No browser will load on Windows 11

Question

I have a small ethernet office network using a ZyXel 8-port switch to connect four desktop computers and a laser printer with internet connection through a Zen Internet supplied Fritz!Box broadband router.Beginning on 2nd August, one of the computers (HP Z620 Xeon running Windows 11 24H2) would not load a browser. I usually use Brave but if a particular website does not display normally I will load Edge. On this occasion, neither would load - display remains static with hard disk activity but no browser.

My other Win11 PC runs as normal.

I have followed numerous posts on similar issues with no solution, (some seem to be generic, giving instructions to change settings within the browser ignoring the fact that the browser does not launch!)

I recall one post that required command prompt entries in administrator mode to stop then start a process - unfortunately I neglected to make a note of it - but it seemed to work in that instance but the issue has returned since.

I ran sfc /scannow and it returned no issue.

I have reset the network to defaults.

I tried a Quick Reset but it failed with a message that it had run into a problem and could not continue.

The only other option appears to be a full reset and re-install of Windows and all my programmes.

Is there another alternative?

Answer 1

If this problem is affecting more than one browser, most likely this is caused by system corruption, not a problem with a browser.

Open the Settings App.

Go to System - Recovery.

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