Why On Windows 10 The Start Button Does Not Work And The Main Menu Does Not Open

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Let's Go! How to troubleshoot Windows 10 Start menu problems

Although Windows 10 was recently released, it showed quite a few bugs in the process. One of the most common crashes is the disruption of the Start menu.

Content

• 1 Problems with the Start menu

• 2 Ways to solve problems

  • 2.1 Restarting "Explorer"
  • 2.2 Recovering Using Windows PowerShell Utility
  • 2.3 Creating a new user

  • 2.4 Changing settings in the registry

    2.4.1 Video: Restoring the Start Menu by Editing Registry Settings

  • 2.5 Reset cache settings

  • 2.6 Updating video card drivers

    2.6.1 Video: Updating Video Card Drivers via Device Manager

  • 2.7 Disable Tablet Mode

    2.7.1 Video: How to Disable Tablet Mode in Windows 10

  • 2.8 System recovery (rollback)

    2.8.1 Video: How to Reset Your PC Using the Restore Function

Start Menu Issues

The main cause of the problems is a system failure during the installation of the Windows 10 service pack. Such a failure manifests itself on a computer in completely different ways:

• when you try to start, the "Explorer" error constantly appears;

  

  Choosing an action when an error occurs will not change anything

• when you click on the "Start" button, nothing happens, while launching by pressing the Win button can work;

• when opening the menu, the tiled interface disappears;

  

  Even if you pin the icons to the tiled interface, the problem will reappear after a reboot

• when you try to open the menu, only an empty window appears;

  

  The crash may appear intermittently

• partial loss of text or icons;

  

  The text disappeared, but the remaining icons still function

• slow response: opening and navigating through categories with a noticeable delay;
• flickering icons when opening a menu;

• the familiar Start menu disappears and is replaced by a tile menu.

  

  When you click on the "Start" button, a block menu appears on the whole screen

Although the main cause of problems with the Start menu is a failure to install updates, I recommend that you check your system with an antivirus for malware when there are signs of malfunction.

Troubleshooting solutions

All of these methods are universal (with the exception of isolated cases).

Restarting Explorer

"Explorer" (explorer.exe) is responsible for the stable operation of computer processes, including the "Start" menu. Here's what you need to do to restart this program:

1. Use the Ctrl + Alt + Delete key combination to open the Task Manager.

   

   Task Manager can also be launched using the search bar

2. Go to the "Processes" tab, find the "Explorer" line and click on it RMB - "Restart".

   

   After restarting "Explorer" there is no need to restart the PC

For greater efficiency, I recommend restarting Explorer not automatically, but manually. In the "Task Manager" you need to click on the "Explorer" line, select "End task", then in the "Processes" tab select "File" - "New task" and register the command "explorer.exe".

Additionally, you can check the box next to "Create a task with administrator rights"

Recovering Using Windows PowerShell Utility

PowerShell is responsible for automating Windows system processes.

1. Open the command line with the Win + R key combination.

2. In the running line, write the value "PowerShell".

   

   PowerShell is located at "Windows / System32 / WindowsPowerShell"

3. In the PowerShell that opens, enter the value: “Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$ ($ _. InstallLocation) / AppXManifest.xml”} . Press Enter to start the scan and repair process.

   

   You can insert text into a PowerShell window by right-clicking - "Paste"

4. Wait for the process to finish, then restart your computer.

   

   The duration of the process depends on the power of the computer

Create a new user

Sometimes the error is due to a failure in the user's personal settings. In this case, create a new user.

1. Start the command line with the Win + R combination, write in the value "mmc" to call the system console.

   

   You can also call the command line by right-clicking on the "Start" menu

2. In the console directory on the left, select Local Users and Groups, then open the Users folder on the right.

   

   After double clicking on the "Users" folder, a complete list of all previously created users will open

3. Go to the quick access panel in the menu "Action" - "New user".

   

   You can also create a new user using the console on the right by clicking "More Actions"

4. Fill in all registration fields for the new user and click "Create".

   

   If there is already a check mark at some point, it is better not to remove it

5. Close the User Settings Console and restart your PC.

Changing settings in the registry

The bottom line is to create a new key (value) in the system registry.

1. Use the Win + R hotkeys to launch Command Prompt and write "regedit" to launch the "Registry Editor".

   

   Commands are not case sensitive

2. In the left registry directory follow the chain "HKEY_CURRENT_USER / Software / Microsoft / Windows / CurrentVersion / Explorer / Advanced".

   

   Be careful: sometimes names can differ by one letter

3. In the working part of the registry window, right-click on an empty space and select "New" - "DWORD parameter (32 bits)".

   

   Even if you have Windows 10 64-bit, you need to create a 32-bit setting

4. "New parameter" will appear in the general list. Double click on it: an additional window will appear, where you need to change the name to "EnableXAMLStartMenu" and set the parameter "Value" = 0. Click OK.

   

   Most often, in a manually created new parameter, the "Value" item is set to "0" by default

5. Close the registry window and restart your computer.

Video: Restoring the Start Menu by Editing Registry Settings

Reset cache settings

The system cache is a system for storing information and computer settings. Sometimes resetting the cache can also help.

1. Click on the "Search" button (next to the "Start" button) and enter "cmd".

2. In the list found, right-click on the command line and select "Run as administrator".

   

   It is important to run the command line exactly on behalf of the administrator

3. Then in the launched application, enter the value "Sfc / scannow", press the Enter key.

   

   The duration of the process depends on the power of the PC

4. After the scanning process, enter another command: "DISM.exe / Online / Cleanup-image / Restorehealth".

   

   After successfully clearing the cache, a successful recovery message will appear

5. Wait until the end of the procedure, restart your computer.

Updating video card drivers

This method will help if you have flickering icons in the Start menu.

1. Right-click on the "Start" menu and select "Device Manager".

   

   "Device Manager" can also be found through the search bar

2. Go to the "Display adapters" section, expand it and find a list of all installed video cards.

   

   If you have several video cards installed, then you need to update all drivers

3. Double-click on the name of the video card to bring up the settings window, go to the "Driver" tab and click "Update".

   

   In the window "Driver" you can also find out its version and development date

4. Wait for the process to finish.

Video: Updating video card drivers through Device Manager

Disable Tablet Mode

This method is suitable if a tiled menu opens instead of the classic Start menu. Often, after updating, the system will automatically switch to tablet mode. To disable it, follow two steps:

1. Go to the "System" console settings: right-click on the "Start" menu and select "Options".

   

   You can also launch the "System" console from the search bar

2. In the list of options on the left, select Tablet Mode and flip the first switch to Off.

   

   You can also enable notification about the activation of this mode

Video: How to turn off Tablet Mode in Windows 10

System restore (rollback)

This is a radical solution to the problem. It is worth resorting to it if other methods did not help.

1. Open the "Control Panel" and select the "Recovery" section.

   

   The "Recovery" window can also be opened using the search bar

2. In the window that opens, click on the "Start" button in the "Reset the computer to its original state" option.

   

   If a previous version of Windows was previously installed, then during the recovery process you can return to it

3. Then the system will offer a choice of two options for starting the recovery. Select "Keep my files".

   

   If you select "Delete everything", you will perform a complete rollback of the system, removing not only applications, but all data

4. After the end of the process, the computer will automatically restart.

Video: How to Reset Your PC Using the Recovery Feature

youtube.com/watch?v=DyQXNqk-vfY

To prevent the recovery process from rolling Windows too far, I recommend that you manually create restore points before downloading and installing updates.

Failure to install service packs is the main cause of problems with the Start menu in Windows 10. Almost all solutions are universal, making it easier to troubleshoot problems.