Unsolicited display of Windows key panel and launch of Edge browser

[Bruce Litzkow]

Up until a week ago, whenever I cold or warm booted or returned to my PC after putting it in sleep mode, my startup process would end with my desktop display. I'm using the old Win8 desktop format and not the new Win10.

Within the past week, when I start using my HP laptop PC after having put it in sleep mode, the following things are happening:

1) The splash panel normally displayed when I press the Windows key is now displayed every time the PC wakes up. I have to press the Windows key to toggle it off.
2) I think I've been seeing MS Edge browser launch by default even though my default browser is Firefox. The pages displayed are all about advertising MS products like Outlook etc.

 

[Wolfie]

Hi Bruce,

what version of W10 are you running and have you done a full upgrade recently?:

https://www.windows10forums.com/thr...ws-10-to-the-latest-version.13015/#post-64095

 

[Bruce Litzkow]

Hi Bruce,

what version of W10 are you running and have you done a full upgrade recently?:

https://www.windows10forums.com/thr...ws-10-to-the-latest-version.13015/#post-64095

I am running Windows 10 Home Version 1607. As far as I know, I have never done a full upgrade since migrating to Win 10. Where do I find the precautions one should take prior to doing the upgrade?

 

[Trouble]

The precautions are as one might expect them to be.......
Backup, backup and backup. Including a disk image of your current installation.
https://www.windows10forums.com/threads/please-for-your-own-peace-of-mind.794/
There are some additional suggestions here which apply to updates / upgrades in general
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...-windows/31722b30-1da9-42bb-b331-0edc4649bf43

Under the section labeled
What you can do before attempting the upgrade?

The bits about your antivirus (read any and all third party security suites) uninstall them.
AND
Disconnecting any and all peripherals deserve attention.
AND
I kinda, especially like the suggestion for clean booting the system

So in summary
Backup, disk image, uninstall third party security suites, clean boot the system to avoid any issues with third party startup programs, processes or services and keep the system minimal (USB wired keyboard, USB wired mouse and one Monitor) and off you go.

 

[Bruce Litzkow]

The precautions are as one might expect them to be.......
Backup, backup and backup. Including a disk image of your current installation.
https://www.windows10forums.com/threads/please-for-your-own-peace-of-mind.794/
There are some additional suggestions here which apply to updates / upgrades in general
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...-windows/31722b30-1da9-42bb-b331-0edc4649bf43

Under the section labeled
What you can do before attempting the upgrade?

The bits about your antivirus (read any and all third party security suites) uninstall them.
AND
Disconnecting any and all peripherals deserve attention.
AND
I kinda, especially like the suggestion for clean booting the system

So in summary
Backup, disk image, uninstall third party security suites, clean boot the system to avoid any issues with third party startup programs, processes or services and keep the system minimal (USB wired keyboard, USB wired mouse and one Monitor) and off you go.

I checked to see if my OS is up to date and it appears to be fine. Not sure how the term "upgrade" applies in the Win10 environment. My understanding is that all I need to do to stay current is to allow all updates to be applied automatically. I'll go with that assumption for now. The unsolicited launch of Edge and the display of the Windows Key panel have not recurred.

 

[Trouble]

I am running Windows 10 Home Version 1607.

IS not the latest / current version. That would be 1703

My understanding is that all I need to do to stay current is to allow all updates to be applied automatically. I'll go with that assumption for now.

That is probably a good idea.
The so called "Creators Update" (1703) is supposedly a staged rollout and may not have reached you yet due to any number of variables.
You can always force the update through various means, but.........
Why borrow trouble you don't need.

 

[Wolfie]

Hi Bruce,

I would run the update tool per the link I posted above and then see if you have problems afterwards, the tool will install version 1703.

 

[Bruce Litzkow]

IS not the latest / current version. That would be 1703

View attachment 5822



That is probably a good idea.
The so called "Creators Update" (1703) is supposedly a staged rollout and may not have reached you yet due to any number of variables.
You can always force the update through various means, but.........
Why borrow trouble you don't need.

The About Windows attachment you enclosed contains "The Windows PRO operating system.......". Don't know if that puts a different light on our discussion. Before I retired from the IT business world I had a tendency to be an early adopter. As the primary on-call application software support person I quickly abandoned that philosophy. Thanks again for your help.

 

[Trouble]

The Windows PRO operating system

Yep.

Don't know if that puts a different light on our discussion

Nope.
The "Creators Update" is available for both Home and Pro, but still..... a staged roll-out

As the primary on-call application software support person I quickly abandoned that philosophy.

Probably a good approach.
While I've personally managed to successfully install the "Creators Update" on multiple machines, some with some pretty low specs, I wouldn't ignore those who have had less than optimal results doing the same thing.
Any-hoo...... whatever or however you decide to proceed, I would strongly recommend a disk image of your current install, whether or not you aggressively pursue the update or passively wait for it to happen to you.