Nice work on finding a solution. The driver was next possible cause of the error I was planning to check after eliminating the possibility of an access conflict, but you were one step ahead!
The problem of uploads failing when the latest version of the CH340 driver is installed is common when using Arduino boards obtained from unreliable sources (e.g., random sellers on eBay, Amazon, Aliexpress). The problematic boards typically have a CH340 chip that is not marked (the good chips have "WCH CH340G" written on the top), which appears to be the case with the board on the left in your picture.
It is possible the problem will come back after Windows updates the driver back to the problematic version. If so, comment here and I'll provide instructions you can follow to make a persistent installation of the compatible driver version.