Desktop restarts every couple of seconds after major Windows update

This is on an HP EliteBook 8460p, if this is of any relevance.

It hadn't had any Windows 10 Updates for ages (a year, maybe?), so I was going through those outstanding without paying particular attention. Following a major update (Creators Update, perhaps?), when bringing up the desktop it goes into a continuous loop every couple of seconds where all the icons are written again, the desktop is cleared, all the icons are written again, and so on. It is almost impossible to click on anything because of lack of time.

How does one approach this problem, please?

Sadly to report....your laptop only supports up to windows 8.1. So that said, even though 10 works it may not work correctly as you're finding out.

HP Software and Driver Downloads for HP Printers, Laptops, Desktops and More | HP® Customer Support

I see your point, but prior to the latest batch of updates the laptop has been running Windows 10 quite happily since someone (else!) put it on well over a year ago!

I am more interested in how to recover from the current problem.

Windows 10 is designed to work on newer hardware and MS had released statements that some of these updates will not work with certain older CPU's. So this comes into play with users like yourself on a global scale. Unless these PC manufacturers release hardware updates to allow windows 10 be installed.......end users (OEM or custom) are being forced to upgrade hardware or buy a new PC.

All that said, I don't see how you will be able to fix you problem. Since MS has taken away the ability to prevent individual updates from installing, just delaying them in windows 10. If you have a backup, you could use that and then delay the latest build update. Then you're back to the same update issue. A feature update can be delayed for 365 days and quality update can be delayed for 30 days. Or Reinstall windows 8.1 and keep that.

It looks as though I will need to reinstall Windows 10 'from scratch' using the latest version 1703 ISO, and see whether than fixes the problem. At least it will remove all the historical accretion of a year's worth of updates!