Windows 10: Please help me security centre is not showing and windows security is not opening

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Windows Defender Security Centre will not open

Windows Defender Security Centre will not open.

In the Task Bar the little shield with a green tick is present. Double clicking does nothing. Right clicking brings up a menu but selecting an option does nothing.

Opening 'Windows Security' from the 'Settings' page opens up a window with:

• Open Windows Defender Security Centre - Clicking this does nothing
  
• Virus & threat protection - Clicking this does nothing
  
• Account protection - Clicking this does nothing
  
• Firewall & network protection - Clicking this does nothing
  
• App & browser control - Clicking this does nothing
  
• Device security - Clicking this does nothing
  
• Device performance & health - Clicking this does nothing
  
• Family options - Clicking this does nothing
  

Windows update is on and up to date. This is a valid/licensed and microsoft account linked version of win 10

 

Windows Defender Security Centre will not open

Windows Defender Security Centre will not open.

In the Task Bar the little shield with a green tick is present. Double clicking does nothing. Right clicking brings up a menu but selecting an option does nothing.

Opening 'Windows Security' from the 'Settings' page opens up a window with:

• Open Windows Defender Security Centre - Clicking this does nothing
• Virus & threat protection - Clicking this does nothing
• Account protection - Clicking this does nothing
• Firewall & network protection - Clicking this does nothing
• App & browser control - Clicking this does nothing
• Device security - Clicking this does nothing
• Device performance & health - Clicking this does nothing
• Family options - Clicking this does nothing

I have removed all other AV and this also changes nothing. Windows update is on and up to date. This is a valid/licensed and microsoft account linked version of win 10 (1803). Windows Defender Version:
1.273.768.0 (03/08/18)

I was previously using avast AV and have removed it, I am now trying to use WDef and while it says its working I can not manually scan or open it.

Please help

 

Windows Defender Security Centre crashes on opening

Every time I try to open Windows Defender Security Centre, the window opens and closes immediately. There is no error logged in the event logs.

The old Windows Defender interface - MSASCui.exe opens just fine; the problem lies with MSASCuiL.exe which crashes instantly after opening.

I do not have any other antivirus software installed, nor have I ever. Scans with Microsoft Safety Scanner and MSASCui.exe do not find any malware.

Steps tried

1. All the steps listed here on the troubleshooting article.

2. sfc /scannow reveals no problems

3. dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth completes successfully but to no avail

4. Clean boot performed

5. In-place install performed

6. Attempted to open in safe mode

None of the steps above seem to work.

I am using a desktop I built myself, running windows 10 v1703 build 15063.632. The Defender Security Centre has worked in the past but for some strange reason has not for the past week, or so I noticed.

Please do assist - a clean fresh install is however not an acceptable solution as this is a critical work computer.