Windows 10 Start menu broken - Is this issue really "unfixable"?

Question

Windows 10 Start menu broken - Is this issue really "unfixable"?

Anonymous

I am actually amazed about my "Windows 10 Experience" so far. This is not a compliment.

I installed Windows 10 Pro (22H2 - Build 19045.2364) as a clean install using the "Microsoft media creation tool" just 2 months ago on an "ASUS ROG Strix G713RS" Notebook which came without OS. So the conditions couldn't have been better.

Today, I noticed that the "Start"-Button did not respond at all anymore. The start menu did not even open.

I was surprised to find this seemed to be a quite common problem in Windows 10 (and even 11).

I found this support article and performed every step. Including the "Reset your PC". The setup uninstalled all my programs and even the VC++ redist. packages...great! Now the windows specs now show:

Edition Windows 10 Pro

Version 22H2

Installed on ‎08/‎01/‎2023

OS build 19045.2364

Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.4190.0

Clicking on the Start-Button now opens the start menu - but it still is not working. This is how it looks like:

The leftmost column is functional: So Power, Settings, Pictures, Documents - working.

Clicking on any item of the application list (i.e. Calculator) causes a white bar to appear underneath the entry and nothing else happens. This white bar also appears in the tiles column to the right and the tile itself "darkens". Opening a tile with more than one app (like "Play") rolls out the apps, but clicking on the app just darkens out the icon and nothing happens (like "Microsoft Store").

Device Performance & Health reports no issues.

Virus & threat protection: No current threats.

Running sfc /scannow reported no integrity problems.

So am I right in assuming that these trivial seeming issues with the start menu have been around since the introduction of Windows 10 (and are even present in Windows 11) and there is absolutely no solution to it, other than wiping the disk and re-installing Windows from scratch (which, by all accounts, is no guarantee the problem will not just appear again)? - please tell me I missed something!

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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8 answers

Answer 1

Neil D 33,630 Volunteer Moderator

Personally, as it stands I would try the repair. A clean install (from USB boot media and deleting all data) is the only other option I could suggest.

Perhaps another user may have another idea.

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Answer 2

No. The situation before the reset is described in the text before the windows specs:

"I noticed that the "Start"-Button did not respond at all anymore. The start menu did not even open."

I then performed the steps outlined in

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/fix-problems-with-the-start-menu-604171c1-2c65-40a6-8774-473810765950

Check for updates (was up-to-date), restart (obviously), update drivers (no updates found), restart windows explorer (skipped because we had "restart" already), set up a new local admin account and log in: no change, Reset your PC as the last and most drastic measure. This, btw. it really is: after the Reset I even had to re-install the chipset(!) and graphics drivers.

The windows specs (Installed on ‎08/‎01/‎2023) are shown so that it becomes clear was set up today (due to the reset).

What follows is a detailed description of the start menu behaviour as I am experiencing it right now.

It is detailed on purpose because I hope that, the better the description, the more likely it may be that anyone has encountered the very same symptoms before, or somebody with a good deal of knowledge can guess from the issues what to check now. I performed some steps (see 1st post) myself, but nothing seemed wrong. The issue somehow "smells" like some security issue: I would just love to figure it out - but I certainly run out of ideas.

Answer 3

Neil D 33,630 Volunteer Moderator

What I meant was I would have suggested the repair first as it is non destructive and maintains all apps, programs and settings.

So after the reset was everything working okay and it's started the problems with Start after a while?

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Answer 4

"I have no idea why you would have these problems. I have had Windows 10 since 2015..."

I am sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen!

I have never encountered this issue either (i.e. on my work laptop), and I didn't even know the "reset" option existed: I followed the steps outlined in the support article I linked in my post.

Since this was suggested by Microsoft support, who am I to argue?

The system reset actually is actually the more thorough option as it does not try to "keep" anything but performs a complete installation. Everything (installed programs, updates) is gone afterwards and only some personal settings (like the actual account(s)) remain. In other words: it does reset the system.

I don't think a "repair" install could be any more thorough than that.

Answer 5

I would have suggested a repair install rather than a Reset.

Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade | Tutorials (tenforums.com)

you can use the installation media you have for this or download an ISO image file Download Windows 10 (microsoft.com)

Essentially open File Explorer and locate the ISO, mount it and select the new drive letter, run setup from the new drive.

I have no idea why you would have these problems. I have had Windows 10 since 2015 and only once or twice, after an update seen Start > Power > Shutdown not work but a restart fixed that. (by restart I mean Power > Restart)