Dirac audio glitch finally silenced in Windows 11 24H2
(2025/09/15)
- Reference: 1757946612
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/09/15/windows_11_dirac_audio/
- Source link:
Microsoft has resolved a Windows 11 24H2 problem with devices using Dirac audio as the 25H2 update waits in the wings.
[1]Dirac , according to Microsoft, "enhances audio clarity and precision." However, if you were using Windows 11 24H2 with affected hardware, the only audio you would hear was the sound of silence.
Affected devices included integrated speakers as well as Bluetooth headsets and speakers.
[2]
The glitch, according to Microsoft, stemmed from cridspapo.dll , a component of the software required for the devices. By the end of 2024, Microsoft placed a compatibility hold to prevent Windows 11 24H2 from being offered to affected devices.
[3]
[4]
After a lengthy gestation period, [5]a new driver is now available via Windows Update, and this particular safeguard hold has been removed, just in time for the release of Windows 11 25H2, which uses the same servicing branch as Windows 11 24H2. The main difference between the two is that new features for 25H2 are included in updates for 24H2, just in a disabled state.
[6]Nano11 cuts Windows 11 down to size, grabbing just 2.8 GB of disk space
[7]Microsoft readies Windows 11 25H2 while Windows 10 circles the drain
[8]HP bottom line fattens up on a diet of AI PCs and Windows 11
[9]How Windows 11 is breaking from its bedrock and moving away
Microsoft has been clearing the house when it comes to flaws with Windows 11 24H2. Woes that arrived with the August 2025 Update – [10]unexpected UAC prompts and [11]borked NDI streaming – were resolved in the September 2025 Update. Considering that 25H2 and 24H2 use the same servicing branch, the experience should be smoother for administrators – unless Microsoft churns out another update that causes fresh breakage.
Still, it's good to see the company fixing issues introduced in its own software. The resolution of the Dirac audio problem means there is no avoiding Windows 11 24H2.
That said, Microsoft is not averse to applying a safeguard hold when bugs are found. In April, it [12]noted compatibility problems with the sprotect.sys driver and said it was working with SenseShield Technology to deal with them.
[13]
The troubles manifested as blue or black screen errors, or affected devices became unresponsive. Five months on, Microsoft is still investigating the issue, and affected devices are blocked from Windows 11 24H2. ®
Get our [14]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/19/windows_11_24h2_issues/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aMg4FSd_Ouj1WwkkBTuCOwAAAs8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aMg4FSd_Ouj1WwkkBTuCOwAAAs8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aMg4FSd_Ouj1WwkkBTuCOwAAAs8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/release-health/status-windows-11-24H2#3465msgdesc
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/11/nano11_cuts_windows_11_down/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/02/windows_11_25h2_preview/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/29/hp_ai_pc_windows_11/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/29/opinion_windows_11/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/04/windows_admin_rights_bug/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/22/windows_update_ndi/
[12] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/release-health/status-windows-11-24h2#3509msgdesc
[13] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aMg4FSd_Ouj1WwkkBTuCOwAAAs8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
[1]Dirac , according to Microsoft, "enhances audio clarity and precision." However, if you were using Windows 11 24H2 with affected hardware, the only audio you would hear was the sound of silence.
Affected devices included integrated speakers as well as Bluetooth headsets and speakers.
[2]
The glitch, according to Microsoft, stemmed from cridspapo.dll , a component of the software required for the devices. By the end of 2024, Microsoft placed a compatibility hold to prevent Windows 11 24H2 from being offered to affected devices.
[3]
[4]
After a lengthy gestation period, [5]a new driver is now available via Windows Update, and this particular safeguard hold has been removed, just in time for the release of Windows 11 25H2, which uses the same servicing branch as Windows 11 24H2. The main difference between the two is that new features for 25H2 are included in updates for 24H2, just in a disabled state.
[6]Nano11 cuts Windows 11 down to size, grabbing just 2.8 GB of disk space
[7]Microsoft readies Windows 11 25H2 while Windows 10 circles the drain
[8]HP bottom line fattens up on a diet of AI PCs and Windows 11
[9]How Windows 11 is breaking from its bedrock and moving away
Microsoft has been clearing the house when it comes to flaws with Windows 11 24H2. Woes that arrived with the August 2025 Update – [10]unexpected UAC prompts and [11]borked NDI streaming – were resolved in the September 2025 Update. Considering that 25H2 and 24H2 use the same servicing branch, the experience should be smoother for administrators – unless Microsoft churns out another update that causes fresh breakage.
Still, it's good to see the company fixing issues introduced in its own software. The resolution of the Dirac audio problem means there is no avoiding Windows 11 24H2.
That said, Microsoft is not averse to applying a safeguard hold when bugs are found. In April, it [12]noted compatibility problems with the sprotect.sys driver and said it was working with SenseShield Technology to deal with them.
[13]
The troubles manifested as blue or black screen errors, or affected devices became unresponsive. Five months on, Microsoft is still investigating the issue, and affected devices are blocked from Windows 11 24H2. ®
Get our [14]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/19/windows_11_24h2_issues/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aMg4FSd_Ouj1WwkkBTuCOwAAAs8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aMg4FSd_Ouj1WwkkBTuCOwAAAs8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aMg4FSd_Ouj1WwkkBTuCOwAAAs8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/release-health/status-windows-11-24H2#3465msgdesc
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/11/nano11_cuts_windows_11_down/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/02/windows_11_25h2_preview/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/29/hp_ai_pc_windows_11/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/29/opinion_windows_11/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/04/windows_admin_rights_bug/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/22/windows_update_ndi/
[12] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/release-health/status-windows-11-24h2#3509msgdesc
[13] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/oses&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aMg4FSd_Ouj1WwkkBTuCOwAAAs8&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Elephant...
JT_3K
DIRAC is pretty cool to be honest. It's primarily talked about in terms of room correction and calibration for big AV setups but could be used to correct smaller setups. It uses a calibrated microphone to hear the impact of various chirps and waves from each speaker and how they behave in the setting given the listening position of someone's head, then records this and corrects the audio coming out of that speaker in real time (EQ & delay) to make sure it sounds as intended.
FWIW, there are a lot of snake-oil audio things out there, this isn't one of them.
Elephant...
So how old / new is Dirac Audio?
"enhances audio clarity and precision."
Sounds like fake snake oil.