Windows 10 and the dreaded start button issue

[backstreetboy]

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.

Not buggy here at home and work. Stable as a rock.

 

[Arthur]

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.

Right-click on Start has some of these. I right-click on Start more than left-click.

 

[Geoff.D]

Right-click on Start has some of these. I right-click on Start more than left-click.

Yup, except when it does not work ..... like when the "start menu icon" disappears off the start bar ..... another very prominent failure I have had to assist others with.

BTW, another way to get to the settings menu is to access the "language option" on the start bar, then work backwards to the settings menu ...

Was the only way I could get help a friend with his PC recently ...

 

[backstreetboy]

Yup, except when it does not work ..... like when the "start menu icon" disappears off the start bar ..... another very prominent failure I have had to assist others with.

BTW, another way to get to the settings menu is to access the "language option" on the start bar, then work backwards to the settings menu ...

Was the only way I could get help a friend with his PC recently ...

Or Ctrl + I

 

[boanergesza1]

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.

Thanks, but that was part of my "powershell" list of commands. Did nothing

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.

Its windows 10 Home (wish I had sprung for pro). Exact version and build I'll have to confirm later

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.

I disagree. Just looking at the responses here and the number of complaints on the internet I would say the problem is quite widespread.

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

Something happened something happened

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.

The reason Im trying to fix all of this, and the reason I did an upgrade and not fresh install is because I program lots of two way radios. Each radio has a different program. Some has a specific set up that you have to do. I would HATE to have to re-install all of them.
In fact, I resigned myself to the fact that this would be my fate and then whent for the reinstall and the "Keep my files" option. It just says There was a problem and does nothing. (and that is with the DVD even)

 

[Geoff.D]

Or Ctrl + I

Windows + I ?

Yes If some bright spark of an IT shop help guy did not disable in registry! ( You name it I have seen lots of things that PC shops do that are completely stooped.)

 

[Ho3n3r]

I disagree. Just looking at the responses here and the number of complaints on the internet I would say the problem is quite widespread.

Nope. Not if you look at the number of people who have this issue vs. the amount that use Windows 10.

 

[boanergesza1]

Nope. Not if you look at the number of people who have this issue vs. the amount that use Windows 10.

http://www.tenforums.com/general-support/12321-taskbar-start-button-not-working-22.html

Note that its on page 22

"Courage, Alentiev! It's a common problem with many possible solutions. Here's a list of possible solutions:"

 

[Grouter]

The issue is linked to your user profile. If you set up a new user and log onto it, you get a working start menu and all the working apps. You log back into your old profile, problem persists. I have found this out the hard way by resets, re-installs, and repair installs. If you save the user profile, the missing start menu issue persists even with a repair install. Solution is to create a new profile then copy all your stuff into it. Or re-install from scratch and reinstate your stuff from backups.

Yet another reason why I abandoned windows 10.

 

[Geoff.D]

Nope. Not if you look at the number of people who have this issue vs. the amount that use Windows 10.

the total numbers do not matter in my book. The percentage failure rate is unimportant. It is the fact that this sort pf problem exists at all .... and then that just about NO useful help comes directly out of MS. The best help is available away from "official sources" on other websites ....

 

[Grouter]

the total numbers do not matter in my book. The percentage failure rate is unimportant. It is the fact that this sort pf problem exists at all .... and then that just about NO useful help comes directly out of MS. The best help is available away from "official sources" on other websites ....

What do people expect when they use beta software - perfection?

 

[Geoff.D]

The issue is linked to your user profile. If you set up a new user and log onto it, you get a working start menu and all the working apps. You log back into your old profile, problem persists. I have found this out the hard way by resets, re-installs, and repair installs. If you save the user profile, the missing start menu issue persists even with a repair install. Solution is to create a new profile then copy all your stuff into it. Or re-install from scratch and reinstate your stuff from backups.

Yet another reason why I abandoned windows 10.

And that is because the basic issues lie in the "global settings" applied to ALL profiles when you create them. .....

So one ends up with a few "profiles" on your PC, all sort of working ....

I saw somewhere an article in which MS admitted this particular way of fixing things was not correct ... yet just about every query related to this matter will include at least one MS representative who will post this "create a new profile" as a solution.

My solution is to always ensure all your "stuff" is backed up, so that you can get it at any time.

 

[Geoff.D]

What do people expect when they use beta software - perfection?

Ja, the upgrade we were all pushed into was a "beta" version. But the new build released in Feb this year is much better.

But then show me ANY sw released by anyone that is not at some or other "beta" level.

 

[Grouter]

And that is because the basic issues lie in the "global settings" applied to ALL profiles when you create them. .....

So one ends up with a few "profiles" on your PC, all sort of working ....

I saw somewhere an article in which MS admitted this particular way of fixing things was not correct ... yet just about every query related to this matter will include at least one MS representative who will post this "create a new profile" as a solution.

My solution is to always ensure all your "stuff" is backed up, so that you can get it at any time.

Well when the owner is breathing down your neck expecting you to get his pc working again, he doesn't much care how you do it as long as he gets his precious start menu back and MS Edge opening again. They tend to look at you like you're an alien with 3 heads if you suggest "Well, you could always just install Linux, y'know...".

And we all know that the average pc user never backs up.

 

[Geoff.D]

Well when the owner is breathing down your neck expecting you to get his pc working again, he doesn't much care how you do it as long as he gets his precious start menu back and MS Edge opening again. They tend to look at you like you're an alien with 3 heads if you suggest "Well, you could always just install Linux, y'know...".

And we all know that the average pc user never backs up.

I would also look at you as if you had 3 heads IF you suggested to me to install Linux on my PC! Linux is the definition of "beta sw".

When someone brings me their PC for fixing, I reply:

(1) I only do a proper job and that takes time. You will get it back when it is fixed not before.
(2) If you are in a hurry, go somewhere else.

 

[boanergesza1]

the total numbers do not matter in my book. The percentage failure rate is unimportant. It is the fact that this sort pf problem exists at all .... and then that just about NO useful help comes directly out of MS. The best help is available away from "official sources" on other websites ....

Now there are wise words indeed!

 

[boanergesza1]

Nice, did a backup of my data, then did the reinstall that loses your personal files....gets to 22% and then says there was an error. No it won't boot up.

Typical. Now I'm going back to my recovery partition and windows 8....ugh

 

[backstreetboy]

Nice, did a backup of my data, then did the reinstall that loses your personal files....gets to 22% and then says there was an error. No it won't boot up.

Typical. Now I'm going back to my recovery partition and windows 8....ugh

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209 download the tool, then tell it to download the iso, mount the iso, format a 4+ gb usb to fat23, copy files over from mounted iso and lastly boot from the usb. Then proceed to install Windows 10.

 

[boanergesza1]

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209 download the tool, then tell it to download the iso, mount the iso, format a 4+ gb usb to fat23, copy files over from mounted iso and lastly boot from the usb. Then proceed to install Windows 10.

Thanks. I had a USB I used to install another pc. Does exactly the same thing.

 

[Arthur]

Oh dear. Sorry to hear. If your downloaded installation file is clean then it seems there's something wrong with your system or flash drive. Is BIOS at a level that supports Win10? Perhaps an intermittent memory problem, or perhaps a power mosfet is faulty, or a storage or video subsystem fault?

I've installed Win10 on many systems from ancient to modern. The only problematic one was a Bronze Age BenQ laptop. Installs never got past 39% until I updated the BIOS.