"Select an app" freeze

When Windows displays a box stating, "Select an app to open this [file extension] file" the system freezes. I haven't had any luck with web searches. Due to difficulties with my Windows 10 machine and the looming forced "upgrade" to W11 I recently gave in (Dec23) and upgraded. (grrr :)) This problem has been the most important reward. I wonder whether I will be forced to undertake some drastic overhaul of the system. I have seen a number of references to Settings causing crashes, and I wonder if it's related, but I've not seen anything exactly on point. TIA

If it has been less then 10 days since you upgraded to Windows 11, you can Roll Back to Windows 10.

If you want to stay with Windows 11. Start a Command Prompt as Admin. Copy and Paste or type the following Bold Command and press Enter

DISM /Online /CLEANUP-IMAGE /RestoreHealth after that completes, type this bold command and press Enter

SFC /scannow

When this completes restart the computer. These commands replace any missing system or corrupted system files.

Spunk said:

If it has been less then 10 days since you upgraded to Windows 11, you can Roll Back to Windows 10.

How to Downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10

Want to go back to Windows 10?

www.howtogeek.com

If you want to stay with Windows 11. Start a Command Prompt as Admin. Copy and Paste or type the following Bold Command and press Enter

DISM /Online /CLEANUP-IMAGE /RestoreHealth after that completes, type this bold command and press Enter

SFC /scannow

When this completes restart the computer. These commands replace any missing system or corrupted system files.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice. I ran the procedure but it hasn't worked, regrettably. I won't go back to Win 10 because, as I mentioned, it was becoming unreliable and caused me to give my dear old PC a motherboard transplant so I could "upgrade". I had quaintly imagined that the OS had been out long enough for all the main bugs to have been dealt with. Since my machine is bog-standard it's surprising to me that it has an apparently novel bug. It did not occur in Win 10. I have a hundred or programs so I am not busting to do a clean install, though I had had that in mind to fix the Win10 bother, and had backed everything up. I did note that today, as previously, I think, when dealing with a freeze, killing Explorer disappeared the "select an app" box. I still had to sign out, though.

You can try a repair install. Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade Tutorial

I suppose that's a logical step given the lack of a similar problem having arisen. Thanks for your advice. I suspect that I've inherited some unhappy bits from the W10 which have corrupted my 11.

Toranaboy said:

I suspect that I've inherited some unhappy bits from the W10 which have corrupted my 11.

Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing. Whatever is causing your problem I hope the repair install fixes it.

I will get to the repair after New Year's Eve which starts very shortly here. May I wish you a happy and prosperous new year.