It looks like you’re ready to dive into the specifics! Since we are in January 2026, there are some very high-priority issues currently affecting Windows 11 (specifically versions 24H2 and 25H2) and Windows 10.
Here are the detailed steps for the most critical “trending” issues right now:
🚨 Critical: The “January 2026 Boot Failure” (KB5074109)
Many users are reporting a Black Screen of Death or a loop with the error UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME after the January 13th security update.
The Solution (Manual Uninstall)
If you cannot get into your desktop, you must use the Recovery Environment:
- Enter WinRE: Turn your PC on and off 3 times while the logo is showing to force “Automatic Repair” mode. Select Advanced Options.
- Navigate: Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Uninstall Updates.
- Action: Select Uninstall latest quality update.
- Restart: Once finished, your PC should boot normally.
Note: Microsoft has released an “emergency” out-of-band patch (KB5078127) to fix this, so check for updates again once you’re back in.
📧 Outlook & Cloud Storage Freezes
A bug in the recent update causes Classic Outlook to hang with a “Not Responding” message, particularly if you have .pst files stored on OneDrive.
The Workaround
- Move Data Files: Move your
.pstfiles out of the OneDrive folder to a local folder (e.g.,C:\OutlookData). - Kill Process: If Outlook is stuck, press
Ctrl + Shift + Esc, findOutlook.exe, and click End Task. - Alternative: Use the Web version of Outlook until the specific hotfix is applied to your machine.
⚡ Performance: Deep System Repair
If your PC is lagging or apps are crashing, use these two commands in order. They are the “Gold Standard” for fixing Windows 2026 system corruption.
Step 1: DISM (Image Repair)
This connects to Microsoft servers to download fresh copies of corrupted files.
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Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
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Type:
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Wait for it to reach 100%.
Step 2: SFC (System File Checker)
This repairs your local installation using the fresh files DISM just verified.
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In the same Admin window, type:
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Restart your computer after it finishes.
🖥️ Taskbar & Start Menu Fix (2026 Method)
If the Taskbar is invisible or the Start menu won’t click, the “Iris” service or the AppX package is usually the culprit.
- The “Iris” Reset (Immediate Reboot):
Open Terminal (Admin) and paste this to clear the UI cache and restart:
reg delete HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\IrisService /f && shutdown -r -t 0 - The Re-registration:
If the above fails, run this in PowerShell (Admin):
Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}