Desktop reverts to factory background, half of icons disappear, links vanish upon reboot.

Question

Since the security update of around 11 Feb. (when system rebooted itself), my background image upon reboot has changed to the standard "blue swirl," half of desktop icons disappear (but apps are still on drive), and passwords in all apps vaporize. Have tried removing that update, but it just reloads despite my pausing updates. Installed DesktopOK in hopes of restoring desktop with full functionality, but reboot wipes out the app and saved configuration. Have established links and shortcuts three times now in hopes that each successive "remedy" will resolve this issue; each takes about forty minutes to complete. Established upload to OneDrive for desktop preservation, but no joy. Nothing I find online seems to work. Windows was working just fine before this. How can I return it to that functionality? This is a real productivity drag I cannot afford.

Answer 1

Hi Chuck Veit,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A!

I understand how disruptive this is, especially when it affects your desktop, shortcuts, and saved passwords every single reboot. Based on your description, this points to Windows loading a temporary or corrupted user profile.

1 - Check if Windows is loading correct profile

• Turn on your PC normally > open Command Prompt
• Run echo %USERPROFILE% > if the path shows:
  • Not C:\Users\<yourname>
  • E.g. C:\Users\TEMP or other weird names
• It means Windows is not loading your real profile. Also check:
  • Open File Explorer > navigate to C:\Users
  • Look for folders with your name (one may have a suffix)
  • Check inside them and if your files are present, they are still safe.
• No desktop or password fix will stick until the profile issue is resolved.

2 - Repair the user profile registry entry

• Press Win + R > type regedit > press Enter
• Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
• Look for two folders with the same long ID (e.g. S‑1‑5‑21‑…) > If found:
  • Rename the folder without .bak > add .old at the end
  • Rename the folder with .bak > remove the .bak extension.
• Delete the .old folder > close Registry Editor > restart PC and check again.

Disclaimer: Generally, modifying registry subkeys or work group is intended for advanced users, administrators, and IT Professionals. It can help fix some problems, however, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For further protection, first check out How to back up and restore the registry in Windows - Microsoft Support 

3 - Move to another account:

• Open Settings > Accounts > create a new local user account
• Log in to it > open File Explorer and copy data from old profile
• Remove the old one > sign into your Microsoft account on this one.

4 - Windows reinstallations (not reset!)

• Use built-in repair option
  • Open Settings > System > Recovery > Fix problems using Windows Update
  • Click Reinstall now > follow the onscreen instructions to reinstall Windows.
• Perform an in-place upgrade:
  • Refer to Reinstall Windows with the installation media - Microsoft Support
  • Navigate to the bottom of the page and expand In-place Upgrade.  
  • You can also check out the instructions from one of the Moderators here: How to run In-place upgrade in Windows 11 - Microsoft Q&A

Disclaimer: Both Windows reinstallation and in-place upgrade will refresh your Windows files and operating system without removing files or applications. That being said, we always recommend that if you have important data, you should back it up first before making large system changes.

I know this has already cost you hours of productivity. Let me know the result of the command in the #1, it will help us pinpoint the issue more easily.

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Answer 2

I never said I ran ScanNow, but neither that nor RestoreHealth changed anything. Used the troubleshooters, same result. Rolled back recent updates several times, but that 11 Feb Security update just keeps reinstalling despite my selecting "Pause for 4 weeks." Data is safely backed up on local drive (not OneDrive) along with desktop (which is on OneDrive, too). Reloading icons from either, however, does not restore passwords and most icon shortcuts need to be reestablished. For obvious reasons I want to avoid a reset. This all started happening immediately after that security update; seems that is where the problem lies. Please, no more AI answers. Get me a human who can think outside the box.

Answer 3

It sounds like you're experiencing significant issues with your Windows 11 desktop after a recent security update. Here are a few steps you can try to resolve the problems:

1. Check for Corrupted User Profile: Sometimes, issues like disappearing icons and settings can be due to a corrupted user profile. You can create a new user account and see if the problem persists there.
2. Run System File Checker: You mentioned using cmd /scannow, which is good. Make sure to run it again to ensure no corrupted files remain. You can also try the DISM tool with the command DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to repair the Windows image.
3. Safe Mode: Boot your computer in Safe Mode to see if the issue persists. If everything works fine in Safe Mode, it may indicate that a third-party application or service is causing the problem.
4. Windows Troubleshooters: Use the built-in troubleshooters for Windows Update and other system issues. Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters and run the relevant troubleshooters.
5. Rollback or Uninstall Updates: If the issue started after a specific update, try rolling back or uninstalling that update. You can do this from Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history > Uninstall updates.
6. Reset Windows: If none of the above solutions work, consider resetting Windows. You can do this by going to Settings > System > Recovery and selecting "Reset this PC." You can choose to keep your files, but it will remove apps and settings.
7. Backup Important Data: Since you mentioned using OneDrive for backup, ensure that your important files are saved there or on an external drive before proceeding with more drastic measures like a reset.

These steps should help you troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issues you're facing with your desktop functionality.

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References:

• Plethora of issues relating to windows and possibly security. - Microsoft Q&A