My START button does not work

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On Thursday (two days ago), for some reason, my START button stopped working.  If I place my cursor on it, its label comes up briefly, once, and then goes away.  It does not respond to either my left or right mouse button being place on it and “clicked”.   Any insight on how I restore its activity?  Thanks.

Ron M

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Does the start button work in safe mode?
see this article on how to access safe mode in W10:
https://www.pcerror-fix.com/how-to-boot-windows-10-into-safe-mode
let us know what the outcome is.

No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created IT- AE

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Microfix – just to add to this, the scroll button for my sound control works, but the display that used to show up to show the volume level is also gone.  I don’t know if these two are related but maybe going to “Safe Mode” will let me find out.  I will get back to you.

Ron M

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Right click on the Taskbar and choose “Taskbar settings” cog

In Settings App->Personalization->Taskbar you can set what icons are on the Taskbar

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PKCano, thanks for the reply and the detail, however, when I right click on the task bar, and then <Taskbar settings>,  nothing happens – I get no response.  I do not get any further menus, nor do I get any “error” panels or messages.  Go figure.  The ghosts of Microsoft past have returned to haunt me?

Ron M

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Ron,

You could try a restore point older than the problem.

Win 10 home - 22H2
Attitude is a choice...Choose wisely

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Microfix, I got into Safe Mode and the Start button still does not work.  How do I get back out of Safe mode.  I seem to be stuck in it.  Even shutting down the computer and restarting does not help.

Ron M

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mledman wrote:

Ron,

You could try a restore point older than the problem.

I am sorry mledman, I do not even know what that means, or how to do it.  I am not a real techie person.

 

Ron M

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[mledman]

If system restore is enabled, you can undo system changes by reverting your computer to a previous restore point.  To see if this is possible, type “restore” (without the quotes) into the search box.  Click  “create a restore point”.  This will open the system protection tab.  Click “system restore” then “next”.  Any available restore points will appear.  A check box (bottom left) will show older available restore points.  Select a restore point older than your issue.  Clicking  “scan for affected programs” will show what is being changed.  If you want to make the changes, follow the prompts.

Restarting your computer should take you out of safe mode.  Click start > power> restart (not shutdown)

Win 10 home - 22H2
Attitude is a choice...Choose wisely

• This reply was modified 3 years ago by mledman.

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[mledman]

Restarting your computer should take you out of safe mode. Click start > power> restart (not shutdown)

Oops, I just realized your start button doesn’t work.  Tap the control, alt and delete keys at the same time.  This should bring up a screen with a power button on the lower right.

Win 10 home - 22H2
Attitude is a choice...Choose wisely

• This reply was modified 3 years ago by mledman.
• This reply was modified 3 years ago by mledman.

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[mledman]

mledman wrote:

Restarting your computer should take you out of safe mode. Click start > power> restart (not shutdown)

Oops, I just realized your start button doesn’t work.  Tap the control, alt and delete keys at the same time.  This should bring up a screen with a power button on the lower right.

• This reply was modified 3 years ago by mledman.
• This reply was modified 3 years ago by mledman.

Thanks.  That will help with a part of it all.

Ron M

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ok Ron, seeing as the start button is still broken in safe mode, says to me your system has a corruption with the taskbar.
To check for corruptions, I would open a Command Prompt by pressing:
Windows logo key + X key
Then select ‘command prompt (admin)‘
UAC box will then ask for your admin password (insert your password)

Copy and paste the following into the command box:

sfc /verifyonly

then followed by {Enter] key
Note: this process will take a while, be patient and let it finish.

NOTE: Do NOT close the command prompt box yet!

If errors are reported back, copy and paste this command into the still open command prompt whilst connected online:

dism /online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

then followed by {Enter] key.
Note this may take a while, let it finish.

Once done, restart your PC.

Let us know how you get on.

No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created IT- AE

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Microfix, pressing the Windows logo + X key does nothing. What do I do now?

Ron M

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If the search box works:

To get to the command prompt type “cmd” (without the quotes) into the search box and select “run as administrator”

Win 10 home - 22H2
Attitude is a choice...Choose wisely

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I am sorry mledman, but it would appear that the Search box is also not working.  I am assuming that the “Search box” relates to the symbol that looks like a magnifying glass right below the “Start” symbol in the Task bar (My task bar is horizontal on the right side of my screen) .  I can get a RUN box using the <Windows key> plus the <R> key.  If I type <cmd> into that box I get a panel that allows me to type in the <sfc /verifyonly> commands, but I need to be an administrator to run this command and I am not sure how to do that from the <Run> panel.

Ron M

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If you have a “this pc” shortcut on your desktop, go to:

os(c) > windows > system32, scroll down and right click cmd.exe.  choose run as administrator.

Win 10 home - 22H2
Attitude is a choice...Choose wisely

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Press Windows+R to open the “Run” box. Type “cmd” into the box and then press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to run the command as an administrator OR if that does not work do option 3:
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2790-open-elevated-command-prompt-windows-10-a.html
then continue as per my instructions above.

No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created IT- AE

1 user thanked author for this post.

wavy

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Microfix, I followed your instructions to get the CMD to work and run as an Administrator – that worked.  I then followed the instructions in your previous posting regarding <sfc /verifyonly> and the rest and they all worked, but when finished, I restarted my PC and nothing has changed.

