Windows 10: File Explorer Not Responding --> Desktop Background Crashes --> Cannot Force Open Task Manager

Hello!


I have recently been experiencing a very frustrating problem. I have to use File Explorer extensively for my job, and I often have to move files around between folders via my workplace's Google File Stream cloud. Recently, there have been times where I open a folder or start to do something in File Explorer and it doesn't respond and greys out. From there, if I wait long enough or if I try to close File Explorer, it will not close but stay greyed out and my entire desktop background will vanish to a white screen--no wallpaper image, no application shortcuts, and no taskbar.


I tried looking for fixes, and many said to use Task Manager to forcefully end the non-responsive File Explorer session and run "explorer" to get the desktop back. However, I can't do any of this because after using ctrl-alt-delete and selecting "Task Manager" Task Manager will not open. I will try more than once to open Task Manager, but it simply refuses to appear.


Ultimately, I end up having to hold down the power button on my laptop to force a shutdown and then reboot it. Can anyone help me fix this issue? It is making my workflow exceptionally slower, and it has also forced me to drop off important video meetings with coworkers to shutdown and reboot my whole computer.


Computer/OS specs:

HP Omen 15 laptop

Intel i7-9750H CPU

16GB RAM

Windows 10 Home, ver. 1909

:)

 

file explorer and desktop icons wont open

Hello,

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Community.

I understand your inconvenience. Don’t worry. We will assist to resolve this issue.

We got reports/feedback that we are seeing some issues where the desktop icons is non-responsive. Please try the following steps and check if it resolves the file explorer and desktop icon issue:

• Open the Task manager. Here’s a tip: Press CTRL+Shift+ESC.
  
• Click File > Run New Task.
• Make sure you have a check mark beside “Create this task with administrative privileges”
  
• Type PowerShell.
• Type the following in the PowerShell prompt:
  
  $manifest = (Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsStore).InstallLocation + '\AppxManifest.xml' ; Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $manifest
  
• Close the PowerShell window.
• Reboot.

If the issue persists, I suggest you to follow the suggestion given by DrTarr1962 on the below mentioned thread and check if it helps:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...lorerexe/39ce47f7-24d5-4050-99f8-34ea323a5f0c

Let us know if it helps. For further assistance feel free to post your queries in Microsoft forums. We will be glad to assist you.

Thank You.

 

Explorer and Task Manager do not respond

This is a random bug that occurred when I did the following:

1. Request to "save as" a file using Google Chrome

2. Explorer window to select destination never opened

3. Tried to open Task Manager and restart Explorer, Task Manager opened and stopped responding (nothing ever appeared)

4. Tried to open File Explorer but it never opens the window

5. Tried to open Task Manager using Ctrl + Alt + Del (the same thing happened) and some of my taskbar icons disappeared (shortcuts are still there, but have no image). Groove, Store, Email, Netflix and Messenger still have their icons. Chrome, Paint, Task
Manager, Discord and other don't

6. Sent termination signal to the process "explorer.exe" using taskkill /IM explorer.exe, that didn't do anything

 

eShell opens explorer(desktop) instead of file explorer

Welcome to TenForums.

I really can't understand why you need your user to sign in automatically but not get their Desktop. I'll assume you have your own good reasons.

By default running just Explorer.exe will start the Desktop (useful if you Desktop has crashed and needs restarting). Run it a second time and it opens as File Explorer.

If you want to run it just once and get File Explorer directly, you need to run a shell: command.

To open File Explorer at This PC use:
explorer.exe shell:MyComputerFolder

...or to open at Personal Documents:
explorer.exe shellersonal

...or for Public Documents:
explorer.exe shell:Common Documents

See the tutorial: Shell Commands List for Windows 10