Microsoft has initiated the rollout of a permanent solution to address a persistent issue affecting system stability and gaming performance on Windows 11 devices. Users have reported experiencing crashes, game launch failures, and freezing, often accompanied by the “EXCEPTIONACCESSVIOLATION” error message.
Initially, the problem was linked to updates released in August 2026, but Microsoft later identified the root cause as being related to peripherals equipped with RGB lighting features. These devices were found to install drivers or code components that could interfere with certain games, particularly those like ARC Raiders, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and The Finals.
In a recent update, Microsoft confirmed that the inpoutx64.sys driver was responsible for these disruptions. The company has now begun deploying a fix that effectively disables this driver on affected systems. “This issue is resolved by a block that prevents the inpoutx64 driver from loading,” Microsoft stated in a Windows release health update. “The block targets devices with this specific driver enabled and the game ARC Raiders installed.” Following the application of this fix, users should be able to launch their games without issue.
The rollout commenced on August 26, 2026, at 6 PM PT, and it may take up to 24 hours for the fix to reach all impacted devices. This driver block will also be incorporated into the September 2026 Windows security updates and future releases.
Temporary workaround for enterprise systems
For enterprise-managed devices where the automatic fix will not be applied, Microsoft has provided a temporary workaround. IT administrators can manually disable the inpoutx64 driver via the Windows Registry, although they are advised to back up the registry beforehand to facilitate any necessary reversals.
The steps to disable the driver are as follows:
- Open the Windows Registry by accessing the Start menu and typing “regedit.” Select the Registry Editor from the results.
- Navigate to the key HKEYLOCALMACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesinpoutx64. This can be done using the folders on the left side of the window or by entering the path into the address bar at the top.
- On the right side of the window, locate the registry value named Start. Double-click this key and enter the number “4” in the field titled Value data.
- Close the window and restart your computer.
Microsoft has assured users that disabling this registry key should not lead to unintended behavior. If needed, the driver can be re-enabled by restoring the registry key to its previous value.
In recent years, Microsoft has actively addressed various gaming stability and performance issues stemming from Windows updates. The company has removed several upgrade blocks that previously prevented players of titles such as Star Wars Outlaws, Assassin’s Creed, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and Asphalt 8: Airborne from updating their devices to the latest Windows version. Most recently, in January 2025, Microsoft lifted another compatibility hold after rectifying a bug in the Auto HDR feature that was affecting some games on Windows 11 24H2 devices.