I don’t know if this is relevant, but today, I have been getting this message box … I can’t show you because when I tried to open the jpg image showing the message box, I got another message box with the system error -2018374635 and the file would not open, in fact I do not seem to be able to open any files with .jpg as an ending.

Any suggestions for next steps?

Ron M

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It seems for some, the September cumulative update, KB4571756 is causing the problem you describe.  The suggested cure is to uninstall KB4571756 or use a restore point.

Per Woody – Mayank Parmar has a bug roundup on Windows Latest.

Win 10 home - 22H2
Attitude is a choice...Choose wisely

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mledman, thanks for the information.  How would I uninstall update KB4571756, or can I?  I would not know where to begin to us a restore point.

Ron M

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It would be best for you to do an online search for “Windows 10 restore point”. You should be able to find several articles, with differing styles. Use a guide that make the most sense to you.

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zat so, thank you for the suggestion, however, most of the articles I can find involve the use of the <Start> button to access the necessary controls to do a restore point operation.  The problem is that my <Start> button does not work to spec, so none of the fixes involving it are applicable.  Also, one that I found used the <Search> icon, but that is also not working, so any fix involving it will also not work.

I am not sure what to do, but for now, I can still login to my computer and shut it down when I am finished for the day.  As well, all of the major apps that I use – Office, Adobe products, etc. still run as required, so I am thinking that unless there is a work-around of some sort to fix this, I, like others affected, will have to wait until Microsoft either backs out the offending upgrade, or implements an “upgrade” to fix the “upgrade”.

Makes you wonder how effectively these guys test their “upgrades”.

Does anyone know of a public web site where I can register a complaint with Microsoft?

Ron M

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I don’t know if this “result” is also a product of this “upgrade”, but I cannot get anything from the Microsoft Store.  I tried to “Get” an app (Notebook) and it said that this wasn’t possible because I didn’t have an app to do this. — “This file does not have an app associated with it for performing this action…” etc.

Ron M

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Assuming KB4571756 is the problem –

Windows+R to open the “Run” box. Type “control.exe” and click ok to open control panel.

restore point – recovery > open system restore > then “next”. Any available restore points will appear. A check box (bottom left) will show older available restore points. Select a restore point older than your issue. Clicking “scan for affected programs” will show what is being changed. If you want to make the changes, follow the prompts.

uninstalling KB4571756 – Programs and features > view installed updates (upper left) > right click on KB4571756 and click uninstall.

If you have success, you may want to pause updates for a while.  Start > settings > Update & security > pause updates.  Each click adds 7 days (up to 35).

As long as you can use your computer, waiting for Microsoft to fix this is not a bad idea.

Win 10 home - 22H2
Attitude is a choice...Choose wisely

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Thanks mledman, your help in resolving this ridiculous issue is most appreciated.  I may follow your suggestion on the Restore, but I think I will wait a few days and see if MS issues a correction (I won’t hold my breath, though).  Having followed your references, I realize I am not the only one plagued by their poor testing process.  I will give them until next week and then see what transpires.

Ron M

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mledman

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Ron, you describe several problems on your system which makes it sound like you have some system serious corruption.
It would be a good idea to check your hard disk. Right click on drive C: in Explorer, select Properties > Tools > Check.

Do you have an image backup you can restore?
Are you OK with reinstalling Windows using the “retain my data” option?

cheers, Paul

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If fast startup is enabled, the computer could be using a corrupted hibernation file.  The test is easy.  Turn off fast startup.

Win+R > cnotrol.exe > power options > choose what the power buttons do.  If fast startup is checked, click “change settings that are currently unavailable”, uncheck and save changes.  restart the computer.

Win 10 home - 22H2
Attitude is a choice...Choose wisely

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Paul, thanks for the suggestions.  Most of the problems that I have been experiencing seem to be traceable to one of the recent updates, specifically KB4571756 as I am finding out that there are others who are experiencing the same, or similar, problems.  As I indicated in a previous post, most of my main apps are still functioning okay, so I will wait a while and see if MS issues a correction of that update, or withdraws it.  If not, then I will follow the suggestion of mledman and see if I can revert to a time prior to that update.

I do not have an image backup that I can restore and I don’t feel I have enough of a technical understanding of the “system” to reinstall Windows using the “retain my data” option.  I am always wary of these sort of technical things as I don’t know that I would know what to do if they didn’t work.  Back in the days of Windows 95, I probably would have been okay with “mucking” around with the system as things weren’t too complicated in those days, but today, everything is connected to everything else in the OS – like a house of cards, you pull on one card and the whole house comes tumbling down.

If push comes to shove, I will take the computer down to my local PC Guru shop and see what they can do for me.  It may be as simple as reinstalling Windows 10 and going from there.

Ron M

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Hey folks, My Windows 10 is back to working like it should be working 😁 🧡

• My Start button works
• My Search icon works
• My sound control is back

Not sure what happened, but I am now a lot happier than I was an hour ago.

I want to thank all of you who provided useful suggestions and insight into some remedies and/or work arounds.  They were a great help.

I can only hope that Microsoft doesn’t muck it up again.

Ron M

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mledman

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