0x800f0923 Driver/Compatibility Blockers: How to Identify the Offender

If your Windows 10 or Windows 11 upgrade or cumulative update fails with error 0x800F0923, you’re likely dealing with an incompatible driver or application that is blocking setup. This matters because until you remove or update the offending component, Windows Setup will continue to refuse the upgrade—leaving you stuck on an older, potentially unsupported build. This guide goes well beyond generic advice and shows you, step by step, how to identify the exact offender and fix it safely.

We’ll cover quick checks, deep-dive diagnostics (including SetupDiag, Panther logs, and optional minidump analysis if your system is also bluescreening), and a clear set of actions in the right order so you can get back to a healthy, fully updated Windows environment.

Understanding the Error

What “0x800F0923” means in plain language

• Error 0x800F0923 is a Windows Update/Upgrade compatibility error. It occurs when Windows Setup’s compatibility check finds a driver or application that is not supported by the new build. Instead of proceeding and risking system instability, Setup stops and returns 0x800F0923.
• You’ll commonly see it during:
  • Feature updates (e.g., upgrading to a newer Windows 10/11 version via Windows Update, Update Assistant, or Media Creation Tool).
  • Occasionally during larger cumulative updates that include driver/servicing changes.

Typical trigger scenarios

• Outdated display, storage, network, audio, or USB controller drivers.
• Security and networking software with kernel-mode drivers (VPN clients, endpoint protection, third-party firewalls, disk encryption).
• Old Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST) or RAID drivers.
• Disk filter drivers left behind by old software.
• Firmware/BIOS that doesn’t meet new requirements (less common, but relevant for certain platforms).
• Corrupted system files/component store issues that make Setup misreport or fail compatibility steps.
• In rarer cases, hardware faults causing corruption during setup phases (RAM or storage errors).

Quick Reference Table

Cause	Symptom	Recommended Fix
Outdated GPU driver (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel)	0x800F0923 during feature update	Clean-install latest OEM GPU driver; use DDU in Safe Mode if needed
Intel RST/RAID storage driver	Setup blocks upgrade; disk/SSD controller flagged	Update to current Intel RST; or switch to Microsoft Standard SATA/AHCI driver
VPN/Firewall/Endpoint security	Update Assistant says an app/driver isn’t compatible	Temporarily uninstall; remove leftover network filter drivers; reinstall later
Old/invalid device drivers	Unknown devices or code 28/39 in Device Manager	Update from OEM, or uninstall stale devices; remove orphaned drivers (pnputil)
Disk/file corruption	SFC/DISM report errors; updates consistently fail	Run SFC/DISM/CHKDSK; repair component store; repeat upgrade
BIOS/UEFI/firmware issues	Setup halts; newer OS features not supported	Update BIOS/UEFI and storage/firmware; reset unsupported settings if applicable
Windows Update components damaged	Updates fail with various errors including 0x800F0923	Reset Windows Update components; try in-place repair upgrade
RAM/storage instability	Occasional BSODs during setup; random corruption	Run memory/storage diagnostics; fix hardware before retrying

Common Causes

• Display drivers
  • Outdated or unsupported NVIDIA/AMD/Intel GPU drivers.
  • Residual components from previous GPU vendors causing conflicts.
• Storage and chipset drivers
  • Intel RST (iaStor/iaStorAC), RAID/HBA controllers, NVMe drivers.
  • Incompatible SATA/AHCI drivers or old chipset INF packages.
• Networking and security software
  • VPN clients (e.g., legacy Cisco, Check Point, old OpenVPN TAP).
  • Third-party firewalls and endpoint protection with kernel drivers.
  • Network filter drivers left behind after uninstalls.
• Peripheral and controller drivers
  • USB 3.x controllers, Bluetooth stacks, audio device filters.
  • Outdated printer drivers and virtual printer software.
• System corruption
  • Damaged component store (WinSxS), system files, or servicing stack.
• Firmware/BIOS configuration
  • Out-of-date BIOS/UEFI or settings that conflict with the new OS.
• Hardware problems
  • Failing RAM or storage, causing setup phases to misbehave.

