Right-click on desktop yields spinning wheel indefinitely on Windows 10

This is an interesting issue affecting workstations with dual graphics adapters usually Intel and Nvidia if one of the driver packages for the graphics adapter is not installed properly.

[the problem]

When a user right-clicks on the desktop in Windows 10 (any build), the cursor turns to a spinning wheel and does not display the right-click contextual menu as expected.

The cause for this behavior is presumably a missing or improperly installed driver package for one of the discrete graphics adapters for which there is supposed to be a settings option on the right-click menu. Because the software isn’t installed properly the menu cannot enumerate the settings option and just spins.

[the resolution]

Install or re-install drivers for all system graphics adapters. This can be done with the system online via the device manager or by visiting the graphics manufacturers website and downloading the latest driver there.

This issue affects Dell Precision laptops and Lenovo Thinkpad P series notebooks for my customers. Both have two separate graphics adapters that are engaged for specific graphics intense applications.

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