Windows 10: Start Button and Windows Explorer not opening amongst other things

Hi When I log into Windows, some things have stopped working. Clicking the Start button at the bottom left is not working. Also I can not open Windows Explorer. When I click on a shortcut for it, I get two messages: explorer.exe. windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have appropriate permissions to access them.then shell::::{52205fd8-447d-801a-d0b52f2e83e1}. windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have appropriate permissions to access them.I have tried various things now with no success. This included "Sfc /scannow" from the comm

:)

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.

 

Windows 8.1, and Why You Should Let Go of Windows 7

Wait wait wait I can do it in 3 steps

Diasble Metro:
1) Don't buy Windows 8
2) ?????
3) Profit!

 

Windows 10 Start Menu File Explorer button error "Windows cannot access the specified device ..."

Hi All,

I have a strange error with windows start menu today! Please check the attached two images:

Notes (before reproducing steps):

• My laptop is up without restart for 11 days till now, I am a software engineer.
• I have ended the explorer processes and relaunched it from the task manager.
• File Explorer button in the start menu opens "This PC".
• I can open the Explorer normally by
  • Menu Button + E
  • File Explorer pinned to the taskbar
• 
  I can't open the File Explorer by Start Menu > File Explorer Button
  
• 
  I don't want to restart, I have a lot of work on other desktops, restart solves this problem. Obviously, it is a bug.
  

Steps to reproduce the error:

• open the start menu
• click on file explorer button
  • an error message appears with "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item".

Step 1:





Step 2 & result:





Steps were taken trying to resolve the issue:

• I tried to restart the explorer process from task manager, but with no success.
• I tried to replace the shortcut the file explorer button points at, but still with no hope.
• I checked the permissions of the "explorer.exe" process in "Windows" folder, and I have the correct permissions. I even tried to double click the file "explorer.exe" and it normally opened the explorer without a problem!

I guess it is a problem with the File Explorer button itself in the start menu (A GUI problem), maybe a corrupted registry key!

Software and Hardware Specs:

Windows 10 Pro x64

Version 1709

OS Build 16299.309

Dell Inspiron 7559

Quad Cores i5 2.3 GHz

8 GB Ram

Thank you very much.