Windows 10: Windows 10 apps or Store not working for some users

To : Scottyboy 99,

That happens on multiple user accounts only ?

 

- I've been suspecting there's another set of issues related to multiple users.. there are indications elsewhere. Sinking feeling.. not another

 

Hi David, Yes. I am the main user of the computer. But my wife has her own user account and so does my son. I've seen native apps go wrong before on their accounts so I changed the app update settings from auto to manual so I have more control. So in this latest example, mail and calendar receives an update over the weekend. I pick this up after manually opening the store and checking under updates. It was actually already sitting there waiting. I just had to kick off the download. So it downloads and at the end of the whole process threw out some kind of error from MS, with a cryptic code and 'we are working on it' or something along those lines. So I manually re-scanned again to be offered the update again. It comes up and this time it goes through absolutely fine. I check both apps work on my user account and they are fine.

I then go into my wife and son's user accounts and try to launch those apps and nothing happens. I check under settings for their software and apps list and both mail and calendar are now conspicuous by their absence in the list even though the tiles remain in their start menus. I then go into the store under their own user accounts and look up mail and calendar, it offers me the chance to install them. So it's as if the apps no longer existed under their user accounts. I install them which all goes through. But even though the apps are now in their list, they still do not launch. It's happened before, I did try powershell once to remove that specific app from their accounts so I could re-install again (after a restart) and it made no difference. On previous occasions I had to delete their accounts and create new accounts for them as I had no recent system restore points (of course I am wise to that now). The recent issue I had a very recent restore point so I used that and all was well again. I then went back into store under my own user account and saw the mail and calendar update being offered again. I kicked off the update and this time it all went through first time, no error code, no 'we are working on it' message. The result was a clean one as the apps continued to work fine in the aftermath for all user accounts. So basically, if a native app update fails for some reason (as they can occasionally do) it seems to ruin that app for the other users. It's as if the update uninstalls the app from the other users during the failed process and doesn't revert to keep the app in it's previous state. The update then goes through successfully on another try, it is all fine for me afterwards but as the other users apps are now uninstalled or corrupt it doesn't do anything to help them. Trying to re-install the app within their user accounts makes no difference. The only solution is delete their accounts and start again or use system restore. It just seems to be a case of fingers crossed on the native apps that an update works smoothly first time.

The same happens with the other native apps. It's happened before with calculator, photos, one drive (probably others that I have forgotten too). Never, ever a problem with third party apps though. These all behave perfectly!

Cheers,
Wayne

 

Man ! Glad I don't have this problem.

 

No I only have single user account on laptop and I did post that Mail & Calendar was playing up and you have to re run update in Windows Store to make it work..
It flashed up a message that to delete the app showing and rerun download and updater again.
Then it went in ok
That was on every system I look after
It is the only app to do this and only this one time up to now
All others have gone in ok

 

That reminds me, I have a backup admin account I never use, and I have forgotten about it.
Maybe I'll give it a try ?
Not.
I'm chicken.

 

Yeah, I think many people run with single user accounts and won't ever see the problem. And of course it's intermittent, a native app update doesn't always fail first attempt but it happens enough to start becoming a real problem. Maybe not everyone with multiple user accounts is having the issue but as KoenD alluded to there do seem to be a lot of people struggling with the native apps.

Davidhk,

Do you use multiple user accounts? How are your app updates set, manual or auto?

Cheers,
Wayne

 

Have a backup admin account that I never use. Just a "plan B " account.
I let the system does its updating. That's it's job.

 

Yeah, it's not worth trying to create problems for yourself! I guess it's the principle that multi user accounts should work properly in this respect despite the fact my own user account is the only one that matters. I use the PC 99% of the time, and all the pictures, documents, music etc is under mine. There is no way I can afford to let me user account get messed up like the wife and son's given all the work I've put into it, iTunes music etc etc. I'm chicken too!!!

 

I have the same, I call it guest user even though it's an actual admin account just there as backup. But I just set it up as a local account rather than an MS one. I never look at it though, I seem to remember once getting a problem for the other users relating to the photos app but this backup admin account dodged the bullet. But it's too long ago to remember exactly how and why.

I agree the system should do the updating as that's it's job - I just don't trust it to do so without having the potential to mess those native apps up which is why I switched to manual. At least then I can see what is waiting and create a restore point prior to taking the plunge. Maybe Redstone build when it arrives will tidy this up, maybe not! I hope MS focuses more on the bugs than adding new features, as I'd rather have fixes and reliability first. I guess we'll see in a few months.

Cheers,
Wayne

 

Well, I've created another user as a local account... Cortana and apps seem happy.. so far.
(Don't chickens like worms?)

 

Am beginning to wonder if local accounts dodge the issue somehow. I wish I'd tested that too rather than just focus on my family MS accounts. If it happens again, I'll be sure to check the local admin account I have setup as backup. Maybe KoenD has already seen / tried this? Nope, this chicken definitely finds worms and bugs of any sort hard to stomach!!

 

Hi,

The changes to the scheduled update task do not help. :-( I Had a broken Mail app on a pc that had the modification.

Local account versus MS account. I was also looking at that.

• I had the problem on computers with only local accounts (all admins).
• Last week I had a local user who updated the apps. The other accounts (one local and one Microsoft) had both broken apps.
• No idea yet: what if a Microsoft account does the app update. Is there also a risk that it ruins the apps for the other computer users (local/Microsoft account)? Someone experience with that? I guess this is your configuration ScottyBoy99?

Maybe the "ideal" system is indeed one with only MS accounts. All my computers have ... at least one local account (backup).

I’d also prefer MS fixing issues rather than adding new features.

 

Unfortunately only having MS accounts isn't the ideal system. I only added the local account a few weeks ago and had problems before that with only MS accounts on the machine. It's looking like until MS sort themselves out we will need to live with it. I am creating a system restore point every other day at the moment. I know there are registry tweaks/fixes, keys that can be removed - maybe that can help. But the complexity and time it takes makes those things simply not worth it. Although I take my hat off to those who delve that deep and work something out.

Personally I don't see why MS have to keep updating the native apps and risking this problem. Since I got the computer in November I have seen the calculator app update at least a couple of times. I mean, what on earth does a calculator need an app update for, how can that possibly be improved/changed? So MS like to change/tinker for the sake of change. As a result we have to play Russian roulette with these updates. Focus on bugs and not change is my mantra

 

Hi Koen,

I'm having similar issues with the Windows Store and the camera app, and apps like calendar, mail, onedrive not working for all users.

The issues started after patch Tuesday in January 2016 as Windows 10 was working fine before then.

I have a computer with multiple users, and Windows Store doesn't open at all for any user. For the standard users there is a black space on the task bar where the store app is.

I tried powershell and this messed up the camera app which is now listed under "other" for the admin user. The camera app doesn't start for all users.

For the admin user one drive is not synchronizing and the icon is grey out in the task bar. The standard users have no issues with onedrive. Same with mail calendar which opens for standard users, but not for admin user.

I think the best was to resolve these issues is create new user accounts giving the user it’s documents and it’s settings back.

I've looked in the tutorials section, user account, but couldn't see anything about how to do this.

As you've made 100 new users I'm sure you will be able to explain the best way to do this.

Thanks.

David