KB5074109 broke EP

[BobHalverson]

Before reporting your issue

• I have confirmed that this issue does not happen when ExplorerPatcher is not installed
• I do not have "register as shell extension" enabled
• I have tried my best to check existing issues

Repro ExplorerPatcher versions

Ver 26100.4946.69.6

Repro Windows Versions

25h2 26200.7462

3rd party tweak software installed

Windhawk

Describe the bug

Some aspects of EP no longer worked after KB5074109 was installed.
Specifically Quick Launch Toolbar -- probably others but I quickly restored to a previous point.
Delayed all Windows updates for 5 weeks to give time for EP to make adjustments as needed,

Expected outcome

Fix EP to work after KB5074109 install.

Actual outcome

Presently, EP does not function properly with KB5074109 installed.

Additional info

No response

Crash Dumps

No response

Media

No response

[pyrates999]

Open up EP Properties application, go to taskbar, and set taskbar style to Windows 10 (ExplorerPatcher), not Windows 10. We no longer offer support on the stock Windows 10 taskbar.

https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/wiki/Frequently-asked-questions#i-just-installed-explorerpatcher-but-my-taskbar-stays-the-stock-windows-11-taskbar-how-to-change-it-to-the-windows-10-one

please see this for more info: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/wiki/ExplorerPatcher's-taskbar-implementation

if you do not see Windows 10 (ExplorerPatcher), you need to uninstall and install the latest version of EP from here: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/releases

you upgraded to windows 11 24h2/25h2 from 23h2/24h2 without uninstalling EP first before doing the upgrade

[BobHalverson]

taskbar style is already set to to Windows 10 (ExplorerPatcher),

[pyrates999]

how is the quick launch bar not working for you?

[BobHalverson]

It is not there --------- when I right-clicked on the taskbar I got nothing.

Have you installed KB5074109 yet?
If so, did everything still work OK for you?

[BobHalverson]

One side comment -- I'm trying to remember what happened when I restored.
As mentioned, when I right-clicked on the taskbar I got nothing.
After the restore, right-clicking on the taskbar still got nothing.
I Googled that -- they said to stop File Explorer and restart it.

taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe

Everything worked OK after that.
I don't think quick launch worked until i did that.
Maybe can reinstall KB5074109 and then stop/restart File Explorer to see if that would have fixed it there too.

Still wondering if you've installed KB5074109 yet, and if so, did everything still work OK for you...

[pyrates999]

show me an image of what you get when you right click on the taskbar. Use an application called snipping tool so you can do screen shots.

[BobHalverson]

Here is the sequence of events:
● Installed KB5074109
● No Quick Launch
● Tried to fix -- nothing happens when right-click task bar
● Restored to prior setup
● Successful, but still no Quick Launch
● Tried to fix -- nothing happens when right-click task bar
● Stopped & restarted File Explorer
● Everything now works

[pyrates999]

so it is fixed when you kill explorer.exe and run explorer.exe again?

[BobHalverson]

yes

[pyrates999]

I asked for an image of when you right click on the taskbar because some people say they see no quick launch toolbar option and they see a different menu showing up. That is fixable with an option in EP.

They also don't realize that the taskbar has changed back to windows 11.

[pyrates999]

I run windows 10 22h2.

[BobHalverson]

I reinstalled KB5074109 and then stopped/restarted File Explorer to see if that would restore my missing quick launch toolbar.
It did ----------- hope I don't have to do this every time I start this laptop, but things appear to be working.

File Explorer has since randomly stopped a few times -- about once an hour..
Not sure if that is a KB5074109 thing or EP thing, but it's quite annoying.

Leaving this open so it has some continued visibility for a while (for others who may be experiencing this problem).

[BobHalverson]

No more File Explorer crashes -- who knows -- it may have been caused by EP updates.
Everything seems stable now...