Windows 10: Taskbar and Start menu not working after the KB5031356 update failure

My PC just attempted the KB5031356 update released on October 10, 2023. It couldn't be installed due to a problem I've never encountered before, which is listed in the known issues of that update here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/october-10-2023-kb5031356-os-builds-19044-3570-and-19045-3570-951fac64-5bf8-4eba-ba18-a9448920df1a. Now, after about 20 minutes of "undoing changes", my PC has restarted, and the taskbar and Start menu no longer work. Clicking on any application icon does nothing, and the Start button doesn't open anything, not even with the Windows key on the keyboard.

:)

 

Start menu and taskbar not working.

Hi Deva,

Thank you for updating.

I suggest you to refer the link below and follow the troubleshooting steps suggested.

Troubleshoot problems opening the Start menu or Cortana.

Fix problems with the Start menu - Microsoft Support

Hope the Start menu works after performing the steps suggested. Thank you.

 

Taskbar - Search Icon does not work, Start Menu missing, Right click does not work, no "Taskbar and Start Menu" in control panel

Hi,

Here are the possible causes why Taskbar and Start menu don't work:

• Corrupted user profile
• Corrupted or missing system files
  

Since running SFC didn't resolve the issue, we suggest creating a new user account
to recreate your Taskbar and Start menu.

We would appreciate an update about how it went.

 

Taskbar hides and shows itself after opening start menu.

Steps:

1. Using HDMI for a second monitor.
2. Open start menu using the icon.
3. Close start menu using the icon.
4. Click anywhere other than the task bars. (e.g. an open window, the desktop, even the first monitor's desktop)
   
5. Taskbar on second monitor slides down to be hidden.
6. Taskbar then immediately slides up to reappear.

If after closing the start menu (step 3), you click on the taskbar, then click outside the taskbar, this behavior does not occur.

Performing the steps on the main monitor's taskbar does not produce this behavior.

This has been happening for as long as I can remember using this laptop (~3years), with different nVidia drivers and Windows 10 updates.