Windows 10: Lost <winkey+x> and <right-click> on start icon + can't pin to taskbar

Up until several hours ago, I could either press the Windows key ("winkey") + X, or <right-click> on the Windows icon at the left end of the task bar to pop up a very handy menu. Clicking on the Windows icon still pops open the Start Menu, though.

Also, I can no longer pin items to the taskbar. I do get the "Pin to Taskbar" pop-up at the cursor when I drag an icon to the taskbar, but it doesn't pin.

I suspect these two issues are related, but don't know how/why.

I ran sfc /scannow and found no errors.

(This is on my notebook with a clean install of Win10 Home.)

:)

 

windows 10/defragment and eliminate un used cookies

>>>>>>>defrag. and disc clean up feature, I can not find them anywhere on my computer<<<<<<<<<

Ronald,

Click on the Start button, then

Click on All Apps.

Scroll to Windows Administrative Tools.

Click on it to expand the tools.

Not sure what type of hard drive you have, but this is where you find Disk Defragment and Disk Cleanup. You can right click on Disk Cleanup and pin it to your Start Menu or pin it to your taskbar. If you would like a standard desktop icon, click on "Open
File Location." When the window opens, you can right click on

Dick Cleanup and "send to" desktop.

Brenda

 

Why do I not have access to “My Documents and Settings” in Windows 10?

>>>>>I need to change my adobe prefs, and I am not allowed access?<<<<<

You have to open your Adobe product to change preferences for that program. Are you logged in as an administrator?

>>>>>“My Documents and Settings”<<<<<

You can access all your documents by opening File Explorer. If you don't see the icon for File Explorer, you can find it by clicking on Start > All Apps > Windows System > File Explorer. You can right click on the File Explorer tile and pin it to your
taskbar.

In File Explorer, the Document folder is listed under This PC.

Do you not see Settings in your Start Menu?

Brenda

 

For WinX that can stop working if you delete the folder where all those shortcuts live.
If you delete the below folder it will stop working.

C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WinX

 

That folder is still there with Group1, Group2 and Group3 folders and their contents.

 

I had something similar; only Network Connections was showing on Win X. Checked the folder suggested and all the entries were there, but all except the Network line had old dates against them (2012). Checked the default user folder and all dates were 2015 - copied all the Win X group files from default user to my user and restarted and all now appear on Win X.

 

The Windows folder is dated 8/6/2015, the Winx sub folder is dated 7/10/2015, the Group1/Group2/Group3 folders are dated 7/10/2015.

Group1 contains 2 items, both dated 7/10/2015
Group2 contains 6 items, all dated 7/10/2015
Group3 contains 14 items, all dated 7/10/2105

C:\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Winx appeared to have identical contents and dates, but I renamed the Winx directory for my username, copied a new version from the default user and rebooted, but still no luck: no <Win+x> nor <right-click> on Start icon

 

Found the culprit. It was an unexpected/unintended side-effect from the registry hack in the Tutorials section to remove the arrow overlay on shortcut icons

That tutorial has now been updated (reverted to) a hack that leaves a faint (almost transparent) square on certain shortcuts (.url shortcuts) but at least it leaves the Winx function and the ability to pin shortcuts to the taskbar intact.