Display Suddenly Changed

jimlau · 12 Jun 2019

Some setting must have been changed, as I can no longer right-click on the desktop, clicking on the start button has those options at the top (see photo) I've never seen before, Firefox no longer has a minimize/maximize button, windows explorer's Restore Down option doesn't work, the lower right of the task bar no longer has that desktop button, right -clicking on the taskbar does not give taskbar options, there is an arrow on the left of the taskbar (see photo) that I never saw before, and more.

How do I get back to my normal desktop?

Thanks.

dalchina · 13 Jun 2019

Hi, you could have a look at your Update History in Settings, including drivers at the bottom, and see if you've received any significant update or upgrade (if you have just been upgraded to a new Windows build, you might have noticed that- it takes a while + restarts).

In particular, check your Device Manager to see if your graphics driver was updated recently.

What is your Windows build? Win key + r, winver.

Sadly it's not a forum requirement to specify that, so we have to ask time and again.

jimlau · 13 Jun 2019

well, booted this morning and all is back. i know there was an update yesterday, but forget when. so odd it went bad, then today all's well. can't be 2 updates, right?

anyway, version - 17134.829

dalchina · 13 Jun 2019

That's current build 1803- so you've not had 1809 (still true of a lot) and not had 1903 (which will take a couple of months for most to receive, I guess).

Meanwhile, if all's ok, make sure you consolidate by updating your disk image (Macrium Reflect - free - + external storage for disk image files) - disk imaging can allow you to recover even if your disk fails and you need a new one, + is a full backup.

Bree · 13 Jun 2019

jimlau said:

How do I get back to my normal desktop?

jimlau said:

well, booted this morning and all is back...

It was not the update (well, not directly). What had happened was that your display was in Tablet Mode. You can tell it's in Table Mode from the 'back' arrow to the right of Start and different options you see when you right-click on taskbar. Here's mine in Tablet mode....

The default is that Windows will 'use the appropriate mode for my hardware' and it appears (this one time) to have made a mistake determining your hardware (perhaps the update confused it?). It got it right at the next boot and should continue to do so from now on.

Bree · 13 Jun 2019

dalchina said:

.... 1903 (which will take a couple of months for most to receive, I guess)

The ways of Microsoft's rollout remain mysterious. Imagine my surprise to see windows update offer the 1903 Feature Update on my 2009 vintage test machine (running 1803 at the time). I let windows update 'download and install now' and successfully updated from 1803 to 1903.

jimlau · 13 Jun 2019

Bree said:

It was not the update (well, not directly). What had happened was that your display was in Tablet Mode. You can tell it's in Table Mode from the 'back' arrow to the right of Start and different options you see when you right-click on taskbar. Here's mine in Tablet mode....

The default is that Windows will 'use the appropriate mode for my hardware' and it appears (this one time) to have made a mistake determining your hardware (perhaps the update confused it?). It got it right at the next boot and should continue to do so from now on.

could have sworn I checked for tablet mode, but I guess not. Thanks.