Start menu won't open on Windows Server 2019. Error event ID 5961, Activation of CortanaUI failed.

Question

Unable to open Start menu, Search, or Settings. Able to right-click Start button and get context menu.

Only errors I can find are in the Microsoft-Windows-TWinUI/Operational event log.

Error

Event ID: 5961

Similar details for three different items:

Cortana:

Activation for Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy!CortanaUI failed. Error code: The system cannot find message text for message number 0xMicrosoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy!CortanaUI in the message file for %2.. Activation phase: PLM prepare for activation

Shell Experience Host:

Activation for Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy!App failed. Error code: The system cannot find message text for message number 0xMicrosoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy!App in the message file for %2.. Activation phase: PLM prepare for activation

Immersive Control Panel:

Activation for windows.immersivecontrolpanel_cw5n1h2txyewy!microsoft.windows.immersivecontrolpanel failed. Error code: The system cannot find message text for message number 0xwindows.immersivecontrolpanel_cw5n1h2txyewy!microsoft.windows.immersivecontrolpanel in the message file for %2.. Activation phase: PLM prepare for activation

Answer 1

Hi Gary, thank you for coming to the forum.

I'm sorry to hear about the trouble you're facing, I will be happy to assist in the best way I can. Please try the steps below:

1. Press on your keyboard the Ctrl + Shift + Esc key to open the task manager, find Windows Explorer under the Processes tab, right-click it then select restart.
2. Install all pending updates for Windows at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2221657
3. Press on your keyboard the Ctrl + Shift + Esc key to open task manager > click Run new task > type Powershell and hit Enter > right click on the PowerShell from the taskbar and select Run as Administrator. Copy and paste the command below:

Get-appxpackage -all shellexperience -packagetype bundle |% {add-appxpackage -register -disabledevelopmentmode ($_.installlocation + “\appxmetadata\appxbundlemanifest.xml”)}

Hit Enter, once completed, run the command below.

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

Restart your PC.

4. If that still didn't work, reset your PC, click this link for the complete guide https://support.microsoft.com/windows/0ef73740-b927-549b-b7c9-e6f2b48d275e

If the reply is helpful, please Upvote and Accept it as an answer.

Answer 2

Double post

Answer 3

My solution was to create another user on the system. The start menu worked in the new user profile