Windows 11: Multiple Task Manager Columns Grayed Out

Windows 11: Multiple Task Manager Columns Grayed Out - Disk, Network, GPU, GPU Engine, Power Usage/Power Usage Trend - Drivers Installation Issue

Windows 11, the latest operating system from Microsoft, offers several improvements and new features compared to its predecessors. One of the most notable changes is the updated Task Manager, which provides more information and options for managing running applications and services. However, some users have reported an issue where several columns in the Task Manager, including Disk, Network, GPU, GPU Engine, Power Usage, and Power Usage Trend, are grayed out and cannot be enabled.

Cause of the Issue

The grayed-out columns in the Task Manager are usually caused by missing or outdated drivers for the hardware components associated with those columns. For example, if the Network column is grayed out, it could be due to a missing or outdated network adapter driver. Similarly, if the GPU column is grayed out, it could be due to a missing or outdated graphics card driver.

Solution

To resolve this issue, you need to ensure that all the necessary drivers for your hardware components are installed and up-to-date. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Press the Windows key + X and select Device Manager from the list.
2. Expand the categories for the hardware components associated with the grayed-out columns in the Task Manager, such as Network Adapters, Display Adapters, or Storage Controllers.
3. Right-click on each device and select Update Driver.
4. Choose Search automatically for drivers and follow the prompts to install any available updates.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for all the devices in each category.
6. Restart your computer and launch the Task Manager to check if the grayed-out columns are now enabled.

Additional Troubleshooting Steps

If updating the drivers does not resolve the issue, you can try the following steps:

1. Press the Windows key + R and type regedit to open the Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to the following key:
   HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Tcpip\Parameters

3. Right-click on the right pane and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
4. Name the new value TcpTimedWaitDelay and set the value data to 30.
5. Click OK and close the Registry Editor.
6. Restart your computer and launch the Task Manager to check if the grayed-out columns are now enabled.

The grayed-out columns in the Task Manager in Windows 11 are usually caused by missing or outdated drivers for the hardware components associated with those columns. To resolve this issue, you need to ensure that all the necessary drivers for your hardware components are installed and up-to-date. If updating the drivers does not resolve the issue, you can try additional troubleshooting steps, such as modifying the TcpTimedWaitDelay value in the Registry Editor.

References

• Windows 11 Task Manager: Multiple Columns Grayed Out - Drivers Issue - https://www.drivereasy.com/knowledge/windows-11-task-manager-multiple-columns-grayed-out/

• How to Fix Task Manager Columns Grayed Out in Windows 11 - https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-fix-task-manager-columns-grayed-out-in-windows-11/

• Windows 11 Task Manager: How to Use It and What Each Column Means - https://www.howtogeek.com/756027/windows-11-task-manager-how-to-use-it-and-what-each-column-means/