Windows 10: User profile and default app issues after updating to 20H2

I just updated my Windows 10 Home to 20H2. When it finished the update and restarted I could not sign in to my profile. After several attempts and shut downs, it finally allowed me to sign in. Now I am getting a ton of messages saying "an app caused a problem with the default app (then it lists the app, there are many) so it was reset to the default app.

Every time I try to change the default to my choice, not the one Microsoft says is default, I get the same message and it reverts back to the default Microsoft app.

How do I resolve this mess?

:)

 

Lost default photo viewer after profile rebuild

Thanks Brink. I've tried those steps before i started searching Google. After the profile rebuild i don't have the Photo app listed to choose to make it default in either the system settings for default apps or the Open With option.

I can't even find it doing a search. Seems to have been removed somehow with the profile rebuild, which doesn't make sense.

Might be helpful to list what i've done I've done the open with check, the choose default program in the system menu, tried that in device manager default programs also. I've checked the programs and features Turn windows features on/off and it's not listed there (never thought it was but that was a suggestion), searched the MS Store, it's not listed there either.

I don't like playing in the registry unless i have defined steps and haven't found anything for this yet, just the Win7 version like in my OP.

 

User.000 issue after updating to 1909

I'm one of the many people suffering from issues with user profiles after applying Update 1909 to Windows 10. I've read all the threads I can find on the topic here and have followed the suggestions, all to no avail. Any other thoughts are appreciated.

After applying Update 1909, the ProfileImagePath was changed to c:\users\User.000
One file that was always in use and couldn't be removed was left in c:\users\User (can't recall or find the exact file now), so I could never rename or remove the c:\user\User directory.

I followed the multiple suggestions from Brink and others:

• Rebooted at least 6 times
• Enabled hidden Administrator
• Booted into Safe Mode
• Changed ProfileImagePath
• Tried to rename c:\users\User but couldn't because a file was still in use
• Copied all data from c:\users\User.000 into c:\users\User
• Rebooted and had temporary profile
• Followed steps in Brink tutorial to change ImageProfilePath; rebooted with no change
• Restored using Restore Point from before Update 1909 - returned to single profile state (User.000)
• Removed each update that was installed individually and rebooted after each update removal - profile state never changed
• After all updates were removed, repeated the steps above with hidden Administrator, changing profile, etc. - same issue with file in use in c:\users\User
• Followed all steps above with hidden Administrator but without copying files from User.000 to User - same results

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

 

New Account/User Issues

Hi,

When you create a new user account, Windows uses the Default user profile as a template to construct the files for the newly created user account. You might be experiencing issues creating new accounts due to a corrupt Default profile. To
resolve the issue, we suggest reinstating the Default folder in the
Users directory by following these steps:

• Log in as an administrator.
• Open the C:\Users folder using Windows Explorer.
• Rename the Default user profile folder to Default.OLD.
• Download a zip of C:\Users\Default from a Windows 10 installation that doesn't have this problem.
  
• Unzip the non-corrupt Default profile into C:\Users.
• Try logging in to the new user account and check if the problem is resolved.

Let us know how it turns out.