Windows 10: Windows 10 can't open File Explorer or Control Panel

Hi,
I need help. About a week ago Windows 10 started working in an abnormal manner on my PC: I wasn't able to open File Explorer or Control Panel, whether from the start menu or from basically any application that calls for those (file explorer or control panel).

I tried running command prompt (admin) sfc /scannow, DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth commands several times but that doesn't fix the problem at all. As a last resort I downloaded a brand new Windows 10 ISO file from the Microsoft site and performed a clean installation formatting my HDD. Things were OK the first minutes, but then the problem starts again with the each new installation of Windows. I don't know what is causing File Explorer and control panel to crash, maybe its a faulty driver or windows update itself. I have installed Windows 10 from that ISO file several times and every time after a few minutes of me doing nothing with the computer, it fails again.

The first driver I update to be able to use my monitor is the nVidia driver (361.43).

:)

 

I cannot open my file explorer, control panel or recycle bin in Win 10.

Hi, thanks for the reply.



When I clicked on the start menu I didn’t get a search box, except Cortana which is also available on my desktop. So I right-clicked the windows icon at the bottom left and chose the “search “ option. It opened Cortana also. That directed me to the
Settings>Windows Update.



Typing “View Installed Updates – Control Panel” froze up the computer momentarily again and opened a page which only went back to 12/8 (the date of my earliest restore point, which I’m already restored to). There was
nothing about the control panel there. I wouldn’t have known which update to remove. Much more, I’m not sure the problem started on 12/8.



Opening the run dialogue box (W+R) and typing “control panel” produced the same result as clicking on the icon. The computer froze up a moment, flickered to a black screen and resumed working but no control panel was opened.



I’m really confused here. I’ll set up another account and let you know how that went tomorrow.

 

I cannot open my file explorer, control panel or recycle bin in Win 10.

I'm trying to avoid having to reset my computer and reinstall my apps. I cannot open my file explorer, control panel or recycle bin in Win 10.

I have gone back to the furthest restore point I can find. Unfortunately that's only about 8 days back. (Anyone know how to go find older restore points than the ones clicking on the "find other restore points" button?)

I suspect I can't open most anything that looks like a file folder but these are the big three I need to be able to open and work with. I haven't loaded anything onto the computer except updates. Even if I had, I can't get into the control panel to remove
them.

This really sucks and is making it tough to work. Anyone got any ideas short of resetting the damned thing?

Thanks in advance.

 

Hi, do you have any such crashes in Safe Mode? Please try- you would not be using the Nvidia driver then.
(You could access Safe Mode via SHIFT + restart and work through the rather confusing set of menus to Safe Mode).

The clean installation would seem to eliminate 3rd party programs as it sounds as if you hadn't time to install any.
Can you find any useful reports in the Event Log? (See event viewer).

If you complete your system specs, someone might be able to offer advice on your hardware.
System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums - Windows 10 Forums

Another completely different line would be a hardware fault, of course, as you say the problem developed suddenly with your PC, and persists after a clean install.

 

Thank you, yes, in safe mode the File Explorer and Control Panel work normally and the OS seems perfectly fine (except that is in Safe Mode). I checked the Event Viewer for errors and I have a lot of them; the ones that appear lot are:

"Faulting application name: explorer.exe, version: 10.0.10586.0, time stamp: 0x5632d4c0
Faulting module name: USER32.dll, version: 10.0.10586.20, time stamp: 0x565423d2
Exception code: 0xc000041d"

and

"Activation of app Microsoft.WindowsPhone_8wekyb3d8bbwe!CompanionApp.App failed with error: The specified module could not be found. See the Microsoft-Windows-TWinUI/Operational log for additional information."

also

"Event provider $Core attempted to register query "select * from __ClassOperationEvent" whose target class "__ClassOperationEvent" in //./root namespace does not exist. The query will be ignored."

I also have a lot of errors on "System" on the Event Viewer. Should I list them too?
I thought at first the display driver was causing all of this but I installed and used a different card and the problem persists. *Sad

 

Hi, good to eliminate graphics issues.

I would suggest some elementary checks: run chkdsk C: /F from an admin command prompt - also check the SMART parameters.
then a RAM check.

Since any installation is now giving a range of problems, it's time to look at the hardware.
Note there could be other things interfering of course.

You could try disabling drivers for other hardware in Dev. Manager.

It works (apparently) in Safe Mode- so time to start thinking- what's different in normal mode.
As you've presumably nothing installed, there should be just other OS processes and drivers. So perhaps a process of elimination might be the easiest way to proceed.

Sysinternals Autoruns should help with startups. Remember it needs to be run in admin mode to change the state of any.

 

I think I know what's preventing File Explorer and Control panel from opening: every time I change the size of the apps, text, etc with the Settings > System > Display menu to 175% or smaller, I need to sign out for the changes to take effect, but after that Windows malfunctions again. If set the display to scale the apps, text, etc to 200% (system recommended) then File Explorer and Control panel works perfectly after I sign out/sign in.

I have a Dell UP2414Q 4K that is using a Windows driver. I still need help please because I would like to scale down everything on Windows interface to 175% or less, and that wasn't causing Windows to work abnormally until recently. BTW Dell doesn't have a driver for Windows 10 for my monitor yet.

 

Try a recommended scaling factor from the drop down menu in Control Panel/Display; I find there's still lots of inconsistencies between the two, Settings and Control Panel.

 

Thank you Edwin, that worked, unfortunately if I set a custom scale like 175%, which would be appropriate for my monitor, file Explorer/Control panel stop working again, but if I choose an option from the drop down menu, the problem is fixed.

For now I will have to use a scale of 200% to even be able to use Windows 10.
Thank you dalchina and Edwin.