Windows 10: Start, Cortana and notifications don't work

When I click on start the start menu doesn't come up and notifications like reminders don't work any more. I don't get reminded of the set reminders. Also, when I click on the notifications button the notifications menu doesn't come up. Cortana, also, won't come up when I click on her.

I've tried using the media creation tool, or whatever it's called, to create a bootable USB and I've done the repair installation thing twice and the situation remained the same. I've also installed many updates, including the recent big one and it hasn't changed hte situation.

I've done virus scans with multiple antiviruses and nothing came up.

Any ideas?

:)

 

Start Menu, Cortana, Notification Center don't work?

So I recently downloaded and installed Windows 10. After about a day, the Start Menu along with Cortana and the notification center have stopped working. I click on them and the loading circle appears, but nothing else. I tried creating new accounts and
they all seem to work fine on those, but why not my main account? It's incredibly frustrating and I'm wondering if anyone else is having these sort of issues and if there is any solution to it.

Forgot to add, Microsoft Edge seems to have disappeared as well, nowhere to be seen.

 

Start Menu, Cortana, Notification Center don't work?

Has anyone tried this and have it work? Also, there seem to be more bugs in 10 than I expected after reading all the rave reviews..

 

Hi.
Have you tried making a new user account (admin level) and check if everything is working in it? It could be that your user account has become corrupted for some reason.

 

I'm trying to add another account in settings, but when I click on "add someone else to this pc" I see a window pop up for a split second and then disappears. This happens every time I click. Maybe this is also part of my WIndows being busted.

 

A few things you can try if you dont want to perform a full clean install

Option 1:

Windows All in One Repair Tool
Windows Repair (All In One) Download
Download either the portable or install program
1. Start computer in Safe Mode
2. Disable any Anti-Virus programs
3. Start the program
4. When program first starts it will run quick file check
5. Click on the X button after the scan shows Done!
6. Click on Settings tab and Select Check for Updates
7. Click on Pre-Repair Steps Tab and Run All 4 Steps
8. Select both Registry Backup and Create System Restore
9. Click Presets: All Repairs
10. Click Start Repairs

For Best Results Run the Repairs option Twice!

Option 2:

From an elevated command prompt run the following command

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

 

Please try this - Option #6
Add Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10 User Accounts Tutorials
.

 

I did this and it said in command prompt that it was done successfully, but after a restart I see that no account was added.

 

If you created a local account via the command prompt, you don't need to restart the pc to begin to use the new account. Just sign out of your current account and sign in the new account. It will run the oobe setup after which you should be able to use the start menu for troubleshooting purposes.

 

You were right, I switched user and the test account I created was there, however when I logged into it the same problems were there.

 

If you have a System restore point prior to when this started happening- or a disk image (we constantly recommend people use disk imaging routinely) you could use those.

Otherwise:

Which is your Windows build?
Windows key + R, winver

I suggest you try an in-place upgrade repair install which keeps all programs and data and most settings
-but mustbe done with an iso matching your build.

This was the approach that worked here:
Start/Notification/Cortana/Search Stop Working Solved - Page 2 - Windows 10 Forums

 

Unfortunately, no restore point.

The Win version is Win 10 pro N 1709 16299.98. I have the latest big update.

I tried the repair install 2x, but the problem remained.

The problems described on the thread you link to are exactly like mine, except that apparently it was intermittent for that fellow. Windows would boot and it would work normally for a while and then hit. With me it's this way all the time.

 

Ah- I didn't understand

in your first post, sorry.

What happens if you boot to Safe Mode?

Try Option 1, 3 here:
Reinstall and Re-register Apps in Windows 10 Performance Maintenance Tutorials

 

If you are experiencing the same problem in safe mode, you might need to consider doing a clean install. It's basically a wipe and install of windows and any drivers from the OEM for your machine.

 

Also try this:

or this:

@Kari