Windows 11 BSOD

When you think the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) is no longer happening in the latest Windows versions, think again. A Windows 11 BSOD is caused by certain versions of the Intel Smart Sound Technology (SST) driver. The IntcAudioBus.sys driver causes the crash.

More details directly from Microsoft explain the details of the versions of the driver that cause the problem.

In case you are experiencing the BSOD, you can install a newer driver version (if available from Intel or your computer manufacturer).  If not, a driver rollback might also work. Boot into safe mode in case you cannot access the Windows 11 interface in the normal way.

But even if you are not seeing any Windows BSOD errors, it is wise to check if your system is using the Intel SST driver and update the driver for it. Use the Device Manager to check for the audio device.

Richt-click the Start menu, and then select the Run otpion.

Type “devmgmt.msc” and press Enter to start the Device Manager.

Right click the devices listed, and click Properties to see the driver version details (Driver tab).

From the Device Manager it is also possible to Update the driver or Roll Back the driver. If you do choose to update the driver using the Update Driver button, make sure you do not use the automatic but use the search on disk option. That allows for the manual selection of the driver, rather than updating from the Microsoft Update Catalog, which could still give you the incorrect version.

To make sure your Windows PC always has the latest drivers, we recommend using a program like DriverFinder. It automatically checks your PC hardware devices and finds the lates device drivers for them.

Entry Filed under: Driver News