Updating to Windows 10 Version 2004/Conexant Drivers

This problem is slowly being addressed for, at least, some devices. I have two machines that had the Conexant Driver problem. One is an HP EliteBook that is only 9 months old, and the other an HP Spectre x360 that is almost 5 years old. In both cases, I replaced the Conexant driver with the generic Microsoft driver and was able to proceed to 2004. On both machines I used device id blocks to keep the Microsoft driver in place after the update. Both machines have since been offered 20H2, but I have not gone forward to 20H2 yet. The point I want to make is that both machines have since been offered new (late 2020) Conexant drivers. I have installed the new drivers and both machines continue to be offered 20H2.

An important thing to note is that, if you are using device id blocks to keep the Microsoft driver in place, it may not be obvious that an updated Conexant driver is available. On both machines, I was aware that newer Conexant drivers were available only because I was doing manual windows updates and watching the offerings closely. As I expected, the updates failed, presumably because of the device id blocks that are used to keep the Microsoft drivers in place. Somewhat to my surprise, however, the failure was not recorded in the update history.

I was also surprised that when I removed the device id block, the new Conexant driver was not automatically downloaded on the next Windows Update. Perhaps it would have been eventually, but I didn’t wait. I used “Update Driver” > “Search Automatically for drivers” in Device Manager to install the new drivers.

Of course, I have no idea how many devices will ultimately be offered updated Conexant drivers. I think most of us suspect that the number of affected devices is large. Hopefully the issue will get some press as we approach the end of support for 1909.

Quoting some parts of Damien Vasse's post of 11/21/20;

"...The workaround was to change the driver of the Conexant audio device with the Microsoft High Definition Audio.

<snip>

Then, I launched the Windows 10 2020 H2 update using the Windows Update downloadhttps://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

It all went well, and after several reboots, I logged in and found the audio driver again being Conexant SmartAudio HD, the one previously used before this workaround.

Seems like the issue really is DURING the update not after it's done...."

That was exactly my experience with updating an HP ENVY laptop.  Are you listening MS?  Perhaps you should remove, or at least lessen the update restrictions so people can get past your roadblock.

Update:

Hmmm.  I just ran Device Manager, and something has changed.  Under the 'Audio inputs and outputs' category there had been 2 entries, one for the microphone array and one for audio.  I'm pretty sure this was true after the 2004 update, but can't say for sure after the 20H2 update.  The entry for audio is completely gone, there is only one device.  The 'Sound, video and game controllers' category had 2 and still has 2 , the 'Conexant ISST Audio' and 'Intel(R) Display Audio'.  In any case, the audio is still working fine.

Actually I agree with both of you- the problem is the existence of the Conexant HD Audio Driver DURING the Windows 2004 update process; it works perfectly fine after the update! Apparently the Conexant driver doesn't play well with Microsoft together during the ACTUAL Win 2004 update (who cares who's at fault). So after many months of delays searching the web for a solution to update and finally reading here that I could get my HP Envy I9 Desktop to possibly install the Windows 2004 update, I decided today to MANUALLY  launch the Windows 10 2020 H2 update from the Microsoft Windows Update link AFTER first just simply UNINSTALLING (not "deleting") the Conexant HD Audio Driver in Device Manager and then running the Windows 2004 update from Microsoft's site. Since I was coming from Windows 1909 it took quite awhile to complete the update itself but there was absolutely no hang-ups or problems or intervention needed from me during the update. The beauty of doing it this way was that the same Conexant HD Audio driver that I uninstalled before starting the manual update simply reinstalled itself during the update's the final rebooting and when the Windows lock screen came back after it was all done, lo and behold, I had sound with nothing more to do (and Device Manager showing the HD Conexant HD Audio driver was installed and working properly)! "It's a good thing"

Confirmed! I did the same thing with my ASUS GL-552vw laptop - switched to the MS driver, ran the Windows Assistant manual install to 20H2 and everything worked perfectly. When I booted back up, the Conexant audio driver had been reinstalled and I've had no issues at all!

Seems like Microsoft could very easily fix this and remove the block!

Confirmed! I did the same thing with my ASUS GL-552vw laptop - switched to the MS driver, ran the Windows Assistant manual install to 20H2 and everything worked perfectly. When I booted back up, the Conexant audio driver had been reinstalled and I've had no issues at all!

Seems like Microsoft could very easily fix this and remove the block!

that would be easier said than done.

though it would be better if manufacturer ASUS would ask Synaptics for newer Conexant audio drivers that are higher than 8.66.95.69 for some of their laptops and make them available on the Asus support site

Despite trying all the methods on here, with Group Policy, the Registry and more, to stop Windows automatically re-installing the Conexant driver, as soon as I logged back onto the internet the driver was downloaded and reinstalled.

I have a HP Envy x360 with Windows 1909 Pro version. Anyone any ideas why this should happen?

If you tried via the registry-trick showed on "https://www.maketecheasier.com/block-driver-updates-specific-devices-windows10/" as recommended earlier:

There is a point missing in the description. In addition to the described steps, you not only need to have a KEY named "DenyDeviceIDs" under "Restrictions" but also a new DWORD named "DenyDeviceIDs" with value "1".

See "https://superuser.com/questions/1189380/is-there-any-way-to-control-device-installation-restrictions-via-the-registry"

Good luck! I am presently waiting to have the update offered on my HP Spectre 360.

Tom380,

You might be waiting a long time fo HP to get the updated Conexant driver for your Spectre 360 so your laptop can be offered the Microsoft Windows Update. I've been waiting a YEAR for my top of the line HP Pavilion I9 desktop and still no new driver! So I took matters into my own hands after finally finding this forum and consulting here. Why don't you at least try the simple method many offered here by first UNINSTALLING your Conexant driver and than second, manually running the Microsoft Windows update from their website? It seems to work (myself included) with no issues and my HP Pavilion is now updated to to Windows 2004 (v 20H20) WITH the Conexant driver that reinstalled itself on the final reboot. Like others have pointed out, the problem appears to be the Conexant driver doesn't play well with the Microsoft Windows 2004 update DURING running the update. After the update no problems, sytem audio works, etc :)