drivers from reinstalling.

Can anyone help or suggest anything other than reverting to 23H2 please?

Thanks

DannyB07