New OS on Notebook, now all inputs are freezing for a second or two

[Sandman66]

Hello.
I have a HP Pavilion Notebook model 15-af153sa
Upgraded to 8 GB RAM and running on an SSD - BIOS is latest from HP Assistant
Installed a clean version of Windows 10 20H2 - fully patched from Microsoft Update

My issue is whether I use the touch pad, external mouse, or built-in keyboard, all inputs freeze for a second or two.

Diagnostics followed: Selective Startup

System Configuration - disabled all non-Microsoft services

Task Manager Start-up - disabled all startup programs

Rebooted, NO CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR

Diagnostics followed: Boot into Safe Mode

RESOLVES THE ISSUE !

Conclusion: a system driver (and not a 3rd party driver)  is causing this behavior

Probably, a Microsoft driver has overwritten a HP driver during windows update.

Question is, which one?

Anyone got any ideas on how to find this driver, or how to fall-back to HP drivers

and preventing Microsoft from overwriting the HP driver(s) again.

Thank you in advance.

[WAWood]

@Sandman66 

You said you did a Clean Install -- so you probably got the Win10 media from MS -- and in doing so, you blew away all your HP drivers -- which are critical to a laptop working properly.

If you downloaded and reinstalled the drivers from your HP product page, that MIGHT work -- but apart from that, you are stuck as HP does not provide Recovery Media for Win10 v20H2.

[Sandman66]

Hello WAWood.

Thank you for your reply.

Understanding that Microsoft drivers have overwritten HP native drivers - why am I not seeing the same issues when booted in safe mode?

Safe mode does not uses different device drivers, just disables unnecessary\non-critical drivers for diagnostic purposes.

In fact the input drivers are identical, whether in safe or normal mode boots.

It seems more likely now that the issue is some layer driver that interacts\interrupts with the input peripherals somehow.

This driver or service is disable during safe mode boots and so the inputs are free to function correctly.

How to find this driver or service is the question, and task I am faced with now.

Any ideas?

Thanks