Preliminary Checks

These initial steps protect your data and quickly rule out basic issues.

• Boot to Safe Mode (if needed)

  • Hold Shift and click Restart → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart → Press 4 (or F4) for Safe Mode.
  • Use Safe Mode to remove problematic drivers/software that can’t be uninstalled in normal mode.

• Back up important data

  • Copy essential files to an external drive or cloud storage.
  • Create a System Restore Point: Press Win+R → sysdm.cpl → System Protection tab → Create.

• Run basic health checks

  • Open an elevated Command Prompt (Run as administrator) and run:

    sfc /scannow
    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
    DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
    chkdsk C: /scan

  • If CHKDSK reports errors that cannot be fixed online, schedule a boot-time scan:

    chkdsk C: /f

    Then reboot when prompted.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

Follow these steps in order. Retest Windows Update/Upgrade after each major step.

1. Confirm the context and gather clues

• If you used Windows Update or the Update Assistant and saw 0x800F0923, note any app or driver it named.

• Run SetupDiag to automatically analyze upgrade logs:

  • Open PowerShell as administrator and run:

    Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://aka.ms/SetupDiag -OutFile $env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\SetupDiag.exe
    & $env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\SetupDiag.exe /Output:$env:USERPROFILE\Desktop

  • Review the generated report (SetupDiagResults.log and .json) on your Desktop. It often names the incompatible driver, INF, or software.

• Check Panther logs (if needed)

  • Look in:
    • C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources\Panther\
    • C:\Windows\Panther\
  • Files of interest: setuperr.log, setupact.log. Search for “block”, “compat”, driver names (e.g., iaStor, tap, nvidia), or error “0x800F0923”.
  • If you can’t interpret them, rely on SetupDiag’s summary.

2. Update or remove drivers/apps identified by SetupDiag

• If SetupDiag names a specific driver (e.g., oem42.inf) or app:

  • Update to the latest version from the OEM’s site (GPU, chipset, storage, network).
  • If no update exists, uninstall the software and remove its drivers. You can reinstall after upgrading.

• Enumerate third-party driver packages:

  pnputil /enum-drivers > “%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\drivers.txt”

  Open drivers.txt and look for vendors linked to VPN, security, storage, or old hardware you no longer use.

• Remove a problematic driver package (replace oemXX.inf with the actual name):

  pnputil /delete-driver oemXX.inf /uninstall /force

  Reboot afterward.

3. Clean-install GPU drivers (a common offender)

• Download the newest GPU driver from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel for your exact model.
• Optional but highly effective: use Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) in Safe Mode to remove old driver remnants before installing fresh drivers.
• During reinstall, choose the “clean install” or “factory reset” option if offered.

4. Fix storage controller issues (Intel RST, RAID, AHCI/NVMe)

• If you use Intel RST/RAID, install the latest Intel RST driver compatible with your chipset and OS version.
• If you’re on AHCI and SetupDiag points to storage drivers:
  • In Device Manager → IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers or Storage Controllers:
    • Right-click the controller → Update driver → Let me pick → select “Standard SATA AHCI Controller” (Microsoft) if appropriate for your configuration.
  • For RAID/NVMe setups, get updated drivers directly from the motherboard or OEM support page.
• Firmware matters: update SSD firmware (via vendor tools) if available.

5. Remove or temporarily uninstall VPN, firewall, and security suites

• Uninstall any VPN clients, third-party firewalls, or endpoint protection. Disable is often not enough—fully uninstall and reboot.

• After uninstalling, remove leftover network filter drivers:

  • Show network components:

    netcfg -s n

  • Look for TAP, filter, or vendor-specific entries that remain after uninstall. Reinstalling the VPN after the upgrade is usually safe.

6. Clean up old devices and orphaned drivers

• Open Device Manager → View → Show hidden devices.

• Expand categories (Display adapters, Network adapters, Storage controllers, Sound/Video, System devices).

