HUGE PROBLEM: Windows 11 booting to black screen with cursor

I've run into this issue on my wife's Dell Vostro 5581.

The update from Windows 10 Pro to Windows 11 Pro went smoothly with the only issue being the 1 - 2 hour wait time at startup in order to be shown the login screen when pressing a key/clicking a mouse (it was just a black screen with mouse cursor otherwise).

Went into Device Manager, then System Devices and then right-clicked on Intel Integrated Sensor Solution and selected Disable Device.

This did resolve the issue - but only temporarily.

When the 5581 was upgraded to Windows 11 it was upgrade to 22H2. So, when Windows 11 upgraded to version 24H2 - it enabled the Intel Integrated Sensor Solution again which caused a wait time of 1- 2 hours before logging in.

So I was after a more permanent solution. The Dell laptop was up to date with everything so I wasn't sure what to do and didn't want to try using drivers not from Dell for the Intel Integrated Sensor Solution.

It is interesting, though, on 24H2 that instead of a black sreen at sign in you are now shown a "Please wait" with the rotating circle of dots.

The downgrade to firmware 2.15.1 does appear to have rectified the issue.

To do the downgrade I simply downloaded the first file that runs on Windows (not the one bootable via usb) and when I ran it I was given a message that I was downgrading. All went well.

I think you do have to make sure that the setting in the UEFI/BIOS that allows downgrading has to be enabled though. I can't recall where that is exactly at this stage but it is in there.

I really don't know why UEFI/BIOS 2.15.1 fixes this issue and earlier/later versions bring it back. This is something that does need to be looked into.