Windows 10: UAC not showing and desktop frozen when File Explorer needs an elevation, forcing a cold reboot

Hi,Since I upgraded my PC to Windows 11 2024 Update, elevating an access to a protected folder in File Explorer is impossible:From a standard user account, whenever I click on the Continue button in the Access denied dialog box, the desktop background dims and... Nothing!The UAC prompt never shows up and everything is frozen, forcing me to cold reboot if I want to use my PC again since I can't get out of the dimmed desktop.This clearly looks like a bug.Thanks for a quick fix.

:)

 

UAC will not elevate

This issue is happening on all Windows 10 systems 1909 and 20H2. I have tried DISM repairs, new profiles, a fresh image, a fresh image with no group policy. It will work for about an hour after each reboot, but then it starts to fail again.

Users operate under standard domain user accounts.

When I try to elevate a program using UAC it fails.

The UAC prompt box will appear, take my username and password, and then the screen stays as a muted darkened version of my blank wallpaper.

The PC will sit like this for a 2 minutes and then go back to the desktop without the elevated permission ever happening.

If I press Ctrl-Alt-Del and just cancel out of the task manager I can get the desktop to operate again but the permission elevation dose not happen.

Similarly, I cannot seem to do "Switch User" after an hour as well, the will spin until I have to hard reboot.

And my Group Policies will stop applying and I'll receive an "Access Denied" unless i reboot as well.

 

Desktop

Margrave,

If the problem symptom returns [Desktop showing the correct contents when looked at in File explorer but not when looking at the Desktop itself], right-click on an empty area of the Desktop and select Refresh.

Many people have found that their Desktop's are not refreshing automatically and are forced to take this step. I searched & searched for a permanent solution but every suggestion I found either had no effect or had only a limited-duration effect.

Denis

 

Desktop missing from File Explorer sidebar

I've upgraded a WIndows 10 workstation to Windows 11. Everything was fine with the admin account, but the user account was messed up: unable to type in search bar, Outlook frozen, browser frozen, other issues. I did a Reset to re-install the OS but keep user files. That worked, except that I had to re-install all the apps.

But there's a problem. The Desktop folder does not appear in the File Explorer side-bar. Nor can I save-as to the Desktop as it does not appear in the list of places. This computer is a member of a Windows domain with redirected folders. The redirected folders seem to be working fine as Documents and Pictures properties show as residing on the domain controller. I suspect the Desktop is OK too as all the Desktop files and folders appear on the Desktop. I just can't select the Desktop in File Explorer or save documents to the desktop.

I have tried showing hidden folders, but that didn't help. How to fix this?

***moved from Windows / Windows 11 / Files, folders, and storage***