Infinite Wait Loop > Choose default apps based on file extensions

Question

Hello! I am trying to reset the default apps based on file extensions. In control panel, it redirects me to default apps via the folder options choice and in the settings, it has an infinite wait loop for choose default apps by file type.

I have little hopes of fixing this without a system reset, but perhaps someone on here has the same problem and has a fix for it.

Note: I uninstalled all updates beginning from early May to try to fix a problem with an app I had that worked before May, but found it was a simple setting and cannot figure out how to reinstall those updates. Maybe that's the problem?

I'm on Windows 1903, and have group policies on that blocks all further updates to newer versions. I don't want windows to screw up some programs that work in this version, but don't work in later versions.

Answer 1

Hi and thanks for reaching out. My name is William. I'm a Microsoft Windows Certified Professional and Systems Administrator. I'll be happy to help you out today.

The system settings panel is part of the so-called UWP app experience. As such, you can try to fix issues with it using PowerShell. Try the following: Right-click the Start > select PowerShell (Admin) > paste this command:

taskkill /F /IM SystemSettings.exe ; taskkill /F /IM explorer.exe ; taskkill /F /IM ShellExperienceHost.exe ; taskkill /F /IM StartMenuExperienceHost.exe ; Start-Sleep 2 ; cd $Env:localappdata\Packages\windows.immersivecontrolpanel_cw5n1h2txyewy ; Remove-Item -Recurse -Force .\* ; Add-AppxPackage -register "C:\Windows\ImmersiveControlPanel\appxmanifest.xml" -DisableDevelopmentMode ; Start-Process explorer

Follow up with this command to address any UWP dependencies that may need repairing:

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "C:\Windows\SystemApps\ShellExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\AppXManifest.xml"}