Windows 10 Feature update (to 2004) Conexant driver Issue

This post is a rant and it does not contain useful info, since the issue is just nit resolved

It has now been 6 months since the release, and even the October update is out, but still there is nothing from windows or synaptics, just “update is on the way!”. As a windows pc owner, i think that i shouldn’t be treated as a nobody cares about you customer, i don’t know on which side the issue is, Ms or synaptics, but i do think that a driver issue should have been resolved in 6 months. In 6 months you could have even written a driver from scratch. I am still on 1909, which is a year and 2 months old now. And i cant update. ( well technically i can but but Ms says that i shouldn’t because of the driver issue.) 

This post is indeed a rant toward those who (MS, Synaptics, and device manufacturers) are responsible and have the resources to solve the issue but somehow chose not to. Initially, this post was made in a desperate move to draw some attention to the ones that are responsible, knowing well that this is not a place to ask for solutions from MS. This is just a discussion among the sufferer and sharing their experiences and possible workaround of the problem.

Before even making this post, I directly contacted MS support staff asking what is MS doing resolving the issue and found out that MS is not feeling responsible when it comes to fixing this issue. 

I totally understand the sheer frustration of being the sufferer or should I say "Victim of such negligence", as I happened to go through the same exact situation only to take matters into my own hand rather than waiting for it to be resolved and eventually succeeding.

Although it's unfortunate enough and not the way to solving such an issue, it seems acting on your own and trying to find a workaround for the issue is the only way right now given how long it has been left unsolved.

Yeah quite amusing, Conexant is not better, looks like a very horrible company, I will not buy anything with their components inside, that is for sure!

Conexant went out of business in 2014.

My 2014 lenovo laptop has conexant audio, so guess I was unlucky

I have a workound (sort of) 

If you uninstall conexant drivers, install ms common drivers and lock the drivers so they cannot get updated, windows update will give you the update, it is just that you lose some functionality like keyboard noise suppression and VOIP optimize, but the update becomes available

I have a question, where did u find the info about the registry to block the automatic installing of Conexant drivers?

I want to do it, too.

As I happened to be on Win 10 Home version, I had to use the Registry block method.

There are two different method to get the job done:

    1. Group Policy Editor Method (requires Win 10 Pro, because only Win 10 pro have access to group Policy Editor): Much easier. This method basically does the necessary Registry Modifications for the user. Because modifying any Registry values without knowing, will result in unstable Windows and will eventually CRASH and led to Re-installation of Windows.   

     2. Registry Method (both Pro and Home users can use because both have access to Windows Registry): a bit complex compared to GPEDIT method. But if followed carefully, is nothing to be worried about.

Group Policy Editor Method (only Win 10 Pro) : Follow this link. How to Disable Automatic Driver Updates in Windows 10? | Windows OS Hub (woshub.com)

Registry Method (Win 10 Pro and Home): Follow this link: Prevent Windows Update from Updating Specific Device Driver | Tutorials (tenforums.com) 

 Now there's some issue when following Registry Method that some might encounter, that I think I need to explain.

WARNING: Be extra careful when MODIFYING/EDITING Windows Registry. DO NOT TOUCH ANY REGISTRY ENTRY VALUE OTHERWISE KNOWING FULLY WHAT THAT ENTRY DOES. ANY IMPROPER AND UNNECESSARY MODIFICATION WILL RESULT IN CRASHING OF WINDOWS. 

ALSO I HIGHLY RECOMMEND TAKING A FULL SYSTEM DISK (C DRIVE) BACKUP BEFORE FOLLOWING THROUGH THE MODIFICATIONS FOR ANY POTENTIAL FUTURE ISSUE BECAUSE OF IMPROPER REGISTRY MODIFICATIONS.

Before following through Any of the method, You have to Copy the Specific Drivers Hardware Id names from Device Manager's Specific Drivers properties panel.

1. Open the Device Manager.
2. Locate the device
3. Double-click on it, or Right-click and select Properties from the context menu.
4. Switch to the Detailstab.
5. Under the Property menu at the top, select Hardware Ids.
6. For most devices there are more than one Hardware Ids. Usually the first two are the ones you need. The first one is the actual Hardware Id of your device and is specific to your device. For proper prevention, it is recommended to select the second one, which is more generic.
7. Right-click on the ID you want, and select Copy from the context menu to copy it to and save in a notepad txt document, for later use. Its best to copy and save all the ID name from the list.

(FOR EXAMPLE PURPOSE ONLY)

Now let's get going. 

Step 01: Search for Registry Editor and open as Administrator. 

Step 02: Go to this Registry Value either by pasting it on the above address bar or just expand it through the tree view (on left hand side).

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall

The folder "DeviceInstall" under "Windows" folder was not present on my registry tree view. So I had to create the folder. Just right click on "Windows" folder and select "New > Key " and name it as "DeviceInstall"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions

Create the folder "Restrictions **"**as like you did before. Right click on "DeviceInstall" and select New > Key and name it "Restrictions".

Step 03: Left click to select "Restrictions" key and on the right hand side panel, right click and select, New > DWORD (32-bit) Valueand create the following 02 values: 

DenyDeviceIDs 

DenyDeviceIDsRetroactive 

Double-Click on each newly created DWORD values and change the Value Data to 1 ( 1 = Enabled and 0 = Disabled)

Step 04: Now create " DenyDeviceIDs " Folder/Key under " Restrictions " folder as like before by Right click and select New > Key. 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceInstall\Restrictions\DenyDeviceIDs

Step 05: Left click to select newly created folder/Key  DenyDeviceIDs, on the right hand panel, Right Click and Select New > String Value and Create and name the individual String Values 1, 2, 3 .. depending on how many Hardware ID name you have copied from Device Manager properties panel.  

I have 2 different Hardware Id name/values divided into two separate lines as like this: 

HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_14F1&DEV_1F72&SUBSYS_10431A40&REV_1000

HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_14F1&DEV_1F72&SUBSYS_10431A40

these are specific to my machine and device hardware Id. I had to enter these two different Hardware id's on two different String Values

Now double click on each String Value you just created for your device and fill the Value Data with a single line of Hardware Id values Copied from Device Manager.

HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_14F1&DEV_1F72&SUBSYS_10431A40&REV_1000

HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_14F1&DEV_1F72&SUBSYS_10431A40

each line goes onto each separate String Value > Value data. 

Repeat this step for every Single Hardware Id name from your Device Manager's Specific Driver Properties panel, the specific driver that you want to prevent automatic update by windows update.

I had to create two (02) String Value for that I had two Hardware ID values/name from my Device Manager Driver Properties.

At this point you are all set. Just Close The Registry Editor and Restart the PC.

If you already haven't uninstalled your Device from windows, now you can and It wouldn't get installed automatically by Windows given that you have followed through the steps properly..  

Rezaul_K:

Thank you for the information.  I tried following the registry method but ran in to a problem in which the generic Windows Audio Driver does not install.  After following the steps you provided and rebooting, I went to device manager and uninstalled the Conexant Audio Driver.  Rebooted again and got an error as the troubleshooter came up.  It says that the speakers are not plugged in.  I then went to device manager, Other Devices, I found a device with an error entitled "Intel High Definition Audio".  I selected "update driver" and it stated that the policy is set to not install devices from Conexant.  What are your throughts?  Additional Information: Windows 10 Pro & I did not set the hardware denial policy nor remove the Conexant Microphone driver.  When uninstalling the Conexant ISST Audio Driver, I selected to delete all driver files.  Any help is appreciated.