W11 24H2 No taskbar/black desktop after Windows update

[malware]

Hi all,

 

This summer we are imaging all new devices with Windows 11 24H2 OS Build 26100.4349 (Dell Pro devices) via SCCM with the driver packs from Dell Command.

 

They all work fine, but when running Windows Update (OS Build 26100.4652) and restarting it gets stuck on 'Preparing Windows' when you try to login, if you Ctrl + Alt + Del then it loads up but you can only see your mouse pointer and everything else is black.

There have been a few times it has 'fixed' but I'm not sure if it's just fluke or something else is happening, we use mandatory profiles, I've tried a local admin account also which sometimes work, but not always.

 

I've tried:

• running sfc /scannow

• dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

• Deleting all of the packages in local appdata

• Deleting profiles

• Turning off applocker

• Disabling Sophos

• Disabling Smoothwall

 

We have noticed some desktops have fixed when manually installing the latest update (2025-07 Cumulative Update Preview for Windows 11 Version 24H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5062660) (26100.4770)), but I haven't tried it on a big enough pool of devices yet to know for sure, I can't see much online about it so worried it's a configuration issue somewhere.

 

I'd love to know if anyone else has experienced this and what they did to resolve it, we have thousands of devices so it's a bit of a nightmare.

Opening up task manager and trying to run explorer.exe OR pressing the windows does nothing, checking event viewer shows:

 

Problem Details

Problem: Windows Start Experience Host Description: Stopped working Date: 25/07/2025 10:03 Status: Report sent

Faulting Application Path: C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\StartMenuExperienceHost.exe

Problem signature Problem Event Name: MoBEX Package Full Name: Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_10.0.26100.4768_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy Application Name: praid:App Application Version: 10.0.26100.4768 Application Timestamp: 61de637a Fault Module Name: StartMenuHost.dll Fault Module Version: 10.0.26100.4768 Fault Module Timestamp: 919e7523 Exception Offset: 00000000000ffe6d Exception Code: c0000409 Exception Data: 0000000000000007 OS Version: 10.0.26100.2.0.0.256.121 Locale ID: 2057 Additional Information 1: 23f4 Additional Information 2: 23f433b5363112671f353cae94b59b8a Additional Information 3: 7937 Additional Information 4: 79378fb4fd0bb45ddfed06ea4f0ca029da

Extra information about the problem Bucket ID: 67e12a638bc7cf8f5a3b6c2a39f28019 (0)

-----------------------------------------------------------

Problem Details

Problem: Windows Logon User Interface Host Description: Stopped working Date: 25/07/2025 08:30

Faulting Application Path: C:\Windows\System32\LogonUI.exe

Problem signature Problem Event Name: BEX64 Application Name: LogonUI.exe Application Version: 10.0.26100.4202 Application Timestamp: 8ed3eebb Fault Module Name: Windows.UI.XamlHost.dll Fault Module Version: 10.0.26100.4202 Fault Module Timestamp: e941334f Exception Offset: 0000000000007922 Exception Code: c0000409 Exception Data: 0000000000000007 OS Version: 10.0.26100.2.0.0.256.121 Locale ID: 2057 Additional Information 1: cba7 Additional Information 2: cba7c3f99593f456a2fd946d7ba108447 Additional Information 3: 1900 Additional Information 4: 190095246be723a043309671f53bdece

Extra information about the problem Bucket ID: 81087e5e778acd4ad346a3da6adffa3c (0)

-----------------------------------------------------------

Problem Details

Problem: Windows Explorer Description: Stopped working Date: 25/07/2025 09:28 Status: Report sent

Faulting Application Path: C:\Windows\explorer.exe

Problem signature Problem Event Name: BEX64 Application Name: explorer.exe Application Version: 10.0.26100.4768 Application Timestamp: 6e2489c5 Fault Module Name: explorer.exe Fault Module Version: 10.0.26100.4768 Fault Module Timestamp: 6e2489c5 Exception Offset: 00000000000bd964 Exception Code: c0000409 Exception Data: 0000000000000007 OS Version: 10.0.26100.2.0.0.256.121 Locale ID: 2057 Additional Information 1: 3e45 Additional Information 2: 3e45509b1f7017d6893bda024500b63e Additional Information 3: baef Additional Information 4: baef64f9367fd2555742acc0fd8e0754

Extra information about the problem Bucket ID: 2875555545634ce4ae24a3e52b3bd323 (0)

[sigma]

Never install preview updates as they are really only a “beta” with content that may or may not make it into the following month’s cumulative update. Wait until the verified production version is issued next month. You should be able to roll it back.

 

If you use WSUS, and I assume WFUB (maybe someone else can confirm?), “update previews” are never offered. 

[sigma]

How long are you leaving it on "Preparing Windows"? 

Is there anything to indicate that there might still be activity?

