Windows 10 and the dreaded start button issue

[boanergesza1]

Hi Guys;

I'm at my wits end here with my windows 10 PC. In the last two weeks I have been steadily "losing" the use of some of the core programs on my HP Envy DV7i (upgraded to Win 10 from Win8) Things like the calculator launches then closes without opening ?? Randomly during using the start menu will just abruptly stop working altogether. Restart use to get things back to work.

Then I started getting these "Provisioning error" problems popup up. Last week monday my start bar and just about all of the built in programs that comes with Windows 10 stopped working. No Cortana, no tiled window screen nothing. Im still able to log in and use the programs I have installed though. I have no "Edge" browser anymore (not that I miss it, but just to show whats missing) I googled (using chrome) the issue and ran through all kinds of "fixes".
* The powershell one where you reinstall(??) all the apps from their manifest files....or something like that.
* Some batch file that everybody sweared worked (it didn't)
* Creating a new user and logging in (had to create a user from command line since the GIU create user doesn't work)
* Refresh/reinstall of windows 10 ("Keep my files" option)

That last one concerned me. It simply says there was an error. And then that it. No I can go and do a complete reinstall, but do I really want to lose all my files....really.

Any suggestions Would be appreciated.

 

[Rickster]

Upgrading OS's without a fresh install is one of the worst things you can do as it breaks things.


Format and fresh install.


Try a virus scan while you at it and sfc /scannow in cmd.

 

[Gozzy]

Try this, this solved a lot of my upgrade issues.

1.create a shortcut of CMD to desktop
2.Right click this shortcut on your desktop and click Run as Administrator
3.Type the following command, 'sfc /scannow'

Wait for it to finish and test again...

gl.

 

[Bernie]

Yup, had the same issues. Eventually did a full re-install from scratch. Sorted it out. Weird thing is my PC worked great for a good few months before is started doing this.

 

[BradleyKZN]

Try this, this solved a lot of my upgrade issues.

1.create a shortcut of CMD to desktop
2.Right click this shortcut on your desktop and click Run as Administrator
3.Type the following command, 'sfc /scannow'

Wait for it to finish and test again...

gl.

This worked for me as well

 

[Geoff.D]

What version of Windows 10 is installed on your PC?

go to settings/system/about

Windows 10 Pro or home
version 1511 ?
build 10586.218 ?

Unfortunately, my experience with the previous version of windows was exactly the same as you indicate.

The ONLY permanent solution is to download the latest version onto an ISO media ( DVD or memory stick), and the do a completely new clean install.

This will mean you need to backup all your files first, and re-install any other sw you may have again form scratch.

The best place to look for meaningful help is http://www.tenforums.com/
The tutorials and help provided on this site is some of the best I have found.

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

had the same calculator issue, even posted here about it, didn't get any solutions.
and I did do a clean reinstall.

upgrading in place is a bad idea, bust is do a fresh install,

Id start by partitioning my drive and saving things in another partition.

 

[Sinbad]

Lots of these start menu issues are related to either registry or file system permissions.

fkn nightmare.

 

[Ho3n3r]

You make it sound like a common issue when you say "the dreaded start menu issue". Yet this is the first time I've heard of this particular issue.

Always format when installing a new version of Windows.

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

Had the unclickable start menu issue on numerous PCs at my old office. Pain in the butt.

 

[TJ99]

Best error ever is the one you get when installing Windows. It pops up with the very helpful:

Something happened something happened

 

[Ragman]

Had the same issue last week.
Did a shutdown that installed the latest patches and the issue was resolved

 

[Geoff.D]

You make it sound like a common issue when you say "the dreaded start menu issue". Yet this is the first time I've heard of this particular issue.

Always format when installing a new version of Windows.

The first version of Windows 10, most of us got when the auto upgrade happened, crawled with problems, of which the one mentioned in this thread was just one!. There are literally thousands of complaints all over the World about this particular problem.

The symptoms are all basically the same. One starts losing access to Apps. (calculator, notifications ,etc), then followed by loss of access to MS Edge (now MS edge 13), then finally loss of access to the Start menu.

And all the solutions mentioned on the MS community basically only work under very specific conditions, most they do not work.

The sfc /scannow solution mentioned in this thread may provider some insight and it very occasionally fixes thinsg (mostly until the very next upgrade).

The ONLY solution is a completely clean install on a reformatted HDD of the new version Windows 10 Pro (recommended) version 1511, build 10586.0 ( will then upgrade to 10586.218).

