“Something bad happened” error in the Microsoft Store

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Those of you futzing around with the RTM version of Win10 Fall Creators Update may have encountered this message: Something bad happened Unknown layou
[See the full post at: “Something bad happened” error in the Microsoft Store]

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When opening the Microsoft (Windows) Store. Looks like it’s caused by using an Office 365 Microsoft account, and installing a (forced) Photos update called Photos Add-On. Ed Bott has a good rundown on ZDNet.

Strange.  I am forced to login on the Insiders Preview with a Microsoft account, but I have never had an Office 365 Microsoft account. I did hear they were installing the Photos Add-On without users’ permission.

In fact, I use Classic Shell in Win10. I don’t believe I’ve ever even as much as opened the Photos App!

Sequence of events:
Install 1709 Build 17017.1000 through WU in VM (upgrade from 1709 16299.15).
Login.
Parallels installs Parallels Tools
Reboot
Classic Shell Start\Apps – click on Store (intention to update MS Store CrApps.
“Something bad happened”

 

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NetDef, woody

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Why update CrApps?

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Cybertooth

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I hate this new “trendy” style of error messaging.

Give me a d*** code, reference, or at least tell me what’s actually happening.

“Something went wrong” or “We’re sorting things for you! =)” or “getting things ready!” is absolutely b***** useless.

 

Edit for content.
Please follow the –Lounge Rules– no personal attacks, no swearing, and politics/religion are relegated to the Rants forum.

3 users thanked author for this post.

Noel Carboni, Cybertooth, ryegrass

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Even if you get a code or an event log notice, you may have to hope other folks knew what it meant or can understand the context.

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Usually, I would Google the error code and get something. I found solutions to very obscure problems that way. It creates ad hoc communities trying to find out what they have in common that might explain the error and can help find out a bug faster…

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Thankfully those places and pages exist.

Try as I might there doesn’t seem to be help for all the event log codes, maybe the search skills need fine tuning for success.

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Reboot. Simples.

(Why do you highlight problems but not solutions?)

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b wrote:

Reboot. Simples. (Why do you highlight problems but not solutions?)

Actually it appears a reboot does not reliably solve this one.  What does help is force removal of the unwanted app.  Don’t forget to check your Settings at Personalization, Start, “Occasionally show suggestions in Start.” (I recommend OFF.)

~ Group "Weekend" ~

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I’ve lost count of these types of error messages in W10.

~ Group "Weekend" ~

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Well, at least Microsoft are getting a bit better with their error messages.

In the early days of Windows 10 we had the infamous “Something happened” error message.

Now, we have “Something bad happened” which may or may not be an improvement depending on which way you look it it – a better error message or something worse than “Something happened” occurred.

I think I’ll stop now, I’m getting a headache.

Carl D.

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Cybertooth

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For fun, I searched the Microsoft operating system documentation and found this long ignored guide.

At this point there is no generic error handling function named SomethingHappened which optionally accepts an error code and the words bad or ugly.

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anonymous wrote:

For fun, I searched the Microsoft operating system documentation and found this long ignored guide. At this point there is no generic error handling function named SomethingHappened which optionally accepts an error code and the words bad or ugly.

Heh heh, from their own words:

Effective error messages inform users that a problem occurred, explain why it happened, and provide a solution so users can fix the problem. Users should either perform an action or change their behavior as the result of an error message.

Well-written, helpful error messages are crucial to a quality user experience. Poorly written error messages result in low product satisfaction, and are a leading cause of avoidable technical support costs. Unnecessary error messages break users’ flow.

Also this one regarding “unknown error” is particularly amusing:

Users learn that there was an error, but have no idea what the error was or what to do about it. And no, it’s not OK!

Windows 10’s “Sorry something went wrong!” c*** is akin to the annoying “user” who logs a support call for something just saying “It’s broke!” and nothing more. Should never let “trendy” designers anywhere near your functionality. Been saying this since Ribbons.

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AlexEiffel

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Well, to be fair this error message has 50% more detail than the infamous message from prior versions…

In all seriousness…

Who here would rather not have a detailed rundown of what went wrong instead of an overly dumbed down information-free message? “Too geeky” is way better than “too stoopid”.

