Some Windows 10 users have reportedly been experiencing problems with their USB accessories after installing update KB5049981, which was released on January 14. Specifically, affected users are encountering this error message: “This device cannot start.

Windows 10 KB5049981 update is causing major issues for some people, including a bug where the USB DAC fails to load. If you’re affected, you might run into “This device cannot start. (Code 10). Insufficient system resources exist to complete the API.” This bug affects some people only.

Microsoft's latest Windows 11 updates, KB5050009 for version 24H2 and KB5050021 for version 23H2, released in January 2025, have led to problems for many users, as reported by Windows Latest. These issues affect audio devices,

Windows 11 24H2 update KB5050009 causing issues with Bluetooth audio. Wired headphones with USB DAC were also impacted by the update; the audio is not working. Some webcam models do not function post-update,