How To Resolve AsIO.sys Driver Blocking Issues on Windows 10/11

Windows 10 and 11 have upped their security game lately, especially with features like Core Isolation and Memory Integrity. Those are designed to block drivers and software that aren’t properly signed or considered unsafe. That’s why you might see the dreaded AsIO.sys getting blocked, particularly if you’re running ASUS utilities like Armoury Crate, Aura Sync, or AI Suite. It’s kind of annoying, but it’s mainly Windows trying to keep the system safe—though it can be a pain if the driver is outdated or isn’t following all the latest security standards.

Basically, this leads to a startup popup or error message that says something like the driver is incompatible or flagged as unsafe. This can be especially frustrating if you rely on some ASUS hardware features or overclocking tools. Luckily, there are a few ways to work around it, either by updating your ASUS software or getting rid of the driver file altogether. Here’s how to navigate it without too much hassle.

How to Fix ASUS Driver Blocking on Windows 10/11

Update the ASUS Application — Armoury Crate and Others

This is the first thing to try if you want to minimize conflicts. Outdated programs often include drivers that don’t follow the latest security protocols, which triggers Windows security features. Updating ASUS utilities, like Armoury Crate, ensures they’re running the newest, most compatible versions. That’s usually a quick fix to get things working smoothly again.

On some setups, updating this way can actually fix the driver blocking, but if not, no worries — there are other options. The process is pretty similar across ASUS apps, so here’s the gist:

1. Open the Armoury Crate app and click on the Settings icon.
2. Go to the Update Center tab. That’s where you’ll find options to check for updates for the software itself as well as related drivers and firmware. Click on Check for Updates.
3. If an update shows up, just hit the Update button and let it do its thing.

Remove the AsIO.sys Driver File

This is kind of a brute force move, but if the ASUS software isn’t needed anymore—like if you’ve already removed the utilities or no longer need overclock features—deleting the driver file clears the problem driver from your system. Windows security freaks out because it detects an outdated or unsigned driver, but removing it stops Windows from fighting with the driver at startup.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Command Prompt with admin rights. Search for it, right-click, and choose Run as administrator.
2. Stop the associated service: sc delete asio. This prevents Windows from trying to load it again during startup. Honestly, sometimes this command alone stops the driver from causing issues.
3. Next, delete the driver file itself: del c:\windows\SysWow64\drivers\AsIO.sys. Be careful with this—make sure the path is correct, especially if your Windows directory is in a different drive or folder.
4. After that, reboot your PC. Yeah, just restart and see if the blocking stops. In my experience, this step helps a lot—sometimes it’s just a matter of Windows catching up with the changes.

Disable Microsoft’s Vulnerable Driver Block List (Memory Integrity)

Another trick that’s kinda hacky but can work is disabling the feature that blocks outdated drivers—called the Vulnerable Driver Block List. It’s part of the Core Isolation / Memory Integrity feature in Windows security. By turning it off, you tell Windows to relax about driver signing issues—though, of course, this reduces some security.

This is the process:

1. Hit Start and search for Windows Security. Open it up.
2. In the sidebar, go to Device Security.
3. Click on Core Isolation Details.
4. Look for the Microsoft Vulnerable Driver Block List option and uncheck it.

After you do this, restart your PC and see if the driver block is gone. Just sip some coffee while Windows relaxes its security grip—because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary sometimes. On some machines, it’s a quick fix that clears the error right up.

Because of all the different setups and hardware configurations, the success of these methods can vary. Sometimes it’s a combination of updating and tweaking security settings. If one way doesn’t work, just try another.