Highrez

HI every one first time poster here and I have a question about inpoutx64.sys. So for a while now I've been getting BSOD and the mini dump file says its triggered due to this driver (inpoutx64.sys) So my question is what is this driver, what does it do and is it essential for my computer/ can i delete it? I'm running windows 10 pro x64

It is a driver that allows access to ports (normally the parallel port, but it allows access to any port). This used to be available without drivers in old (very old now) windows like 9x but was not possible in Windows NT without such a driver. This particular driver was a port to x64 (64bit) Windows from an open source 32bit version (InpOut32).

It would have been installed by some software you have put on your PC - but I couldn't tell you what, its an open source driver so anyone can use it with their software if they so require. Likely to be related to external displays, hardware development equipment or anything that connects by parallel port.

It is not essential to your computer. Yes you can remove it, but it may be essential to the program that installed it - that program may not work without it. In theory, the driver should only ever be loaded into the system when the software using it has been run (it may stay around after its been run though).

I don't know why it would be BSOD's - it could be because the software using it is not using it properly or simply that, its now > 10 years old and Ive no idea how well (if at all) it works on modern windows. I haven't used it myself for about 8 years I have found better ways of doing things generally and none of my own software (that I distribute further than my house) has ever used InpOut32x64.

If I were you, I'd try and figure out what software (perhaps as simple as what no longer works when you remove it... Or what puts it back once you remove it!) put it on there in the first place and go down the route of contacting them.

Regards,
Phil

Hello, Driver "inpoutx64.sys" Safe or Threat?

The driver itself is pretty safe - its open source so you can check what it does. If used for what it is intended, should be safe but it would depend on the software using it. It is after all a kernel level driver and if used by a malicious actor then all bets are off.

You take your choice. If your comfortable with the software using it, and know what it is using it for (accessing the parallel port to drive your LCD or PIC programmer for example) then I'd imagine you can judge for yourself that its fairly safe. If you dont know what its being used for - ask yourself (or the company using it) what is it used for and why.

I no longer support this driver - I only ported it to x64, I didn't write it. I know others still use it - but I'm a bit surprised these days that its still widely used.