Hi Vache,
Based on your description and the timing with the KB5066835 (build 26100.6899) update, it seems that the update may have introduced a compatibility issue with USB input drivers within the WinRE environment. This is particularly problematic on systems like your Intel NUC7CJYH, which rely solely on USB 3.0 ports. If the updated WinRE image is missing or misconfiguring the necessary USB drivers, it can result in exactly what you're seeing a recovery screen that appears but doesn’t respond to any input.
The main Windows OS continues to function normally because it loads a full set of drivers during boot. However, WinRE uses a minimal driver set, and if the USB stack isn’t properly initialized there, your keyboard and mouse won’t work making it impossible to interact with recovery tools like Startup Repair, System Restore, or Command Prompt.
You’ve already tried several advanced steps including rebuilding WinRE, adjusting partition size, and reapplying the update which rules out many common causes. Here are a few next-level options you might consider:
Rebuild WinRE with USB 3.0 Drivers
You can manually mount the WinRE image, inject the correct USB 3.0 drivers, and then re-enable it. This ensures your recovery environment has the necessary support for your hardware.
If you’d like, I can guide you step-by-step through this process it involves using DISM to mount and modify the WinRE.wim file.
Use Bootable Windows Recovery USB
As a workaround, you can create a Windows 11 installation USB using the Media Creation Tool. Booting from this USB will give you access to the same recovery tools, including:
Startup Repair
System Restore
Command Prompt
System Image Recovery
This bypasses the broken WinRE on your internal drive and ensures your input devices work, since the installation media includes broader driver support.
Roll Back the Update
If the update was recent and you still have the Windows.old folder:
Go to Settings > Windows Update > Update History > Uninstall Updates.
Look for KB5066835 and uninstall it.
Restart and test WinRE again.
This issue appears to be affecting other users as well, especially on systems with only USB 3.0 ports. While Microsoft hasn’t officially acknowledged it yet, I recommend submitting feedback via Feedback Hub app - Microsoft Support to help bring attention to the problem.
Let me know how it goes, Happy to help you out!