Certain Windows 10 PCs have been unable to upgrade to Windows 11 since late 2021, when Microsoft identified problems with drivers for Intel’s Smart Sound Technology.
Microsoft has finally resolved a two-year-old problem that prevented certain Windows 10 PCs from upgrading to Windows 11.
In November 2021, the company discovered that some PCs triggered the Blue Screen of Death when trying to install Windows 11. Microsoft tracked the problem to drivers (version 10.29.0.5152 or 10.30.0.5152) for Intel’s Smart Sound Technology, which is designed to handle voice interactions with a PC.
Although Microsoft identified the issue, the company placed affected PCs on a « compatibility hold, » which prevented them from upgrading to Windows 11. To bypass the hold, users had to manually install updated drivers for Intel’s Smart Sound technology.
