Windows 10: Start Menu refuses to work

Each time I click on the windows 10 start menu, I get a nice message saying "Critical Error Your Start Menu isn't working. We'll try to fix it the next time you sign in."


I have rebooted the machine several times and also signed out and signed back in. Other than this, I have tried the following options.


1 Reboot Your PC in Safe Mode - This doesn't work for me. The menu doesn't get clicked in safe mode and there is no error message.


2 Remove Dropbox - I don't have dropbox, but I have a backing up service called BackBlaze. I disabled this service to see if it was interfering with the process, but that is unlikely since the service has been running on my machine since June 2019.


3 Open an Elevated PowerShell - I have tried to create a separate user local account. This works and the local account is able to click on the start menu without any issues. Unfortunately I cannot transfer data from my regular account to this local account.


4 First of All Check for Updates - I have all the updates current.


5 Repair Windows Files - I have used this command to restore the image online. This has not helped.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

6 Edit the Windows Registry - I changed the key value of the registry to "4" as recommended by this article.

https://www.techlila.com/fix-windows-10-start-menu-not-working/

7 Check Windows Files and Then Repair Them – Reinstall Cortana

Using these commands gives me a low memory or corrupted files error.


Get-AppXPackage -Name Microsoft.Windows.Cortana Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register"$$_.InstallLocation\AppXManifest.xml"}

et-AppXPackage -AllUsers Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register"$$_.InstallLocation\AppXManifest.xml"}

:)

 

Start menu not working

I found the following article, ran the suggested powershell command and my start menu is working again. Here it is as I found it:
Go to Start menu button and right click on it. This will open the contextual menu, after which you need to select Command Prompt (Admin). Once Command Prompt is open, go ahead with the following steps.

• Type and enter: Powershell
• Type the following: Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}

 

Start menu is not working on Windows 10

Hi,

Iunderstand the frustration if things are not working fine as expected.

Please help us with below details,

• • • • • 
          When you say "If I sign in under my user name I am in some earlier version", which version you are referring to?
          
        • 
          Did you made any recent changes to your computer prior to the issue?
          
        • 
          When you say “I cannot access the start menu and am limited to IP as a browser” Is it refers to Microsoft Edge?
          

As an initial steps, I suggest you to check for the Windows version. To do so, follow the below steps:

1) Login to your computer through user name on which it show earlier version of Windows.

2) Press Windows key + r.

3) Type winver, hit enter.

For the issue related to start menu, I suggest you to refer to the below Microsoft help article and check,

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...ubleshoot-problems-opening-start-menu-cortana

Reply with results and necessary information to help you further.

Thank you.

 

Start menu and taskbar not working.

Hi Deva,

Thank you for updating.

I suggest you to refer the link below and follow the troubleshooting steps suggested.

Troubleshoot problems opening the Start menu or Cortana.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-in/windows-10/get-help-windows-start-menu

Hope the Start menu works after performing the steps suggested. Thank you.