I think this is my favorite one so far, though…

-Noel

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Cybertooth, NetDef

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Holy s*** as to that last one. I’d have raged and straight up uninstalled Windows if I ever saw something as retarded as that.

Again, do NOT let “trendy” designers anywhere near your stuff. Just how is that a benefit to the user? I HATE these wannabe “geeky” w****** that think they’re my friend and stick smiley faces and happiness everywhere.

Just give me the b***** information, I don’t care about all the emotive language.

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Cybertooth

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I used to think that these dumbed-down error messages were a sign of how Microsoft was abandoning its history of providing serious products for professional purposes, in favor of a simplified experience for children of all ages.

But then we have the phenomenon of MS putting the update and telemetry screws on all customers except Enterprise, which suggests that they’re still trying to cater to the professional elements of their clientele.

The upshot is an incomprehensible jumble of contradictory signals from Microsoft.

 

Keep Running Windows 7 Safely for Years to Come  
Make Windows 10 look and work like Windows 7

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Noel Carboni

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I’ve pretty much figured Microsoft decides what goes on my PC’s anymore with Windows 10. Every major upgrade I get stuff installed or previews, or Icon’s plastered on my Start menu of games, apps, and third party apps. This is why Windows 10 upgrades have come to a screeching halt. I thought the reason for a Microsoft store was for those who actually want these apps. Why does Microsoft insist on just installing them? So we have gone from third party bloatware from PC makers, to Microsoft delivering it’s own bloatware on Windows updates? You know, its the small nag’s like a Photo add on that just makes me like Win 10 less.

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AlexEiffel

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I thought the reason for a Microsoft store was for those who actually want these apps.

The problem is that Microsoft neglected to (can’t?) build in a strong “want factor”, so they have to try to market the system to success.

Building GOOD software is actually quite difficult. It involves highly educated people doing things at or near the limits of human intelligence for a long time.

-Noel

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See “A tweak to turn off automatically installing suggested apps in Windows 10“. Too bad that isn’t the first thing you’re asked after feature updates!

HP Compaq 6000 Pro SFF PC / Windows 10 Pro / 22H2
Intel®Core™2 “Wolfdale” E8400 3.0 GHz / 8.00 GB
HP ProDesk 400 G5 SFF PC / Windows 11 Pro / 23H2
Intel®Core™ “Coffee Lake” i3-8100 3.6 GHz / 16.00 GB

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They missed a cleaning step, under the SuggestedApps key there could be store package names like this, Microsoft.MSPaint_8wekyb3d8bbwe with a REG_DWORD type set to a hexadecimal value of 1.

Deleting these will stop them from being listed in the start menu. You may also have to right click, select uninstall and manually remove the tile. Any further installation attempts should stop as noticed by opening the Windows Store application, clicking on the application update icon and scrolling to the end of the list.

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EyesOnWindows wrote:

See “A tweak to turn off automatically installing suggested apps in Windows 10“. Too bad that isn’t the first thing you’re asked after feature updates!

I checked my registry value and found it already set to 0.

It’s possible WinAero Tweaker already hit that field. That’s a pretty good package for accessing a lot of under-the-covers settings.

-Noel

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In some cases, broken system files are the reason. But my impression is: It’s a bug in Windows 10 V1709.

A workaround may be to set the location to United States. Another workaround, I described within my blog post: Uninstall .NET Framework 3.5. See also http://borncity.com/win/2017/10/19/windows-10-v1709-store-broken-wrong-manifest-layout/

I’ve escalated this issue for Windows 10 V1709 (PC) in MS Anwers – some details are discussed within my blog post

Günter Born – Windows Insider MVP

Ex Microsoft Windows (Insider) MVP, Microsoft Answers Community Moderator, Blogger, Book author

https://www.borncity.com/win/

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MrBrian

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The Store app ‘manifest layout’ bug has been fixed with a store update – and MS rolls out the new store app renaming the store to ‘Microsoft Store’.

See: Windows 10: Store updates with fixes and Microsoft Store

Ex Microsoft Windows (Insider) MVP, Microsoft Answers Community Moderator, Blogger, Book author

https://www.borncity.com/win/

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