Windows 10: Can't install any new programs . Could not find Start Menu\Programs folder 0x2; 197

Well the title says it all.I for some reason cannot install anything new due to Error details: 0x80070003; Could not find Start Menu\Programs folder 0x2; 197any help here?

:)

 

Files missing from "Start Menu" "All Programs"

RE: WINDOWS 7 ULTIMATE 32bit, Files missing from "Start Menu" "All Programs" list.

I have several "start menu" programs missing in my "all programs" list. One of the missing entries is the "accessories" folder and all related files.

As far as I can tell all of the missing files are on the system and they can be found by using the "start menu search" facility. This problem is occurring with other users but I can not find a solution which works to get things back the way they were after installing the OS.

I am seeing the missing apps and other items at this location in iexplore.exe %allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs .

Everything I have tried to get these items back into my "start menu" "all programs" list has been met with failure except creating a shortcut. A shortcut is not the real fix as it leaves two entries in the folder.

When I right click on the highlighted "all Programs" box, in the start menu, a small options list pops up, if "open all users" is selected a new window pops up. Inside that window I can click on the programs folder where I can see the missing entries that should appear on my "all programs" list plus those which I presently see on my "all programs" list together in a single directory listing.

How can I get the above directory list of programs back into the "start menu" "all programs" area so I do not have to go through this extra window and select the programs folder to locate what I wish to run?

I also noticed my accessories folder has a lock on it while I am in the primary user administrator account. If you know how to get rid of the lock it would be helpful however I can find that information when I get a chance to look up the answer?

I noticed some hidden (first tier) folders on the C: drive which I made visible while leaving protection on the OS folders. I can now see these folders in an iexplore.exe directory listing. This did not fix the problem in the "all programs" file selection list and I do not remember if this folder was hidden when the OS was installed.

When I opened up the system to allow a login directly into the Administrator account everything shows up the same as it did when the OS installed along with all other programs installed afterward.

After some progress I am still here *Bang Head :banghead: and slowly getting closer to an answer. Can anyone help me get there a little faster?

 

Program missing from Start Menu

I'm running windows 10, build 1607 (work machine, *I* can't update it)

A while back, I was trying to create a shortcut to Outlook and accidentally MOVED the shortcut out of the start menu folder.
(%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs)

I've re-added it, but it still doesn't show up in the start menu. New programs are added with no issue automatically.

I've followed all the troubleshooting steps I've found aside from a repair install:

• Ran the SCF in Powershell Admin, no issues found
• Reinstalled windows apps thru Powershell
• Deleting the start menu cache files so they are rebuilt
• I've seen several people reference the http://aka.ms/diag_StartMenu/ utility, but I get redirected to the Microsoft homepage. (bad link?)

Nothing has worked thus far. Outlook is most definitely in the folder, but is nowhere to be found in the start menu.

This drives me crazy, but some of the security software on my machine makes repair installs more trouble than its worth to fix this. (requires my computer to be decrypted, etc.)

Anyone else ran into this?

Any other suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

remove program from context menu when program no longer installed

Boy do I need your help! I have a context menu item that needs to be removed, but the associated program is no longer in the installed list of programs. The program is Format Factory, a favorite of mine in the past, it is no longer offered for Win 10. The error I get causes a "reboot" of Windows Explorer. Or sometimes it hangs the whole system requiring a hard reboot. And if I try to run a new folder command from normal places, I also get the error. As a workaround I've created empty folders, "__New Folder," across my directory structure. I can copy these via a "CTRL-mouse select & drag" to get new folders into my system. But, I'd like to return to more normal operations. I need step by step instructions on how to change my context menu list. Thanks, Windows Version is 22H2 (OS Build 19045.3208) on Windows 10.