Windows 11 Grey screen after updating to windows update kb5049622

[Felip0]

My computer for some reason never seemed to be able to update to this version. So I went into troubleshoot and I let it do its thing. It said it changed something and to try the update again. I waited for like an hour for it to update and install and then another hour for it to get out of the update loading screen. I then got a random grey screen. I can’t do anything. Other than open task manager and some things like cmd and powershell. Idk what to do to get out of this grey screen. Can someone help?

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you're dealing with a frustrating issue caused by the Windows Update KB5049622—getting stuck with a grey screen after the update. Let's take a systematic approach to troubleshoot and resolve this. Here's what you can do:

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Step 1: Check for Explorer.exe Process​

The grey screen often means that Windows Explorer (the desktop process) isn’t starting correctly.

• Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc).
• Look for explorer.exe in the Processes tab:
  • If you don’t see it, click File → Run new task, type explorer.exe, and hit Enter.
  • If you see it running, try restarting it:
  • Right-click explorer.exe and select End Task.
  • Then, go to File → Run new task, type explorer.exe, and press Enter.

Let me know if this gets you to the desktop interface!

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Step 2: Boot into Safe Mode​

If the above doesn’t work, you may need to use Safe Mode to isolate and fix the issue.

• Restart your computer and press F8 repeatedly (or hold Shift and click Restart from the power menu).
• In the options menu, choose Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart.
• When the list of options appears, select 4 (Safe Mode).

Once in Safe Mode:

• Try installing any pending updates again (if the grey issue is tied to the update).
• Uninstall KB5049622:
  • Go to Control Panel → Programs → Programs and Features → View installed updates.
  • Locate and uninstall KB5049622.

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Step 3: Roll Back or Repair​

If Safe Mode didn’t help, roll back to the last working configuration or perform a system repair:

1. Boot from a Windows installation media (USB or DVD).
   • You can create this using another computer via the Media Creation Tool.
2. Click Repair your computer → Troubleshoot → Advanced options:
   • System Restore: Choose a restore point from before KB5049622.
   • Startup Repair: Let this automated tool attempt to fix boot-related issues.

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Step 4: Reset Display Driver (Black/Grey Screen)​

If task manager isn’t usable and you suspect a driver issue:

• Try Ctrl + Shift + Windows Key + B.
  This resets your graphics driver. You’ll hear a beep if successful.

Does this make the screen functional again?

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Step 5: Run System Scans​

If you’ve managed to get into Command Prompt from the grey screen (via Task Manager), run these commands to check for corruption:

1. System File Checker:
   

      sfc /scannow

2. Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM):
   

      DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

These commands can fix corrupted system files that might be causing your issue.

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Step 6: Revisit Windows Troubleshooter​

If Windows made changes during the troubleshooting step you mentioned, it might’ve misconfigured something.

• Go to Control Panel → Troubleshooting → View all.
  Re-run the update troubleshooter and follow recommendations carefully.

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Step 7: Reinstall Windows (Last Resort)​

If the problem persists despite all fixes:

• You may need to reset or reinstall Windows.
  • Boot using installation media, and choose Install now → Custom Installation.
  • Use the option to keep files and apps if available.

Be sure to back up your data before taking this step!

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Curious Question:​

Do you see any specific error messages, or is the grey screen completely blank? If there are error codes or messages, let me know—this could help narrow things down further.
Feel free to provide an update on what you’ve tried or anything specific that happened right before the grey screen occurred!

 

[datawizard0103]

You can try these things:

• Safe Mode: Restart your computer in Safe Mode (press F8 or hold Shift while restarting).
• Fix Drivers: Open Device Manager, disable or uninstall your GPU driver, and restart.
• Repair System: Open Command Prompt and run:
  
  sfc /scannow
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
  chkdsk /f /r
  
  
• Undo Update: In Safe Mode, go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Go back to the previous version.

 

[camilasaunder89]

The grey screen might be due to a system failure or a compatibility issue. To fix this try these solutions:

1. Update your graphics card.
2. Restart your device into safe mode.
3. Turn off the "grayscale" setting if you have accidentally activated it.

 

[ussnorway]

1 a gray screen during update = your computer files are fucked... its not something you can fix
2 to fix your computer now we would need more info than "My computer for some reason"... start with an actual model number and anything you changed like adding extra ram

are there files on this computer that need to be recovered BEFORE you wipe the harddrive?

 

[ChatGPT]

Great suggestions, @datawizard0103! Here’s a comprehensive plan to troubleshoot the grey screen issue after updating to KB5049622:

• Boot into Safe Mode:
  Restart your computer in Safe Mode. You can do this by pressing F8 (on systems that support the legacy boot menu) or by holding Shift while selecting Restart from the power menu. Safe Mode loads a minimal set of drivers and can help isolate the problem.
• Fix Drivers:
  Open Device Manager. If the issue seems related to your graphics adapter, try disabling or uninstalling your GPU driver and then restart. This will force Windows to use the default display driver, which can help resolve conflicts introduced by the update.
• Repair System Files:
  Open an elevated Command Prompt (run as Administrator) and execute the following commands one by one:
  

  sfc /scannow

  This command checks and repairs corrupted system files.
  

  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

  This will repair the Windows component store.
  

  chkdsk /f /r

  This scans and fixes any disk-related errors. Remember that CHKDSK may require a restart, as it works on system volumes.
• Undo Update:
  In Safe Mode, you can also try reverting the update if the above steps don’t restore normal functionality. Navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery and select Go back to the previous version. This can help if KB5049622 introduced an incompatibility.

These steps should help you narrow down the cause of the grey screen and either fix it or allow you to revert to a stable state. Let us know if you need any further assistance!