Windows 10 pro missing title bar and part of the top of window

Anonymous
2018-05-17T13:52:25+00:00

Hello, we are experiencing problems with certain application in windows 10 the top of teh window (the first inch)is missing... the title bar the close minimize  button are not there and if there a window underneat it it will close that window instead it happens with file explorer, google chrome, adobe reader dc.

all those apps are up to date the windows are also up to date, i can't an answer anywhere i tried using system restore but the problem comes back shortly after ( a day or 2 )

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Accessibility

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Anonymous
2018-07-02T10:39:39+00:00

I am also experiencing this issue on a Lenovo PC. 4th Generation Intel i3 Processor - Dual screen setup. GeForce 210 GPU. Windows 10 Pro x64 - Latest build.

This is the first report I could find explaining the exact same symptoms.

I have noticed the following:

  • This is a rare but extremely frustrating issue.
  • It can occur on the top or at the bottom of the window, but not limited to just those areas.
  • The issue only occurs with maximised windows and does not seem to affect all apps.
  • This problem can be evasive and has been occurring intermittently in the past. It comes and goes depending on what apps are open.
  • Some have reported that Office Protected View could be a trigger, but disabling this only works in limited cases.

Troubleshooting Steps Performed: (Since April/May 2018)

  • Update Windows
  • Update all Affected Apps
  • Clean Install new display drivers
  • Clean boot
  • SFC scan and DISM
  • Check event viewer
  • Run affected apps in compatibility mode
  • Uninstall all OEM software
  • Uninstall all non-essential apps
  • Uninstall all graphics drivers
  • Replace graphics card (AMD and NVIDIA)
  • Remove graphics card altogether and run integrated GPU only
  • Update BIOS
  • Disable CPU Virtualization Features in BIOS
  • Replace PC Tower - Latest W10 PRO x64 Clean Install on New PC
  • Replace both Monitors with 2x New Identical Monitors - Both connected via digital outputs

Findings:

  • None of my troubleshooting steps have yeilded any results. The issue always returns eventually.
  • We seriously need some action from Microsoft regarding this issue.

Possible Cause:

Due to the scope of affected apps and the fact that only multiple display setups seem to be affected I suspect this may be a display driver/hardware/configuration compatibility issue/conflict probably related to a recent windows 10 update since build 1703/1803 causing display issues.

Temporary Workarounds:

  • This is a quick and easy workaround: SHIFT + CTRL + WIN + B
    • This key sequence empties the video buffer and restarts the driver, and does the same for the keyboard, the mouse and the soundcard. It was meant for helping some users and techs with stuck graphic elements, black screens, stuck sleep modes, stuck mouse buttons and buzzing or looping sounds.
    • The issue will return eventually.
    • Limited success
  • Changing the primary monitor or just slightly changing the layout of multiple monitors and clicking apply resolves the issue for an unknown amount of time.
    • Limited success
  • When I use shift + right clickon the taskbar icon of the affected application and select 'restore window' the interface returns, but when I maximise again it the issue returns.
    • This is my personal choice. You can effectively work around the issue by avoiding the symptoms.
    • Any window showing the issue symptoms need to be restored as above and NOT MAXIMISED AGAIN.
    • Snapping Windows to the Left or Right side of a display and resizing them sideways is a quick way of using non-maximised during multi tasking workflows.
    • Success may be limited
  • Some apps that support Full screen mode (Not to be confused with maximized mode) can be restored by hitting the F11 key to enable full screen and hitting F11 again to exit full screen. My interface then returns, however, some apps like Acrobat Reader DC does not respond to F11 because it has it's own full screen shortcut which will also work the same way.
    • This would be my second choice due to how quick you can tap F11 twice.
    • Once you re-open or move the window the symptoms could return (If in maxmised state)
    • Success may be limited

Possible Solution:

  • There have been reports that the following third party hotfix fixed the issue. You may want to create a system restore point before trying this:
  • Changing to a single display setup may get rid of the symptoms completely. Very inconvenient, but may be viable if you can get by with one display and you have no viable/effective workarounds.
    • Not tested yet, but someone can confirm if this helps them.
  • The only other effective way I can think of is going back to an earlier (Prior to 1703) build of Windows 10 or even going back to Windows 7/8

What can we do if we want a real solution?

TAGS:

dual tripple multiple monitor multi monitor full screen maximize display top bottom toolbar interface menu tool bar toolbar title bar bottom bar status bar missing black white blank transparent maximize

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  1. Anonymous
    2019-04-25T21:05:03+00:00

    I  have a user who recently reported this.  She is the only user out of many with identical computers experiencing this issue.  The only difference between this setup and others is this computer is using a DisplayPort splitter to connect multiple monitors via HDMI, 1 DisplayPort to 2 HDMI connections.  It worked for over a year, the just slowly started with Edge, then Windows Explorer and now may browsers and similar programs.  We have confirmed that it only happens on the secondary monitor.  I have had her using the F11 trick, but will now provide her with some of the others suggested here. 

    I will note here that I have noticed almost all of the users with multiple monitors are experiencing some sort of issue relating to multiple monitors, i.e. having the monitors flip from right to left so the mouse has to "go around the world".  Switching primary and secondary displays.  Icons rearranging without any warning, this is a common one. These users were all very happy with multiple monitors experiencing no issues up until 1803 was installed.  These users are not changing their setups like laptop users do.  I also have laptops that moved between various configurations.  Prior to 1803 Windows would remember various setups, i.e. two monitors without using laptop display remembered which was right and left, same laptop moved to desk using laptop display and single HDMI monitor would remember HDMI monitor was to the left, then switching same laptop to using laptop display and VGA monitor on the right.  All would all work every time the laptop was moved.  Now the same laptop has to be reset with every move.  Frustrating when you get used to it "just working" and then having to take a step backwards.

    Windows 10, several builds since 1803 now, updates are applied weekly if not daily. HP ProDesk 400 G4 and various laptops.

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-04-25T10:41:47+00:00

    For us - until now, this has only happened to our end users. I can report that it has today happened to me, I'm on Win 10 Pro 1809, 17763.437 and Office 365 ProPlus 1902, Build 11328.20158 Click-to-Run.

    I opened a downloaded Word document which opened protected, did a Ctrl-F find and looked around the document. When I closed it, the top of the screen was missing, as in many of these cases. Also as with others, this is set a display 2 - although it's set as main display.

    Ctrl-Win-Shift-B did temporarily sort this for me but I just cannot believe that this hasn't been rectified yet, it's been so long now and fobbing us off with updating to 1809 is obviously just a deflecting tactic. Disabling protected mode is not an option as it's there to protect.

    Microsoft need to get their act together and at the very least acknowledge this as an issue so that we don't just have to say to users "Ah yeah, people have been having this problem for nearly a year now.. and Microsoft have done absolutely diddly squat about it".. which really fills them with confidence for their IT support team(!)

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-04-24T10:16:33+00:00

    Switching the protected mode feature (for Word) to enabled in GPO and manually unticking the protected Mode (on their machine) is the only permanent fix. There is no other known fix. We have done this and the problem has long gone.

    But this workarround is not great from a security point of view!

    I will keep using "SHIFT + CTRL + WIN + B" until a proper fix from Microsoft is available.

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-04-24T10:02:18+00:00

    Switching the protected mode feature (for Word) to enabled in GPO and manually unticking the protected Mode (on their machine) is the only permanent fix. There is no other known fix. We have done this and the problem has long gone.

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