Windows 10: Cannot hover on, open, or install various files

There are multiple related issues here. This is what I can't do on my PC with Windows 10 (Operating nicely for about a year);
1. Select a file by opening the Start tab
2. Right click on a pinned program to select a 'recent file'
3. Select a file when opening the 'Notifications' icon bottom right corner
4. Open, then keep open, IE
5. Open task manager
6. Install pretty much any software. Producing this error message "Extended attributes are inconsistent"

In cases 1 - 5 when I move my mouse over a selection/ dropdown/ choice menu/ option, the action closes and goes back to the normal desktop window.

Re 6: I've tried many suggested fixes. None have worked as they nearly all lead back to issues 1 - 5 or 6 pops up for that fix. Three examples I've tried;
Going to sound manager and ensuring 'Windows Default sound" is active... does nothing.
Downloading anti-spyware, malware, MicrosoftProgram_install_unistall software. These just produce the No 6 issue
Accessing admin privileges to do various things. Frankly I've forgotten the specifics on this one. Just that nothing worked according to the suggestions

I have done a deep scan using AVG antivirus software. It found various issues, none of which made a difference

Perhaps related to a common problem, I had a quite new and largely underused external thumb-drive plugged in. I hadn't accessed or used it for a couple of weeks. I went to save a file to it and it insisted on formatting. Frustrated, I decided throwing it in the bin would be less bothersome

Obviously.... please help. Oh, I'm not greatly PC tech savvy. Relative understanding, but technical solutions will probably lose me

:)

 

Folders will not open when I hover files over them.

i am able to drag and drop, my problem is that i cannot drag and drop directly into a sub folder as when i hover the files i want to move over a folder it does not open.

 

Not able to maximize Photoshop from taskbar

This happens only on my surface pro 3 running windows 10 (clean install). If I open photoshop, and minimize it, I cannot maximize it by clicking on the taskbar icon. I can see the preview when I hover on it, but when I click I just get the error sound.
Happens only when a file is open. Cannot replicate the issue on my desktop running windows 10 either, and others dont seem to have the same problem. Any ideas?

 

Hi,
First please try this basic check on your disk.
Download and install Hard Disk Sentinel (trial) and post a screenshot of its window for each of your disks. (Your specs don't tell me much about your PC so it could be disk or disks).
Use the Insert Image icon above your post to the left of the video icon to post the screenshot)

1. Do you have a system restore point you can use? (System restore has been around since Windows XP).
2. I guess you haven't created any of - a recovery disk- a disk image - means of restoring your system when things go wrong.
3. What is your Windows build? You can find out by
- Windows key + R, type winver
4. If you create a new user for test purposes, do you notice any change in your symptoms?
5. If you see the same or most of the same in a new user account, then I suggest, given your multiple symptoms, the next thing to try is an in-place upgrade repair install (which keeps all your programs and most settings).
(Rather than trying SFC /SCANNOW etc)

But I need the answer to (3) before proceeding with that.

Notes:

- either SFC /Scannow or System Restore worked for some:
Extended attributes are inconsistent - Microsoft Community
- but this isn't the only symptom in this case.

 

Thank you for trying to help. If anything I say sounds aggressive or such, it is because of frustration.
I downloaded Hard Disk Sentinel and had problem 6) cannot install software
I tried to create a new user but had problem 1) Can't access Start tab
I tried doing a system restore (from about a year ago) through control panel, but hovering over the area closes it down
Here are various screen shots



I couldn't take a screen shot, so yes... it is a photo instead. As you can see there is no yes option. All install problems look like this. Moving the mouse over it to try to click on anything leads to:




Here are my Windows details




Looking up "how to log on as admin"



Leads me straight to having to go to the Start tab... which I can't click on anything from

 

Ok, that illustrates a number of your difficulties. You should be able to do the following which is written to try to account for things you can't do - unless something else occurs.

As you can't install programs, I doubt you'd be able to do an in-place upgrade repair install, which may be the option you'd need to have any chance of repairing your current configuration given the multiple problems.

Backups and a clean install
Do you have full backups of your data and program licenses etc?
I strongly suspect you will have to do a clean install.Do you have much installed or configured? If not, that's what I'd recommend, assuming your disk is ok (below).

Your Windows version
Boot normally, then
Windows key + R, winver
and post the build number. (Just type it).

You should see sthg like this:




Your current user id
Are you running as a standard user or as admin?

System Restore
Noted your restore points are too old to be of much practical use.
(It should be possible to start System Restore by another means - but I wouldn't rely on a restore point that old).

Disk test
To test your disk, please download the portable version of Hard Disk Sentinel:
You can't install programs; portable programs don't require installation.
Portable Hard Disk Sentinel Professional Download
If that doesn't work for some reason, try
Portable HD Tune Download

Please post a screenshot.
Launch the snipping tool like this (if this works on your broken system)
Windows key + R
C:\Windows\system32\SnippingTool.exe
If neither of those programs works then there's another option which takes more time... but gives you an extremely useful boot disk which is a good tool to have:
Please download and prepare Kyhi's boot disk (DVD/flash drive/USB drive), available from the top of the Software and Apps section here. Boot your PC from that (remember to change the boot order in BIOS if you've not already done that).

Run HDTune and post a screenshot. (As you're booting from that disk, the Snipping tool should be available to save an image).

If the disk test fails, do not proceed further.

The next two steps are just assessment. If you would be happy to do a clean install, skip these. Remember, anything other than a clean install is unlikely to be feasible.

New User
As you can't use the start menu, instead try
Windows key + X, click on Control Panel, User Accounts and proceed from there.

(The Start menu is really only a convenient group of shortcuts- so it's usually possible to do all it can (bar the start menu tiles of course) by other means if you know - or search for- how).

Log in as the new user. Do you notice any change in your symptoms?
If you see the same or most of the same in a new user account, Windows is corrupt.

Safe Mode
Boot to safe mode (E.g. via SHIFT + left click on Restart and navigate through the prompts).
If unsure, see the Tutorial section here and search for Safe Mode.

Does the Start Menu work in Safe Mode?
Do you see any other problems in Safe Mode?