So clarify please..
The file explorer is open as if you requested it (clik) from start or pinned shortcut on startup?
I would try open the file explorer and with nothing selected / highlighted clik the 3 dots "see more" thingy go to options and reset to default all the tabs..
then I would unpin it from desktop and or task bar and do a shutdown and boot and start there ..
before the shut down if it were my system I would uninstall the google but that's a personal thing.
I gave up on google after a friend casually asked me about my wife's rover and I was spammed for months on my .ch proton account.
So, on startup the chrome browser window is open or opens unrequested?
pretty much, ditch and re-acquire come to mind if you have exhausted all the ways you can imagine it has acquired permission and you must have it. make sure you have checked all the properties thorough yeah?
Another option is have google without having it by simply having google as a bookmark in the native browser.
on one of my old linux boxes I have just the old mozilla and thunderbird for browser and google bookmarked, the google acts exactly as it does as if it were installed including bookmarks settings options and gmail access.
~peace
