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Latest Windows 10 Patch Fixes Crashing Issue on PCs with Thunderbolt Ports

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Screenshot: Joanna Nelius/Gizmodo

After Microsoft rolled out its Windows 10 version 20H2 and Windows 10 version 2004 updates, some users reported having issues with their PCs crashing—specifically when plugging in an external Thunderbolt NVMe SSD. An incompatibility issue between those types of SSDs and the latest Windows versions was the culprit, causing some users to experience the dreaded Blue Screen of Death. But now there’s a patch to fix that.

TechRadar (via Windows Latest) reported that Microsoft recently released optional update KB4586853 for OS Builds 19041.662 and 19042.662, which is supposed to fix the problem. If you have been seeing a DRIVER_VERIFIER_DMA_VIOLATION error message lately, now you know the cause. While this bug only seems to affect devices with older/incompatible drivers and Thunderbolt ports, it’s nevertheless annoying.

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KB4586853 is an optional update, which means it won’t be applied automatically when Windows 10 does its usual round of critical updates, so you’ll have to install it manually. If you’re one of the many people who have not gotten the 20H2 or 2004 update yet, you will need to update to the current version of Windows first and then apply the KB4586853 patch.

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The patch also addresses some other bugs that were introduced with the latest updates, mostly notably issues with finding certain Microsoft Xbox consoles on a Windows device; Narrator responding after you unlock a device if Narrator was in use before you locked the device; Microsoft Xbox Game Bar app controls failing to display on certain Microsoft DX9 games that are running with Variable Refresh Rate enabled on supported monitors; Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) appearing with a black screen when users log in; devices connected to USB 3.0 hubs that stop working after putting the PC in Sleep Mode or restarting; and many, many others.

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Unfortunately, Windows 10 updates tend to break things that were fine in previous versions, or move around certain features and not communicate those moves clearly to users. Back in July, Microsoft seemingly removed Notepad, Paint, and WordPad for those who updated to version 2004, when it actually just reclassified them as “optional programs” that you have to reactivate in the Optional Features menu under Settings. The same month, Microsoft fixed a 17-year-old flaw in the Windows Domain Name System (DNS) which could have made it easier for hackers to intercept DNS queries and redirect users to a fake website. It also moved some Control Panel features, the Fresh Start feature, and closed a beloved loophole in Enterprise systems that allowed users to delay critical updates by up to a year.

As I look at my Windows 10 updates queue now, I see it wants me to install version 20H2. I think I’ll just hold off on that for as long as I can.