Windows 10: Start menu/microsoft apps not working

I have recently built a new pc and installed windows 10 home. Everything went smooth, and I updated all drivers, installed a couple of games and tweaked some files. However each time i do this I am now on reinstall #5 trying to resolve this issue, my start menu just stops working as well as my action center. Most of the microsoft apps seems to not work either.


I have tried all the different troubleshooting steps and none fix the issue. Even after a full reset, once I finish reinstalling and setting up my drivers and then my games, the issue comes back again.


After reinstalling, these are all the steps i take getting my PC ready to game.

Download a couple of nvidia programs control center and geforce experience, a program for my motherboard/gfx msi dragon center, install recommended drivers and windows updates. Restart computer to have updates fully installed whenever prompted. Then download steam and two games, warframe onto a ssd, and ffxi from main ffxi site. Once warframe is installed and updated, i move on to modifying ffxi files to update the visuals. After this step is usually when I have the start menu problems, in one instance it happened before I modified anything at all.


The steps I took to modify the ffxi files were, installing a third party launcher for the addons/plugins windower4, plugins include reshader/xipivot/xi-view/ffxihd, installing dgvoodoo and replacing a d3dcompiler in syswow64 windows folder having to use cmd prompt to take owndership of the folder so that I could replace existing file. Then i setup the addons in game and everything works! Until I shutdown/restart again...


And this is ususally where the problem comes back every single time. Cant open any microsoft apps either. In one instance I could not even go to any websites because I only had microsoft edge which would not load up!


I am really starting to regret choosing windows 10. There needs to be a different fix for this problem. I have taken all the steps in every troubleshooting document and tried other users solutions and nothing seems to solve this.

:)

 

Windows 10 Start menu is empty

Hi. Steps 1 and 2 didn't do much but step 3 has restored what looks like the list of original Microsoft apps but no sign of any of the many apps I have installed. And there are no tiles in the start menu. Any suggestions please?

 

Start menu and apps not working

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community. We understand the inconvenience you are facing and apologize for the same.



For issue related to Start menu, I suggest you to refer the post by “Ravinath P” from the link provided below and check if it helps:

“Critical Error – Start menu and Cortana aren’t working. We’ll try to fix it the next time you sign in.”

For issue related to updates, I suggest you to run the Windows Update troubleshooter by following the steps below:

• Type “Troubleshooting” in search box and press Enter.
• Click on “View All” option on top left pane.
• Select “Windows Update” from the list and follow the prompts for troubleshooting.

Hope the information is helpful. Keep us posted on the status for further assistance.

 

Kill the letters! (Start menu apps list.)


One final hack/adjustment and I will be at peace.
So far no-one has come up with a way to remove the stupid letters from the start menu apps list... have they?

Please do NOT suggest third part apps.
I value the right click menu features on the Start button and all the third party Start Menu apps screw with this.
I don't want another program, I just want the stupid clumsy letters gone!

Any creative geniuses out there?
I'm not the only one who wants this, surely!





And it doesn't even work...
Is the name of the program used to determine where the app goes or the name of the company that makes the program.. or even whether it's free or not!
(See image F for Free!)
Useless and pathetic Microsoft!