Windows 11: Solution for crashing games is distributed automatically
Colorful lights, outdated code and strict anti-cheat software: an unfortunate combination causes massive game crashes under Windows 11. Microsoft is now pulling the ripcord and simply switching off the problematic RGB drivers.
RGB light driver disrupts games
Since August patch day, numerous Windows 11 users have been reporting unexpected game crashes. Versions 24H2 and 25H2 are affected. Titles like ARC Raiders, MARVEL Tokon: Fighting Souls and THE FINALS sometimes stop responding or close on their own. Initially, the patch KB5121003 was suspected of triggering the errors. However, further analysis showed that the operating system is not the cause. The crashes are related to peripherals and internal PC components with RGB lighting. The associated control software often installs drivers or code components in the background without being noticed.
The files have names similar to the obsolete system file inpoutx64. This library was developed for older systems to provide direct access to hardware ports. Modern anti-cheat systems sometimes react harshly if such outdated access rights are stored in memory. When starting certain games, this causes an immediate crash.
Microsoft blocks the faulty component
Microsoft is actively intervening to prevent crashes. As Microsoft notified, loading of the faulty driver will now be blocked by the system. The block is initially aimed at systems on which the driver is active and the game ARC Raiders has been installed. An expansion to MARVEL Tokon: Fighting Souls is currently being prepared. Users receive a notification about the deactivation of the component upon startup. The game then starts as usual.
The automatic rollout of the solution is aimed at private users and small companies and takes some time. A restart of the computer is required for the changes to take effect. The responsible development studio has already released its own patch for THE FINALS.
Limitations caused by the fix
Blocking the driver solves the problem with game crashes, but has disadvantages. By deactivating the inpoutx64 file, the RGB lighting on keyboards, mice or case fans may temporarily no longer work as intended. The associated control software may also temporarily lose functionality until the hardware manufacturers provide updated drivers. In corporate networks managed by IT departments, the fix will not be distributed automatically. Administrators must manually disable the driver via the Windows registry.
To do this, the starting value of the corresponding entry is set to the value four. In the event of unforeseen problems, the driver can be switched on again in the same way. For all other users, automatic driver locking will be an integral part of the regular security updates in September. If you don’t want to wait until then, you can also make the change in the registry manually. However, it is recommended that you back up the database beforehand to avoid system failures.
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