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Windows 11 Functionality Issues

Ainsley 0 Reputation points
2026-03-10T11:21:06.5866667+00:00

This is more of a rant than a question so I do apologise.

Since the latest update to Windows 11, I’ve faced nothing but issues. PC won’t shut down, won’t restart, file explorer not responding (which then breaks the taskbar), download speeds of not even 1KB/s (despite having 1Gb internet, PC hardwired into mesh kit node, should get stable 880Mb and was until recent update).

It’s painful. I’m 100% sure it’s not my computer which is running a 9950X3D and 64GB DDR5. I’m losing my sanity over it.

I’ve tried disabling automatic updates, but they won’t take no for an answer and update anyway, I’ve removed all the advertising/AI/data stealing bloatware I possibly could via regedit and I’ve had enough.

It’s the worst product I’ve ever had the misfortune of using in my entire life and it sickens me that I’m held hostage to it. I wanted to switch to Linux when I built this PC, but unfortunately a good chunk of the games that I play fall foul of anticheat when running on it.

As I write this, I’ve spent over 3 hours trying to download something, I’ve given up in a rage and and the computer has now been shutting down for around 15 minutes. Brilliant job

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Performance and system failures
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  1. Clary-N 10,895 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-03-11T05:43:59.7366667+00:00

    Hi Ainsley,

    Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum. I understand how frustrating it can be to run into these issues, especially when everything was working as expected before the update.

    At this stage, the most reliable next step is a Windows 11 in‑place repair upgrade. This process refreshes the core Windows components without removing your personal files or installed applications, and it’s commonly used when issues like broken File Explorer, taskbar problems, and failed downloads persist after an update.

    Since downloads on the affected PC are extremely slow, it’s perfectly fine to download the Windows 11 ISO on another working computer. You can then copy the ISO to a USB drive, connect that USB to the affected PC, sign in to Windows, and start the repair by running setup.exe from the USB. The key point is that the upgrade is started from within Windows, not by booting from the USB.

    Before starting, I recommend backing up any important files for peace of mind.

    *Disclaimer: Let’s try performing an in-place install or in-place upgrade which 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 before making large system changes. If you want to back up your data first, please do so. Once you are done backing up, you can follow the steps in the following guides: How to run In-place upgrade in Windows 11 - Microsoft Q&A 

    The process can take some time and your PC may restart a few times, which is expected. Once it completes, Windows should start up normally with refreshed system components, which often clears up issues like File Explorer not responding, slow performance, or long shutdown times after an update.

    If you have any questions before starting the in‑place upgrade or if you’d like me to clarify any part of the process, please feel free to let me know. I’m here to help.

    If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".  

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

    1 person found this answer helpful.
  2. Q&A Assist
    2026-03-10T11:21:23.7666667+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    The symptoms point to a badly broken Windows installation after a recent update: hangs on shutdown/restart, File Explorer and taskbar becoming unresponsive, and severe performance issues. Before considering a full clean install, follow a structured repair path.

    1. Back up important data
    • Copy critical files to an external drive or use OneDrive. This is strongly recommended before deeper repair steps.
    1. Install all available Windows updates Even if the last update caused issues, newer cumulative updates may contain fixes.
    • Select Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.
    • Install all offered updates and restart when prompted.
    1. Run the Windows Update troubleshooter
    • On Windows 11, run the automated troubleshooter in the Get Help app: Run the troubleshooter in Get Help.
    • Let it detect and fix update-related issues, then restart and test shutdown/restart and performance again.
    1. Repair system files (DISM + SFC) These commands repair corrupted system components that can cause hangs and instability.
    2. In the search box on the taskbar, type command prompt.
    3. Right‑click Command Prompt > Run as administrator > Yes.
    4. Run: 
         DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
      Wait for it to complete and confirm success.
    5. Then run: 
         sfc /scannow
    6. Wait until verification reaches 100%, then restart.
    7. Test shutdown, restart, File Explorer responsiveness, and download performance.
    8. Check for disk errors File system or disk errors can cause freezes and extremely slow I/O.
    9. Open an elevated Command Prompt again.
    10. Run: 
          chkdsk /f C:
    11. Approve running at next restart if prompted, then restart and let the scan complete.
    12. Perform a clean restart (clean boot) This helps determine if third‑party software or drivers are causing the hangs and slowdowns.
    • Follow the steps in How to perform a clean boot in Windows (linked from the clean restart section) to start Windows with minimal drivers and startup programs.
    • In clean boot state, test:
      • Shutdown and restart
      • File Explorer and taskbar responsiveness
      • Download speeds If things work normally in clean boot, gradually re‑enable services/startup apps to find the culprit.
    1. Temporarily remove third‑party security/optimization tools Security suites, “tweakers,” or update blockers can interfere with updates and networking.
    • Temporarily uninstall any third‑party antivirus, firewall, VPN, or “system optimizer.”
    • Restart and test again.
    1. Reset Windows while keeping files (if issues persist) If the system remains unstable after repairs, use a reset that keeps personal files but reinstalls Windows and removes apps and custom settings.
    2. Go to Settings > System > Recovery.
    3. Under Recovery options, select Reset PC.
    4. Choose Keep my files.
    5. Choose Cloud download (recommended for a fresh image) or Local reinstall.
    6. Complete the reset and then reinstall only essential apps and drivers.

    If even a reset does not stabilize the system, a full clean installation of Windows 11 from the official media may be required.

    References:

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