Taskbar is missing and WIndows Key doesn't work.

Question

I turned on my pc to be met with an error called crossdeviceresume.exe - bad image

im not sure how to fix it and i feel like i've tried everything...

Answer 1

Hi Nat,

The CrossDeviceResume.exe – Bad Image error, combined with a missing taskbar and a non-responsive Windows key, can indicate that some Windows shell components are not loading correctly. Since you've already tried several common fixes, you may want to try the following:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Select File > Run new task, type cmd, check Create this task with administrative privileges, then run:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

1. Restart the PC after both scans complete.

If the issue began recently, you can also test whether a restore point is available by opening Task Manager > File > Run new task, typing: rstrui.exe and restoring Windows to a date before the problem started.

If the taskbar and Start menu still do not return, a repair install (in-place upgrade) of Windows can refresh core Windows components while keeping your personal files and installed applications intact.

Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

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Answer 2

Hi Nat,

See if something in this thread helps you:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/3893263/crossdeviceresume-exe-mistake