[BUG]: Windows 11 KB5077181 (26200.7840) causes Hotone/Valeton USB MIDI device disconnect loop during firmware update, preventing transfer and leaving device stuck in bootloader mode

[wilddogecoding]

Windows Version

OS: Windows 11 (24H2 / 25H2), Update installed: KB5077181 (February 2026 security update), Occurs on multiple PCs (tested on two separate systems)

Service Installation Method

In-box In Insider Build

SDK version, if appropriate

No response

Location

Application using WinMM MIDI 1.0 (Classic API)

Type of bug

MIDI messages corrupted

Steps to reproduce

After installing Windows 11 security update KB5077181, USB MIDI devices become unstable during firmware update operations. When attempting to flash firmware, the device repeatedly disconnects and reconnects, preventing the update process from starting. This leaves the device stuck in bootloader/restore mode and unusable.

This issue appears to be related to recent changes in the Windows MIDI/USB stack and may be connected to known SysEx and device reconnection problems.

Device:

Valeton GP-200 (USB MIDI audio device with firmware update capability)

Steps to Reproduce:

Connect a USB MIDI device capable of firmware update to a Windows 11 system with KB5077181 installed
Place the device into firmware update / bootloader mode
Launch the vendor’s firmware update software
Begin firmware transfer

Actual Result:

The device screen flashes and immediately disconnects from Windows
Windows reconnects the device automatically
This disconnect/reconnect loop repeats continuously
Firmware transfer never begins
Device remains stuck on firmware update/restore screen and cannot exit

Expected behavior

Stable USB connection during firmware update
Firmware transfer initiates and completes successfully
Device exits bootloader mode normally

Additional notes

Troubleshooting Performed:

Tested on two different Windows 11 PCs with identical results
Tried multiple USB ports, including motherboard USB 2.0 ports
Tried multiple USB cables
Reinstalled vendor drivers and tested generic Windows USB audio driver
Disabled USB selective suspend
Attempted to stop Windows MIDI services
Tested multiple versions of the vendor firmware software
Attempted different boot/recovery modes on the device

None of the above steps resolved the issue.

The device works normally prior to installing KB5077181
The issue prevents any firmware recovery because the connection is unstable during bootloader mode
The manufacturer has indicated this may be caused by recent Windows MIDI/USB changes introduced in this update
This may be related to existing issues involving SysEx transmission failures and device reconnection instability

This issue can leave USB MIDI devices permanently stuck in firmware update mode, effectively rendering them unusable until access to a non-affected system is available.

[francoestrubia]

Uninstalling Windows use to help XD
I still can't believe this disaster.

[studiov1002-sys]

Should I roll back with Sys Restore to before the update KB5077181?

[phash]

This does not work for me either

my valeton GP200 neither upload User IR nor NAM Files or FirmwareUpdates.

Please fix this

[PeteBrown-MSFT]

Hotone is working on this with the Valeton devices.

What the driver and stack is doing is valid MIDI 1.0 data format transmission, but the Valeton device is making some decisions based on older behavior vs the spec. We're considering if we need to do anything in Windows to work around this going forward.

Pete
Microsoft

[PeteBrown-MSFT]

If you are immediately blocked and absolutely must update firmware now, join the Discord server https://aka.ms/mididiscord and see the approach for disabling the new stack in the start-here channel.

If you don't need this immediately, let's wait for Hotone's fix.

Pete
Microsoft

[obiwanconobi]

@PeteBrown-MSFT Hi Pete, it would be useful if key information wasn't locked behind discord servers.

Thanks!

[studiov1002-sys]

I did an online chat with MS Support yesterday with a lovely person who called herself Elsa. She fiddled around Win stuff by remote for a bit and then sent me a link to download a "repair reinstall." It reinstalls Win without a hard reset. There were only a few changed settings and deletions that had to be tended. I'm back in MIDIland. Michael

…

On Fri, Mar 27, 2026 at 5:21 AM obiwanconobi ***@***.***> wrote: *obiwanconobi* left a comment (microsoft/MIDI#944) <#944 (comment)> @PeteBrown-MSFT <https://github.com/PeteBrown-MSFT> Hi Pete, it would be useful if key information wasn't locked behind discord servers. Thanks! — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#944?email_source=notifications&email_token=CAP72D4DR55GXSFUGKIEVST4SZB2ZA5CNFSNUABFM5UWIORPF5TWS5BNNB2WEL2JONZXKZKDN5WW2ZLOOQXTIMJUGEZDIMJWGI42M4TFMFZW63VHMNXW23LFNZ2KKZLWMVXHJLDGN5XXIZLSL5RWY2LDNM#issuecomment-4141241629>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/CAP72D5YFCSKV4CXQMIGHYL4SZB2ZAVCNFSM6AAAAACW4AZ3BKVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHM2DCNBRGI2DCNRSHE> . You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[Psychlist1972]

@PeteBrown-MSFT Hi Pete, it would be useful if key information wasn't locked behind discord servers.

Thanks!

Discord is open to all and free. It's where I decided to provide support for customers, who overwhelmingly do not have GitHub access. It's unusual for any OS company to offer that kind of support with the actual developers involved. I provide the info there so others can benefit from the information, and so the community can share tips etc. and so I'm able to best support developers and customers. I provide some early-access bits there so they don't get randomly downloaded by customers that I cannot directly help.

If you are unwilling or unable to use Discord, you will just need to wait for our regular in-box Windows updates, as would have been the case in the past.

Pete
Microsoft