Windows 10: Broken links in "Best Match" search results

Hi,For a long time now I've had problems with search in Windows 10. I'm currently on build 18363. I have web results turned off via gpe and I do not want to use Cortana.The issue: Searching in the task bar often returns dead links. Even for MS Edge. It looks something like this:Clicking the entry without icon does nothing. Clicking the one below opens MS Edge.Same happens with other programs that are listed fine when I open the start menu the old fashioned way.How do I tackle this? I've already rebuilt the search index a dozen times and created new user profiles.. to no avail.Thank you in

:)

 

Broken search result links

Ok so you'll need to try this to check if you have anything related to them.

Using 3rd party uninstallers is far safer than scanning the registry.

Download Revo uninstaller (free) and Locate32 (free). Now Revo won't list these programs 'cos
a. They may not be 'installed'
b. You've hacked the registry- which will most probably make Revo ineffective. However..

But it can be pointed at an exe belonging to the program and then do a scan.
You will use Locate 32 to find any folders related to the programs.


Note: to give you a second chance when things go wrong- or your disk fails- or you're infected with Ransomware - we strongly recommend using disk imaging (e.g. Macrium Reflect (free) + external storage.

With a disk image set, you could have restored an image and have your PC working as it was when you created the image- quite quickly, without technical help. Great tool! All regular contributors here use this or similar,

So this is what I'd do if I were in this mess.

1. Run Locate 32, and tell it to create an index. Wait for that.
Now type Gwent in the search box and see if it finds anything.
See if there are any exe files in the found folders (if any).

2. Run Revo Uninstaller.
Use the Forced Uninstall button



and browse to your exe.

Run Revo to remove what it can.

Repeat for any other remaining exe files.

2. Repeat the above for the other program.

3. Check these start menu folders for any occurrence of the two programs
C:\Users\<your id here>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
and remove any related shortcuts

4. Rebuild your search index

 

my search bar is broken

Using step 3 in the tutorial below to "Turn Off Search online and include web results from Bing" should fix the broken search in Windows 10. *Smile

Turn On or Off Search online and include web results in Windows 10

 

Mobile Search will not find all matching contacts

That's an interesting find.

I can confirm that on the N96 at least, if a contact has multiple numbers that match the search pattern, only the first one will be listed in the search results.