The latest Windows 11 24H2 rollout is shaping up to be a cautionary tale for anyone hitting that tempting “Update and Restart” button. If you’re part of the tech-savvy crowd—or simply stumbled upon this during a late-night doomscroll—here’s what you need to know: Microsoft’s firmware headaches continue. Two particularly nasty bugs in the 24H2 update are disrupting audio output on specific systems and turning gaming sessions into crash fests. Brace yourselves; this isn’t exactly cheerful holiday cheer for Windows fans.
While the fix might feel lackluster to HDR enthusiasts, it’s better than dealing with old-school CRT monitor vibes or frequent system locks.
No audio. No sound effects. No exhilarating score to your latest AAA game. Nothing.
For those that updated to 24H2 already, your options for the audio issue are limited:
Dirac Audio users, on the other hand, are a niche demographic often focused on premium sound systems. These are individuals who paid extra—sometimes at high costs—for better clarity in conferencing, gaming, or immersive audio setups. Having the Dirac app reduced to a compatibility nightmare feels like a betrayal of those investments.
It’s also worth noting that these issues might push users to delay updates further, increasing the backlog of systems running older, less secure versions of Windows. Cue the irony: an update designed to enhance productivity and security might instead create bigger security holes via delayed patches.
Until then, tread cautiously, update wisely, and always, always make a backup. The wait for fixes may feel slow, but at least patience remains bug-free. Let’s hope Triaging 101 becomes a priority class for future Windows Update engineers.
Source: TweakTown Windows 11 24H2 runs into more nasty bugs causing audio output to fail and games to crash
Bug #1: Auto HDR - When High Dynamic Range Goes Rogue
Auto HDR is meant to transport gamers into more immersive, visually striking worlds by enhancing colors and contrast—especially in high dynamic range content. But instead of amplifying your experience, Auto HDR in Windows 11 24H2 is stealing the show for all the wrong reasons. Here’s the laundry list of problems:- Chaos in Colors: In certain display configurations, Auto HDR misrenders colors entirely, resulting in a visual experience best described as being “artistic”—but not in a good way. If your games look like a bad acid trip, Auto HDR is likely the culprit.
- Crash-and-Burn Gaming: More alarmingly, enabling Auto HDR doesn’t just cause aesthetic hiccups; it outright crashes games. Interactive entertainment quickly becomes a game of “let’s reboot the system.”
While the fix might feel lackluster to HDR enthusiasts, it’s better than dealing with old-school CRT monitor vibes or frequent system locks.
Bug #2: Dirac Audio Support Left Speechless
If you’ve already downloaded 24H2 and can no longer hear your system chime—or anything for that matter—you might be coming face-to-face with Microsoft's second big foul-up. This audio bug affects systems where the Dirac Audio app (most commonly used for audio tuning and clarity enhancement) is installed. The issue lies deep within the Dirac audio drivers, specifically tied to a DLL file—cridspapo.dll
. What does it do? Well, apparently now it breaks sound completely.No audio. No sound effects. No exhilarating score to your latest AAA game. Nothing.
Microsoft Responds: Block and Wait
Microsoft isn’t sitting idly by, but responses are a mix of proactive measures and “just wait it out.” Systems impacted by these issues are being hit with an official compatibility block, preventing them from updating to 24H2 in the first place. That’s right—if your PC checks the box for either of these bugs, you’re now locked out of the update queue until the problems are resolved.For those that updated to 24H2 already, your options for the audio issue are limited:
- Wait for Microsoft and Dirac to release an updated driver.
- Roll back your system to 23H2 or earlier.
What’s at Stake for Gamers and Music Buffs
For PC gamers, Auto HDR promised to eliminate SDR-induced envy, especially on rigs designed to squeeze every last pixel of performance. While these bugs may only affect specific configurations, users who invested in top-tier HDR-enabled displays are understandably outraged.Dirac Audio users, on the other hand, are a niche demographic often focused on premium sound systems. These are individuals who paid extra—sometimes at high costs—for better clarity in conferencing, gaming, or immersive audio setups. Having the Dirac app reduced to a compatibility nightmare feels like a betrayal of those investments.
A Broader Look: Struggles with 24H2’s Stability
This isn’t the first time Windows 11 updates have faced hurdles. From system instability to app incompatibilities, 24H2 updates are proving to be a mixed bag. Even in past iterations like 23H2, Microsoft promised “smoother rollout processes.” In this case, what should have been a substantial improvement to UI experiences and performance became an unintended stress test for bug triaging.It’s also worth noting that these issues might push users to delay updates further, increasing the backlog of systems running older, less secure versions of Windows. Cue the irony: an update designed to enhance productivity and security might instead create bigger security holes via delayed patches.
Quick Recap: What Can Users Do?
- Facing Auto HDR Issues? Disable It.
- Go to Settings > Display > HDR and toggle Auto HDR off. This will stabilize gaming performance, though you’ll lose HDR enhancements.
- No Audio? Here’s Your Workaround:
- Consider rolling back the update if rolling silence isn’t your aesthetic.
- Sit tight for a new Dirac Audio driver update, which you’ll get via Windows Update.
- Blocked from Updating? Be Glad.
- If you run either Auto HDR or Dirac Audio (and got blocked), Microsoft essentially did you a favor. Skip this round, keep your current setup intact, and wait for the all-clear.
- Provide Feedback!
- Reporting your experience via the Feedback Hub app will help shape future fixes.
Conclusion: A Patch We’d Rather Bury
While the concept of bugs in updates is as old as the first operating system, the consistent stumbles seen in Windows 11 24H2 underscore why many users hesitate before cozying up to new updates. Microsoft has a lot on its plate, from ironing out these issues to boosting consumer confidence.Until then, tread cautiously, update wisely, and always, always make a backup. The wait for fixes may feel slow, but at least patience remains bug-free. Let’s hope Triaging 101 becomes a priority class for future Windows Update engineers.
Source: TweakTown Windows 11 24H2 runs into more nasty bugs causing audio output to fail and games to crash