Windows 10: Start Button and taskbar not working

Please help. Windows 10 has worked pretty well since installing it a couple of months ago but last week suddenly the taskbar is empty and start button not working. I tried the powershell idea but as nothing shows up in the taskbar I can't run as administrator. I'm 62 years old and thought I was slightly tech savvy but this as me beat.

:)

 

windows 10 - start button and taskbar not working

Hi All,

Having a similar issue to many here. Today, I turn on my computer and notice:

1. screen resolution seems to have increased i.e. icons are now half the size the were yesterday

2. start button does not work with either left or right click.

3. taskbar does not show icons of open apps, but does allow right click e.g. to open task manager

4. time has disappeared from taskbar

5. windows key does not open start menu and does not work for the following shortcuts that i have tried:

W + D, W + A, W + S, W + C.

6. Windows key does work for W + R, W + L.

7. cortana does not work

Have searched the forums and have tried the following, without complete success:

in cmd as admin, run sfc/scannow = no issues

set firewall to on.

open powershell as admin and run Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

received many errors and the same issues as above continue.

tried creating a new account:

• Press [Ctrl]+[Shift]+[Escape] to start Task Manager.
• Click File -> Run new task.
• Type "cmd" into the Run dialog, tick Create this task with administrative privileges and click [OK].
• A command prompt window should open.
• Type/copy the following text and press [Enter]: net user Admin123 MyPassword /add
• Type/copy the following text and press [Enter]: net localgroup Administrators Admin123 /add
• Log off and login to the new Admin123 account. If it works correctly, you can migrate your data to the new user account. You are welcome to replace "Admin123" with your username of choice (just enclose it in quotes if it has a space, and be sure to use
  the same name in both commands). The login password will be "MyPassword". You can easily change it later.
• Log off
• Log on on new account
• done *

result was that taskbar worked in the new account, but the start button still did not.

my laptop came with 8.1 and i upgraded to 10.

need a solution from MS.

thanks,

J.

UPDATE - SOLUTION FOR MY ISSUE:

just tried a restart in safemode. to do this, i pressed windows key + L (if you windows key does not work, you can do ctrl + alt + delete to navigate to the switch user page). once in safe mode, everything worked. I then restarted as normal and everything
worked.

 

windows 10 - start button and taskbar not working

Try installing any pending updates. This happened to me ages ago and an update fixed it.

btw im not microsoft

 

Does right click at Start button still work ?

 

Questions :

1. Do you have the habit of creating restore point manually ?
2. Do you create system image backup regularly ?
3. You said "taskbar is empty". Does that mean all the icons at the extreme right ( the system tray ) also gone , or they are still there ?
I mean these ...............................

 

No to questions 1 and 2 but obviously something I need to find out about. Question 3 - I have the notification icon (the one that looks like a page with a tick at the bottom and with the up arrow (hidden icons) the only thing showing is skype online.

 

OK. We'll fix the current problem first. Keep in mind about system restore and system image backup. They are very very important. They are the first line of attack when you encounter computer problems.

Back to the issue on hand.
2 suggestions :
1. Run the Reset option. This will bring your Win 10 back to the 1st day it was installed.
This method only allows you to keep you personal files. All 3rd party programs have to be re-installed.

2. Download the current Windows 10 ISO file > use it to do a Repair install.
This method do allow you to keep you files, settings and apps.

Think about it and tell me which one you will choose.

 

I'm concerned about what I might lose. If I try 2 will I still lose everything?

 

I believe I have explained quite clearly in my last reply.
Please read it again.

 

My apologies. 2 it is then please.

 

OK. Use the link of Media Creation Tool (MCT) below.........

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...load/windows10

Download the Tool and run it.
Then select Create installation media for another PC
That will begin downloading the ISO file to your computer.
When download is completed, RIGHT click at the ISO > click Mount > click Setup.exe.
That will begin installing Windows 10.
You have the choice of keeping settings, files and apps, or keeping nothing.
No product key is required.
Activation will be automatic.

 

It is essentially reinstalling Windows 10. So, it will take some time.

Good luck.

 

I downloaded it, clicked finish at the end then a message popped up saying trying to delete files and now nothing at all. Was not able to do the right click etc. What do I do now?

 

What is the exact message.
Was it saying you did not have enough disk space ?

 

I had a blue box, which indicated progress of the tool download. I assume it had completed because a box popped up within the screen to click finish, which I did. The box disappeared, a small narrow window showed bottom left of screen above the non-working taskbar which had numbers etc, then a message popped up in the screen to say tryng to delete some files. Message disappeared and nothing left.