Win 10 16299 clean installation, no icons on desktop, apps place icon on taskbar only

[Russell W. Coover]

I installed a clean Windows 10 Pro Build 16299 on a Lenovo T400 with 4 GB RAM. Installation went well, and Windows 10 opened properly for about 2 minutes. Then, all of a sudden, the Icons on the Desktop disapperared, the task tray disappeared (except for time and date), and all apps opened from the start button placed an Icon on the taskbar, but would not open. Control-Alt-Delete also places an Icon on the taskbar, but will not open. A right click on the desktop opens a menu, but trying to open Display Settings or Personalize only places an Icon on the taskbar. Icons on the taskbar show a miniature picture of what should be on the screen, but they will not open. About the only thing that works properly is the "start" button opens up theon screen menu and the Power Icon will give the shutdown menu.

The Lenovo ran Build 15063 of Windows 10 properly, but the "clean" installation wiped the drive prior of installationm of 16299

 

[Wolfie]

HI Russell,

insert the Windows install media and try the following:

https://www.windows10forums.com/articles/advanced-startup-options.38/

 

[Russell W. Coover]

Thanks, Wolfie, but apparently, this is not the solution. I clean reiinstalled several times and each time was the same, same problem. I then decided to reinstall build 15063, which had been working. After installation, I was able to do some things that I always do, place Control Panel and This PC on the desktop and to start downloading updates. I walked away to work on another computer. 5 minutes later, I looked at the Lenovo and it was back to the same problem I had with build 16299, no icons on the desktop, no system tray on the taskbar (except for time and date) and the Icons on the taskbar would not open on the desktop.

So, apparently, there is an internal problem not directly related to the Operating System ... perhaps driver related ... and I have no idea how to fix it as the computer becomes a brick quickly after install.

I'm thinking about trying a Windows 7 install to see if that works, but this is, apparently, a hardware problem.

 

[Wolfie]

HI Russell,

according to the following link; you have an ATI GPU, so go to the other link and try downloading drivers direct from AMD!:

https://www.cnet.com/products/lenovo-thinkpad-t400/specs/

http://support.amd.com/en-us/download/auto-detect-tool

I don't think it is hardware related myself, by that I mean that your hardware isn't failing but it just needs drivers?.

 

[Russell W. Coover]

I returned the computer to it's orignal Windows 7 and it works fine. I'm not sure I understand why it breaks in Windows 10, but it has no problems with 7. The computer belongs to my grandson and he is happy with 7.

 

[Wolfie]

I know what you mean, I just returned my main PC to W7 myself, even trying to play a simple game of cards on W10 is a task in itself!.