Unexpected changes to desktop and taskbar

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We have two computers at home for domestic use.

One is a desktop running Windows 10 Home 22H2 and the other a Lenovo laptop running Windows 10 Pro 22H2.

Yesterday on logging into the laptop it showed signs of installing an update – message on screen saying “preparing your computer do not switch off” – but the updates are delayed until 2nd July and thus nothing was expected.

When the laptop did reboot the lock screen appeared normal but on signing in the normal desktop appearance was gone with the icons still remaining wrongly aligned down the left side of the screen and all much smaller than usual.  The taskbar was also changed with a lot of the icons disappeared and the search box open widely.

File explorer showed folders such as pictures and documents all empty and I don’t think the internet was connected – hotmail e-mail did not work.

The machine would not shut down until I had removed the battery and disconnected the mains power.

It was possible then to reboot and find a system restore point about two weeks old which seemed to work OK at first but was still running after about 2hours with no sign of finishing!!

Tapping the space bar did stop the process and the computer seemed then to be back to normal even though the system restore said that the process had not been completed.

Everything now seems to work as before and all display items on desktop and taskbar are returned to previous size and position.

Please could someone tell me what might have happened and what, if anything, I can do to stop a recurrence?

Thanks and regards,

Daddybear.

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When the computer rebooted originally, it did not boot into your Profile. What you saw was a default Profile. That’s why things weren’t how you had set them. It sounds like it booted back into your Profile after the partial restore point change.

What worries me is that problems were created by not letting the Restore complete. I would suggest you run some troubleshooting commands to be sure that there is nothing that will cause you future troubles.

In an elevated Command Prompt (type cmd.exe in the search bar, right click on it and “Run as Administrator”)
chkdsk /f
It will ask you to restart the computer, type Yes.
Note any errors it finds.

After the computer restarts, in an elevated Command Prompt, run two commands:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow
These may take a long time – let them run

Let us know the if errors are found.

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daddybear

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Thanks Cano,

The original problems (you suggest were on a different profile) occurred before any system restore was engaged. I only used system restore after the computer showed the default profile.

Do I still have to do the same checks as you set out? Or is there something different to do?

 

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I would still check it.  When a computer doesn’t boot into the proper profile it’s a sign that

1. there is some sort of security software interfering with the boot process
2. there is disk issues that is interfering with the boot process

Something held onto filed that the Windows OS needed to boot – ergo why you got into a funky profile that wasn’t yours

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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daddybear

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All checks you recommended have been run successfully and no errors reported.

The computer continues to run apparently normally as before.

Is there anything else I need to do?

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