Before you run Windows Updates are all the correct drivers properly installed?

I presume you have "update drivers" turned of in Windows Updates?

[malware]

9 minutes ago, sigma said:

How long are you leaving it on "Preparing Windows"? 

Is there anything to indicate that there might still be activity?

Before you run Windows Updates are all the correct drivers properly installed?

I presume you have "update drivers" turned of in Windows Updates?

It never finishes, I think it's because Windows is waiting for the taskbar to start which it can't because it's faulting.

 

Yes all devices have driver packs created via Dell Command in SCCM, I don't see any drivers installing when that problem update installs but it's not something we actively disable. 

Edited July 27, 2025 by malware

[3s-gtech]

I ditched mandatory profiles a few years back due to unreliability (they had been great through XP to 8.1).

 

Can you switch a test account to local and test?

[timbo343]

There are posts online about the July 2025 CU (KB5062660) for Windows 11 logon issues. We had the same that we deployed out to 40 ish machines. Reverting back to June 2025 CU gives no issues with logins. Likewise with July 2025 CU, the windows interface never loads and the only way to get it to work is to control, alt, del > sign out and log back in.

 

We too thought it was a configuration issue with our image but turns out we aren't the only ones with issue. If you can, roll back to June 2025 CU or wait to see what August 2025 CU brings.

 

 

[malware]

1 hour ago, timbo343 said:

There are posts online about the July 2025 CU (KB5062660) for Windows 11 logon issues. We had the same that we deployed out to 40 ish machines. Reverting back to June 2025 CU gives no issues with logins. Likewise with July 2025 CU, the windows interface never loads and the only way to get it to work is to control, alt, del > sign out and log back in.

 

We too thought it was a configuration issue with our image but turns out we aren't the only ones with issue. If you can, roll back to June 2025 CU or wait to see what August 2025 CU brings.

 

 

Thanks for your reply.  Yep, I've decided pausing automatic updates and rolling back the problem update is the answer rather than pushing a preview update and will wait for the release in a couple weeks to test.

 

If anyone else has the issue, this is the script I'm running, it detects the KB you specify and uninstalls the package you specify.

 

# --- CONFIGURATION ---
$kbId = "KB5062553"
$packageName = "Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~26100.4652.1.20"
# ---------------------

try {
    # Check if the update is installed
    Get-HotFix -Id $kbId -ErrorAction Stop
    Write-Host "Update $kbId found. Proceeding with uninstallation."

    # If found, run the uninstallation command
    try {
        $arguments = "/Online /Remove-Package /PackageName:$packageName /Quiet /NoRestart"
        Write-Host "Executing: DISM.exe $arguments"
        
        Start-Process "DISM.exe" -ArgumentList $arguments -Wait -PassThru

        Write-Host "SUCCESS: Uninstallation of $packageName completed or scheduled."
        exit 0
    }
    catch {
        Write-Error "FAILED: An error occurred during DISM execution. Details: $_"
        exit 1
    }
}
catch {
    # This block runs if Get-HotFix fails, meaning the update isn't installed
    Write-Host "SKIPPED: Update $kbId is not installed. No action taken."
    exit 0
}

 

 

[malware]

On 27/07/2025 at 19:00, timbo343 said:

There are posts online about the July 2025 CU (KB5062660) for Windows 11 logon issues. We had the same that we deployed out to 40 ish machines. Reverting back to June 2025 CU gives no issues with logins. Likewise with July 2025 CU, the windows interface never loads and the only way to get it to work is to control, alt, del > sign out and log back in.

 

We too thought it was a configuration issue with our image but turns out we aren't the only ones with issue. If you can, roll back to June 2025 CU or wait to see what August 2025 CU brings.

 

 

Looks like the August update didn't fix it for us unfortunately, have you had any further luck on this? I would really appreciate it! Regretting going to 24H2 now haha.

Edited August 16, 2025 by malware

[timbo343]

2 hours ago, malware said:

Looks like the August update didn't fix it for us unfortunately, have you had any further luck on this? I would really appreciate it! Regretting going to 24H2 now haha.

I've not had chance to test it either, i just saw August 2025 CU was going to fix the issue. If in have time, I could update a room of 15 machines as the room I would be testing in had the issue with July 2025 CU. Fortunately for us, our deployed image is June 2025 24h2 CU which is working fine.

[malware]

15 hours ago, timbo343 said:

I've not had chance to test it either, i just saw August 2025 CU was going to fix the issue. If in have time, I could update a room of 15 machines as the room I would be testing in had the issue with July 2025 CU. Fortunately for us, our deployed image is June 2025 24h2 CU which is working fine.

I saw this on the Microsoft forums: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/2280466/windows-11-mandatory-profiles-start-menu-not-worki

 

If it's really no longer supported that would be concerning haha.