Unable to access parts of Windows UI after updating motherboard BIOS & latest Windows Update

Question

Unable to access parts of Windows UI after updating motherboard BIOS & latest Windows Update

Asmodeus 20

Hey, here's my current predicament. I installed the latest Windows 11 update 12th of August (KB5121003) and today updated my motherboard BIOS to its 2026 version.

After updating, I found several oddities in the way Windows behaved. I could operate programs like Discord, Chrome, Edge just fine. However, accessing parts of Windows Explorer and Task Manager was impossible. I could hover down and it'd show my hidden task bar, but I couldn't click on any of the icons. In Explorer I couldn't manipulate the top portion of the interface; I could click on folder icons and access the context menus, but I couldn't open new tabs or manually return to previous locations with the arrow buttons.

Similarly when I tried restarting Explorer from the Task Manager, I couldn't interact with the left hand sidebar, only the program list and the search box at the top.

After doing some testing, I found that by pressing the Windows Key, I could open the Start Menu which worked fine. Similarly, ALT + TAB let me cycle through various windows. Programs installed worked otherwise normally.

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Answer accepted by question author

DaveM121 928.6K Independent Advisor

1

The BIOS update is unlikely to be linked with the problems you are experiencing, the Windows update semes to have resulted in corruption in the Windows system.

The best first option is too pen the Settings App, go to Windows Update - Update history, scroll to the bottom and choose 'Uninstall Updates' then form that list, uninstall the update that was installed that caused the problems.

2

If that does not resolve the problem.

Open the Settings App.

Go to System - Recovery.

Click the 'Reinstall Now' button in the 'Fix problems with Windows Updates' section and wait for that process to complete.

Asmodeus 20 Reputation points

2026-08-21T14:17:10.2566667+00:00

Thank you for the quick reply!

I did look at both of these options. The latest update I installed today was some Intel Bluetooth update and it can't be uninstalled. The latest proper Windows update I installed was in 12th of August and my computer's run fine until now.

As for the second option, the UI of 'Fix problems with Windows Updates' once it opens is something I cannot interact with. I reattempted by rebooting Windows in Safe Mode. Once there, I noticed that I could actually interact with the UI normally.The fix took a few minutes, but it did the trick. Thanks for the assistance!

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Your answer

Asmodeus 20 Reputation points

2026-08-21T14:17:10.2566667+00:00

Thank you for the quick reply!

I did look at both of these options. The latest update I installed today was some Intel Bluetooth update and it can't be uninstalled. The latest proper Windows update I installed was in 12th of August and my computer's run fine until now.

As for the second option, the UI of 'Fix problems with Windows Updates' once it opens is something I cannot interact with. I reattempted by rebooting Windows in Safe Mode. Once there, I noticed that I could actually interact with the UI normally.The fix took a few minutes, but it did the trick. Thanks for the assistance!

Answer 1

Asmodeus 20

I tried the Windows Update troubleshooter, but its UI is something I cannot interact with. Seems whatever this issue is, it's affecting that app's interface too.

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