Navigator (and Spyder) won't open BUT ONLY when laptop docked

Hi folks,

All was originally well with my Anaconda install. I just moved from Kaspersky to Windows Defender, and found that Navigator and Spyder would no longer open and there are no error messages/logs. Defender is not blocking anything either based on its logs. I have carried out a clean reinstall. I searched online for a solution and came across:

Spyder is not starting anymore · Issue #21217 · spyder-ide/spyder · GitHub

Here the user notes a workaround that has also worked for me with the same docking station:

“I’m working currently with a laptop which is connected to a Lenovo ThinkPad Docking Station to use another screen. When I disconnect the dock, Spyder is starting, when connected I’m running into this issue. However, if I start Spyder and connect the laptop afterwards, Spyder is still working. Probably it’s a problem with the firmware of the docking station.”

This issue is from last year and was expected to be fixed in a recent version of Spyder but it has not. But for me the issue also affects Navigator. Once I undock my laptop, I can open both apps, and when I redock, the apps remain open. However if I open Navigator this way, then redock and try to open Spyder from Navigator, I get the error code “Exit code: 3221225477”.

There are no firmware updates for the docking station. I wonder if others have had this same problem?

Thanks,
Darren.