Windows key not working fix

Question

So I had that problem since yesterday when I tried to install something and my antivirus flagged it after that i put it in quarantine and deinstalled the stuff with another scan but when i try to open my windows thingy at the bottom it doesnt work the windows key works in key combinations like for getting a screenshot but it cant open the search thingy i can open apps through but when i move my mouse down to the taskbar the taskbar doesnt open up either

Answer 1

1

Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog, type regedit and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor

Click View and make sure 'Address Bar' is turned on

Paste this into the Address Bar at the top and hit Enter

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WpnUserService

On the right hand pane, double click 'Start'

Change the value date to 4 then click OK

Close the Registry Editor and restart (not shut down) your PC

2

If that does not solve this:

Open Task Manage (Ctrl + Shift + Esc)

At the top, choose to run new task, type powershell in the box and click the option to run it as Administrator.

Run this command and press Enter:

Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost | reset-AppxPackage

When that completes, run this command and press Enter

Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost | reset-AppxPackage

When that command completes, restart (not shut down) your PC.

Answer 2

no the task bar or the windows interface just doesnt open like it doesnt pop up when i move my mouse to the bottom of the screen

Answer 3

It sounds like you're experiencing issues with your Windows taskbar and the Start menu after an antivirus intervention. Here are some steps you can try to resolve the problem:

1. Restart Windows Explorer: Sometimes, simply restarting Windows Explorer can fix taskbar issues. You can do this by:
   • Pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
   • Finding Windows Explorer in the list, right-clicking it, and selecting Restart.
2. Clear the Icon Cache: If the taskbar icons are not displaying correctly, clearing the icon cache might help:
   • Open Task Manager and end the task for Windows Explorer.
   • Open a command prompt with administrative privileges and run the following commands:

          CD /d %userprofile%\AppData\Local
          DEL IconCache.db /a
     

   • Restart Windows Explorer again.
3. Check for Corrupted System Files: Running the System File Checker can help repair any corrupted files that might be causing the issue:
   • Open a command prompt with administrative privileges and run:

          sfc /scannow
     

   • Wait for the scan to complete and follow any instructions provided.
4. Re-register Shell Experience Host: If the issue persists, try re-registering the Shell Experience Host:
   • Open PowerShell as an administrator and run:

          Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Where-Object {$_.InstallLocation -like "*ShellExperienceHost*"} | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}
     

   • Restart your computer after executing this command.
5. Check for Windows Updates: Ensure your system is up to date, as updates can fix bugs and improve system stability.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, you may want to consider restoring your system to a point before the antivirus flagged the installation or seeking further assistance from Microsoft support.

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References:

• Applications don't start and their names are dimmed
• Application shortcuts on the desktop, Start menu, and taskbar show blank icons