https://www.ubackup.com/windows-11/windows-11-taskbar-not-working-after-update.html

Appreciate the reply but I don't see much there that is applicable.   Most of it is how to fix the taskbar after it freezes, I want to stop it from freezing in the first place.   It has to be something that affecting all 10 computers so a corrupt file is unlikely although the fresh install of Windows 11 would have taken care of that anyway.   Puzzling!

How did you reinstall Win 11?  I suggest start from the Win 11 install process QC itself: prepare a fresh clean installation media by downloading directly from Microsoft. Use a different usb key to prepare a new media. Try install again.

I would also be curious to test install Win 10 latest on one of the 10 unit just to see if a similar task bar freeze occurs there.

I used the media creation tool and rufus to create the usb drive.  I used two different drives so I could two installs at a time.  

Trying W10 is a good idea but what do I do then if it doesn’t freeze?  Don’t want to be stuck on 10 for the life of the machines.  

 I think given all 10 have same problem it is either the current Win 11 version issue or current Dell bios version.  Both of which keep evolving so your current state of affairs of taskbar freezing is likely affected by both for the rest of their lifetime, for better or for worse unfortunately.  This is a brand new Dell model with a long future so stay buckled up figuratively speaking.  Hope the MS-Dell alliance gives a less bumpy ride.

I think I'm coming to that realization as well.   You would think others have ran into this as well and there would be an uproar about it.  I've been hesitant to contact support because I'm not sure what they are going to do but its probably best to at least get it documented.  

Hi Aschrades,

I recently deployed eight of these machines and am having the same taskbar freezing issues across all of them.  The Dell Model number is 6F73R.  I have run them through the gauntlet of troubleshooting and am at the point of probably calling Dell.  I have another Dell machine, model 55VH2, that is almost the same spec-wise.  As far as I know, it has not had the taskbar issues.  It is a shared machine and used less so that might be a factor.  

I also thought it was a problem with the image at first, but the issue occurred on a PC that did not have an image applied.  I am planning on calling Dell this week to see if they have any solutions.  Just wanted to chime in and let you know that it's not just you.

An update to my previous post: The 55VH2 and 6F73R are basically the same machine.  The 55VH2 does not have a DVDRW drive.  I looked at the Bios version on the 55VH2 and it is 1.7.1.  The version on 6F73R is 1.9.  I am going to see if a downgrade to 1.7.1 works.  I think it's the only thing I haven't tried at this point.

@mentalfrost​ Sorry to hear you are having the same issues, but I'm glad I'm not alone.  It's driving me crazy!  This is still an issue and my customer emails me once a week or so asking what the status is.  I'm out of ideas so I just say they are working on it.   Let me know how the BIOS downgrade goes.  If you have good luck with that I'll give it a shot too.  I'm on 1.11 currently.  I don't have the model number off hand but they are i5-13500T, 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD.  

Taskbar locked or unlocked?  Not sure if that was tried already.