Windows 10 update caused loss of Start menu and desktop icons

[brownstill1]

February 2021 update to Windows 10 resulted in loss of all desktop icons and task bar empty of icons. No Start menu. Cannot open Task Manager.

[itsmyname]

Shutdown the computer, to "power-off" status.

[Power-on the computer, and wait until you see either the "4-window-pane" logo, or the "spinner".

Then, hold-down the ON/OFF button until the computer powers-off.]

Repeat the above, two or three times.

Then, power-on the computer, and do nothing. It should start-up into "recovery mode".

In that mode, you can use "System Restore" to "roll-back" Windows to its "normal" status, namely just before Windows Update tried to update. "Time Warp".   🙂

[Hibb1]

so CTRL+ALT+DEL does nothing? What about CTRL+SHIFT+ESC?

IF you can get either of these to open, then click file, new task, and type explorer.

If this works, and your desktop then appears 'normal' this will allow you the functions to roll back, or backup your data so you can install a fresh copy after you've wiped the HDD.

Sounds to me like Windows has 'upgraded' itself one too many times, and now it's pretty broken.

Plus, The Touchsmart 610 is old as the hills, so chances are any cumulative windows updates have not been pre-tested on hardware that old.