Microsoft has initiated the rollout of a permanent solution addressing a persistent issue that has led to system crashes and gaming disruptions on Windows 11 devices. Users have reported that affected systems experience game launch failures and freezing, often accompanied by “EXCEPTIONACCESSVIOLATION” errors.
Initially, Microsoft identified the problem as impacting various games, including ARC Raiders, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and The Finals, particularly on systems operating under Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. While early speculation suggested that the August 2026 updates might be the root cause, further investigation revealed that the issue was linked to peripherals featuring built-in RGB lighting.
According to Microsoft, “Ongoing investigation indicates that this issue is related to peripherals or internal device components which have RGB lighting features.” The company noted that such devices may install drivers or code components with file names resembling inpoutx64. When these drivers are present, launching certain games can trigger the issue.
On Wednesday, Microsoft confirmed that the inpoutx64.sys driver is responsible for these complications. The company has begun deploying a fix that disables this driver on affected devices. “This issue is resolved by a block that prevents the inpoutx64 driver from loading,” the company stated in a Windows release health update. “The block targets devices with this specific driver enabled and the game ARC Raiders installed.” Following the implementation of this fix, users will see a message window indicating the disablement, after which the game should launch without further issues.
The rollout commenced on August 26, 2026, at 6 PM PT, and may take up to 24 hours to reach all impacted devices. This driver block will also be included in the September 2026 Windows security updates and future releases.
Temporary workaround for enterprise systems
For enterprise-managed devices that will not automatically receive this fix, Microsoft has provided a temporary workaround. IT administrators can disable the inpoutx64 driver via the Windows Registry, although they are advised to back up the registry beforehand to allow for potential reversal of changes if necessary. The steps are as follows:
- Open the Windows Registry by accessing the Start menu and typing “regedit.” Select the Registry Editor from the search 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 labeled Value data.
- Close the window and restart your computer.
Microsoft has indicated that ongoing investigations do not suggest that disabling this registry key will lead to unintended behavior. Should there be a need to re-enable the driver, it can be restored to its previous value.
In recent years, Microsoft has also tackled various gaming stability and performance issues stemming from Windows updates. For example, the company removed several upgrade blocks that had been preventing players of titles such as Star Wars Outlaws, Assassin’s Creed, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and Asphalt 8: Airborne from upgrading 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 disrupting gameplay on Windows 11 24H2 devices.