• Uninstall grayed-out or obsolete devices (right-click → Uninstall device). For each, check “Delete the driver software for this device” if available.

• Use:

  driverquery /v /fo table > “%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\driverquery.txt”

  Review for outdated or unsigned drivers.

7. Perform a Clean Boot to isolate conflicts

• Press Win+R → msconfig → Services tab → check “Hide all Microsoft services” → Disable all.
• Startup tab → Open Task Manager → Disable all startup items.
• Reboot and attempt the upgrade. If it works, re-enable items in batches to find the culprit.

8. Reset Windows Update components (if error occurs during cumulative updates)

• Open elevated Command Prompt:

  net stop wuauserv
  net stop bits
  net stop cryptsvc
  net stop msiserver
  ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
  ren %systemroot%\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
  net start msiserver
  net start cryptsvc
  net start bits
  net start wuauserv

• Reboot and try Windows Update again.

9. Verify system integrity again

• After making changes, run:

  sfc /scannow
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• Reboot.

10. Update BIOS/UEFI and chipset

• Visit your PC/motherboard OEM support page for the latest BIOS/UEFI and chipset drivers.
• Apply updates carefully; ensure the system is on reliable power. Reset any nonstandard BIOS settings that could interfere (unusual RAID modes, legacy ROMs, etc.) unless required for your setup.

11. Memory and storage diagnostics (if instability suspected)

• Run Windows Memory Diagnostic: Press Win+R → mdsched.exe → Restart now and check for problems.
• Test storage with vendor tools (e.g., Samsung Magician, WD Dashboard) and recheck SMART status. Consider “chkdsk C: /f” if errors persist.

12. In-place upgrade repair (last resort software fix)

• Download the latest Windows 10/11 ISO using the Media Creation Tool.
• Mount the ISO → run setup.exe → choose “Keep personal files and apps”.
• This refreshes Windows while preserving data and may bypass broken update components—provided you’ve removed any incompatible drivers/software first.

13. Optional: If you also see BSODs, analyze minidumps

• Enable minidump creation:

  • Win+R → sysdm.cpl → Advanced tab → Startup and Recovery → Settings → under “Write debugging information”, select “Small memory dump (256 KB)”.
  • Dumps store in C:\Windows\Minidump.

• Use BlueScreenView for a quick look, or WinDbg for deep analysis:

  • Install WinDbg (Preview) from Microsoft Store or the Windows SDK.

  • Open dump in WinDbg → run:

    !analyze -v
    lmvm

  • If a specific driver repeatedly appears in the stack or as the probable cause, update or remove it per steps above.

Advanced Diagnostics

Use these when the offender still isn’t obvious, or when you need high confidence before another upgrade attempt.

• Driver Verifier (experts only)

  • Purpose: stress-test drivers to reveal faulty behavior.

  • Warning: It can cause intentional BSODs to pinpoint bad drivers; do not use on production-critical systems without backups.

  • Steps:

    • Win+R → verifier → “Create standard settings” → “Automatically select all drivers except Microsoft”.

    • Reboot and use the system; if it BSODs, analyze the minidump to identify the driver.

    • To turn off:

      verifier /reset

      Reboot.

  • If you cannot boot, use Safe Mode or Windows Recovery to run verifier /reset.

• Event Viewer

  • Check Application and System logs for errors around the time of the failed upgrade.
  • Look for Service Control Manager failures, driver load errors (Event ID 7000-7005), disk warnings (Event ID 51, 7), and application errors from security/VPN software.

• WindowsUpdate.log (for update—not upgrade—issues)

  • In PowerShell (admin):

    Get-WindowsUpdateLog

  • This builds a readable WindowsUpdate.log on your Desktop. Scan for 0x800F0923 or “FATAL: ApplicabilityEvaluation” messages.

• Deep DISM checks

  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

  • If corruption persists, consider an in-place repair (Step 12).

• Inventory drivers via PowerShell

  Get-CimInstance Win32_PnPSignedDriver |
  Sort-Object DriverDate -Descending |
  Select-Object DeviceName, DriverVersion, DriverDate, Manufacturer, InfName |
  Out-GridView

  • Identify very old or unusual drivers and target them for update/removal.

