# Windows Start button no longer works after driver install completes



## wumpus42 (Feb 11, 2020)

I've used NVCleanstall on three machines (1 Win10Pro desktop, 1 Win10Home desktop, 1 Win10Home laptop) to install NVCleanstall's "Recommeded" driver options. On each of the three machines the Windows Start button no longer responded after the nvidia driver installation had completed and I'd closed NVCleanstall. Left--clicking the start button does nothing, but right-clicking it allowed me to restart the computer(s) which caused the Start button to behave normally after reboot.


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## W1zzard (Feb 11, 2020)

First time I hear about that. Anyone else encounter the same problem?


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## wumpus42 (Feb 11, 2020)

I'll attempt to re-produce and document. Maybe it's a local environment thing. Seeing as how there's a work-around, it's not really that important.


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## jsfitz54 (Feb 11, 2020)

W1zzard said:


> First time I hear about that. Anyone else encounter the same problem?



Yes, I've had the same experience for the last few builds.  I just reboot when the install finishes and all goes back to normal.


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## FordGT90Concept (Feb 11, 2020)

I have the same exact problem whenever I update graphics drivers (Windows 10 1903).  I just hit CTRL+ALT+DEL and click restart.  When the computer comes back up, it's fixed.


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## W1zzard (Feb 11, 2020)

FordGT90Concept said:


> I have the same exact problem whenever I update graphics drivers (Windows 10 1903).  I just hit CTRL+ALT+DEL and click restart.  When the computer comes back up, it's fixed.


Even without NVCleanstall?


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## jsfitz54 (Feb 11, 2020)

W1zzard said:


> Even without NVCleanstall?



Happens with NVCleanstall with Windows OS 1909.

Have not tried standalone NV installer since starting using your utility.


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## FordGT90Concept (Feb 11, 2020)

W1zzard said:


> Even without NVCleanstall?


Never ran NVCleanstall.  It's been happening since at least November with almost every driver update.  Not even the Win key works to bring up the start menu.

One can use Task Manager to restart explorer.exe which fixes it, but easier just to restart.



jsfitz54 said:


> Have not tried standalone NV installer since starting using your utility.


Try it, might happen regardless of NVCleanstall.


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## bobbybluz (Feb 12, 2020)

You can create a direct shutdown shortcut by right clicking > New > Shortcut then enter this in the text box: shutdown.exe -s -t 0
To create a restart shortcut do the same as above and enter -r instead of -s.


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## newtekie1 (Feb 12, 2020)

I think this is a bug with nVidia's drivers or maybe Windows itself freaking out when the GPU is disabled briefly during the driver install.  Because I've noticed it when installing the nVidia drivers without NVCleanstall too.



FordGT90Concept said:


> One can use Task Manager to restart explorer.exe which fixes it, but easier just to restart.



I just log out and back in again.


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## Japie073 (Feb 12, 2020)

It happens whenever graphics drivers are installed no matter which gpu vendor this always happens. At work when doing clean installs on the latest WinX build this happens all the time. Just use the Winkey+X and restart from there and it's fixed.


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## W1zzard (Feb 12, 2020)

Good so not a nvcleanstall problem.

Does this happen every time or only sometimes (on affected systems)? 
If always, might be worth exploring to add something like "restart explorer" to nvcleanstall


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## Japie073 (Feb 12, 2020)

It happened with systems using Intel igpu's (Lenovo E590, E560, L540 etc.) also systems with a Radeon RX550M (Lenovo E590) a GTX 1060 6GB so not a nvcleanstall issue. Generation or model does not matter it happens all the time. This might be something with the Windows UWP platform or the Generic display driver, win7 works fine.

Also don't think it's specific to systems. Noticed it happen on 1903 and 1909 builds.


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## Calmmo (Feb 12, 2020)

It happens on 1909 on pretty much every recent nvidia driver update.
Just a classic ol'bug. Kill explorer.exe and run it again, there's no need for shutdowns.


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## FordGT90Concept (Feb 12, 2020)

W1zzard said:


> Good so not a nvcleanstall problem.
> 
> Does this happen every time or only sometimes (on affected systems)?
> If always, might be worth exploring to add something like "restart explorer" to nvcleanstall


The only way I made it not happen is by spamming the start menu as setup installs the new driver but, that's just a theory.


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