The Home version is for someone that does not want to customise too much and is prepared to let MS maintain automatically the OS on your machine.

 

[Ho3n3r]

The first version of Windows 10, most of us got when the auto upgrade happened, crawled with problems, of which the one mentioned in this thread was just one!. There are literally thousands of complaints all over the World about this particular problem.

The symptoms are all basically the same. One starts losing access to Apps. (calculator, notifications ,etc), then followed by loss of access to MS Edge (now MS edge 13), then finally loss of access to the Start menu.

And all the solutions mentioned on the MS community basically only work under very specific conditions, most they do not work.

The sfc /scannow solution mentioned in this thread may provider some insight and it very occasionally fixes thinsg (mostly until the very next upgrade).

The ONLY solution is a completely clean install on a reformatted HDD of the new version Windows 10 Pro (recommended) version 1511, build 10586.0 ( will then upgrade to 10586.218).

The Home version is for someone that does not want to customise too much and is prepared to let MS maintain automatically the OS on your machine.

Right. I guess me waiting til February was a good thing then.

 

[Geoff.D]

The first version of Windows 10, most of us got when the auto upgrade happened, crawled with problems, of which the one mentioned in this thread was just one!. There are literally thousands of complaints all over the World about this particular problem.

The symptoms are all basically the same. One starts losing access to Apps. (calculator, notifications ,etc), then followed by loss of access to MS Edge (now MS edge 13), then finally loss of access to the Start menu.

And all the solutions mentioned on the MS community basically only work under very specific conditions, most they do not work.

The sfc /scannow solution mentioned in this thread may provider some insight and it very occasionally fixes thinsg (mostly until the very next upgrade).

The ONLY solution is a completely clean install on a reformatted HDD of the new version Windows 10 Pro (recommended) version 1511, build 10586.0 ( will then upgrade to 10586.218).

The Home version is for someone that does not want to customise too much and is prepared to let MS maintain automatically the OS on your machine.

Note:

(1) MS is on the point of releasing a new build
(2) MS does updates at least once a month on a Tuesday. ( we get them late Tuesday evening or early Wednesday morning.
(3) The Pro version allows one to customise how you want to receive updates. The Home version does NOT give you full control of the update process.
(4) The tensforum site provides many tutorials which show one how to go about safely making the registry changes that are required if you are into customising the OS to suit your needs.

 

[Geoff.D]

Lots of these start menu issues are related to either registry or file system permissions.

fkn nightmare.

Yup was nightmare, until I worked through every tutorial and now I am not phased by anything that happens. .....

 

[Geoff.D]

Another tip especially for those of us who were still on Windows XP before the upgrade or are a bit set in our ways.

I have placed an icon on my desktop that allows me always to get to:

(1) "my computer"
(2) "Settings" ( independent of the start menu just in case it goes on the blink)
(3) Old fashioned " Control Panel"
(4) At least one "browser"
(5) "Command prompt (elevated)"

I have also made sure the built-in Administrator account is available on the start up page for emergencies.
I have at least one other account activated as well.

 

[Adoxographist]

I just went back to windows 8.1 The whole UI is annoying but its way smoother and fluid than 10. I thought 10 will get most of its bugs sorted after a year but still buggy.

 

[PsychoCC]

Upgrading OS's without a fresh install is one of the worst things you can do as it breaks things.


Format and fresh install.


Try a virus scan while you at it and sfc /scannow in cmd.

Also same starting happening to me about a week ago, worst is no more start menu or interaction in it, so without knowing a program's .exe command out of head (no search anymore), so it felt like a leaking ship going under slowly.

Eventually with all the "fixes" out there, I was able to do a repair that restores it to the original state (basically fresh Windows 10 install), difference from a fresh install is, that you still have your physical files, you will need to reinstall your software, but personal data is still in tact.

 

[Geoff.D]

Also same starting happening to me about a week ago, worst is no more start menu or interaction in it, so without knowing a program's .exe command out of head (no search anymore), so it felt like a leaking ship going under slowly.

Eventually with all the "fixes" out there, I was able to do a repair that restores it to the original state (basically fresh Windows 10 install), difference from a fresh install is, that you still have your physical files, you will need to reinstall your software, but personal data is still in tact.

And that is where a desktop icon ( old style) is so hugely valuable, together with 'control panel" and "my computer".