• SetupDiag advanced usage

  • Run after every failed attempt; compare outputs to track whether blockers change:

    & $env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\SetupDiag.exe /Output:$env:USERPROFILE\Desktop /Format:Json

Post-Fix Checklist

Before declaring victory, confirm stability and readiness.

• Re-run Windows Update or the feature upgrade. Confirm it completes without 0x800F0923.

• Open Event Viewer and ensure:

  • No recurring driver load failures.
  • No disk or controller warnings.

• Run quick integrity checks again:

  sfc /scannow
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• Confirm device health:

  • Device Manager shows no unknown devices or warnings.
  • Security/VPN software reinstalled (if needed) with the latest, Windows 10/11-compatible versions.

When to Seek Professional Help

• You’ve identified a failing hardware component (RAM errors, SSD SMART failures) but need replacement or data migration.
• BIOS/UEFI updates or RAID/enterprise storage drivers are outside your comfort zone.
• Driver Verifier implicates mission-critical drivers you cannot replace or update without vendor assistance.
• You’re in a domain/managed environment and group policies or security baselines may be blocking the upgrade.

Prevention Tips

• Practice driver hygiene
  • Prefer OEM drivers (from your PC/motherboard or device vendor) over generic ones for GPUs, storage, and chipsets.
  • Uninstall old devices and drivers you no longer use.
• Keep firmware current
  • Update BIOS/UEFI and SSD firmware periodically—especially before major Windows feature updates.
• Be cautious with security/VPN stacks
  • Use actively maintained products; keep them current.
  • Before feature updates, temporarily uninstall heavy kernel-mode security/VPN software and reinstall afterward.
• Maintain a healthy OS
  • Run SFC and DISM if you notice odd behavior.
  • Periodically reset Windows Update components if updates pile up with errors.
• Backups and restore points
  • Create a restore point before major upgrades.
  • Keep a recent system image or file backup to allow quick rollback.

Conclusion

Windows error 0x800F0923 is a compatibility stop: Windows Setup is telling you that a driver or application won’t work with the new build. The fastest path to success is to identify the offender using SetupDiag and Panther logs, update or remove problematic drivers (GPU, storage, VPN/security are common), confirm OS integrity with SFC/DISM, and try the upgrade again. With the step-by-step process in this guide—and the advanced diagnostics if needed—you can usually resolve 0x800F0923 without data loss and keep your system stable and up to date. You’ve got this.

FAQ Section

What is Windows error 0x800F0923?

It’s a Windows Update/Upgrade compatibility error indicating a driver or application is not supported by the target Windows build. Setup stops to prevent instability until you update or remove the offending component.

How do I find which driver or app is blocking my upgrade?

Use Microsoft’s SetupDiag to analyze setup logs automatically. Also check Panther logs (setupact.log, setuperr.log) for references to specific drivers (e.g., iaStor, tap, nvidia). Device Manager and pnputil can help you list and remove outdated or orphaned drivers.

Do I have to uninstall my antivirus or VPN to fix 0x800F0923?

Often, yes—temporarily. Security suites and VPN clients install kernel-mode drivers and network filters that can block upgrades. Fully uninstall them (disabling is not enough), upgrade Windows, then reinstall the latest compatible versions.

Can corrupted system files cause 0x800F0923?

Yes. While 0x800F0923 is primarily a compatibility error, corruption can cause Setup to misreport or fail checks. Run SFC and DISM to repair system files and the component store before retrying.

Is it safe to use Driver Verifier to diagnose this?

Driver Verifier is powerful but advanced. It intentionally stresses drivers and can cause BSODs to reveal faulty ones. Use it only if you’re comfortable analyzing minidumps and can recover (Safe Mode, verifier /reset). For most users, SetupDiag plus driver updates/removals is sufficient.

If you need help at any step, don’t hesitate to ask for guidance—resolving 0x800F0923 is very achievable with a methodical approach.