PSA: Windows 11 Insider Build 26220 breaks Pioneer DDJ MIDI — check your build before reinstalling drivers

If your Pioneer controller (DDJ-SZ, XDJ-XZ, etc.) suddenly loses all MIDI control but audio passthrough still works — and the Pioneer driver installer says 'device not recognized' — check your Windows build before you waste a week like I did.

Symptoms:

- No USB connection chime when plugging in

- Audio passes through the mixer fine

- Zero MIDI response (jog wheels, buttons, decks dead)

- Driver installer can't see the device

- Controller works perfectly on a different PC

- Multiple driver reinstalls don't fix it

Cause: Windows 11 Insider Preview build 26220 has a USB/MIDI regression that breaks Pioneer controller enumeration. My desktop on Insider build 26340 worked fine — it's that specific build, not Insider in general.

Fix: Get off build 26220. I did a factory recovery back to stable Windows and the controller was recognized immediately — USB chime, clean driver install, all four decks responsive.

Check yours: Settings → System → About → Windows specifications. If it says 'Insider Preview' and build 26220, that's your problem.