Windows 10: Sound, Start Menu and Cortana stopped working

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Top be strictly correct, I don't have edge as a usable program. I have Mozilla as I found Edge to be very unusable. However, Microsoft has not only blocked it from Cortana, but has also not allowed it to be used as a search browser without lots of problems. One of these is that it deliberately corrupts some start up files, does not allow me to start up Fireworks in administrative mode, and also kills the start menu.
And all this without telling me. This sort of behaviour is ridiculous! Its like buying a Bentley and ten minutes after you buy it, it turns into a Ford or a Vauxhall. How can Microsoft justify this? No wonder they gave win10 away for free, and just at the last minute make what looked like a good OS turn into a broken wreck of a system. Despite following all the links that I can find, Other than yours at this moment in time) my system is no longer good for purpose. Thanks for your links - will have a look, but its taken me some 36 hours so far with no success. Lets hope that Classic Shell works on permanent basis. Every other method I have used lasts until about two reboots later, and then I have to start over.
Just checked the second link and this app How To Redirect Cortana Searches Back to Chrome on Windows 10 is now blocked by Microsoft.
Classic shell appears to be a utility that uses Internet explorer - another program that I cannot get along with..
Hopefully someone will bring out a utility that works with my favourite browser- Firefox.
Meantime, I have pinned all my programs on the desktop and do not use cortana for anything.
Pity - it was shaping up to become useful.
Just found that this has affected Microsoft Office. None of the Office programs on my system will open documents unless I revert to Edge as my browser. There should be no connection, but they do so when Edge is the default browser.
Linux - looks like you will be getting more customers unless Microsoft sorts itself out.

 

Hi, there's lots in the press about MS restricting Cortana to Edge - probably someone will come up with a current workaround.. there are many posts of the old one to change to a different browser/search engine.

It will be interesting if the EU takes issue with this again.

However, if your Win 10 start menu doesn't presently work, that's another matter. It's a problem many have faced, and if you search this forum for 'start menu doesn't work' 'start menu broken' you will find a good number of threads and some ideas you can use.

The start menu is tied closely to explorer, whereas Classic Shell is independent of it.

And no, Classic Shell is NOT tied to Internet Explorer. You can set the browser to what you want. There are comprehensive configuration settings. Please don't jump to conclusions in your wrath.




Can you see Firefox above the search box? I would think what you see there (IE or FF e.g.) depends on what you've set as default for your browser.

Here's that second link which I've just opened for you in FF:




Here's the download link (winaero is good!)
Downloads / Software / Cortana_Search overrides Cortanas search engine