Windows 10 - Start Menu and Cortana not working? Fix Here! Hopefully

[WPCentral Question]

I think I may have found the problem... Do those dealing with this problem have avast antivirus installed? If so, I believe that is what is causing the 'critical error'. I uninstalled the software and upon reboot my start button and cortana were working perfectly again. Now I'm sure you all know how to uninstall software on your PCs but it may not work in normal mode with the critical error as it didn't with me. Therefore I uninstalled in safe mode. Incase you arent familiar with how to access safe mode on windows 10, heres how: You press ctrl+alt+delete, and in the bottom right hand corner you click the power button. Before you click 'restart', hold down the shift key until the next screen is displayed (blue). Then click troubleshoot, advanced options, start-up settings, restart. Once it restarts, press the F4 key, and when it restarts you will be in safe mode. Now just do the normal thing to uninstall avast and then reboot following the installation and it should be fixed!

I also posted this response on the Microsoft forum: 'Windows 10 Critical error fix, Start menu and cortana not working" bug when logging in with MSA?'

Hope this can help some people! it was hella frustrating trying to fix this!
-LiamHughess

 

[ven07]

Hope it works for most Thanks for the fix

 

[therealgumdrop]

It worked! Thanks.

 

[James Yeager]

what Free antivirus did you install once Avast was removed?

 

[Margaret Osborne]

hi l got trouble with my volume at 100% its is very low l have tryed the setting but its still the same

 

[ven07]

what Free antivirus did you install once Avast was removed?

Windows already has a built in program for this and it works well enough for average users

 

[ven07]

hi l got trouble with my volume at 100% its is very low l have tryed the setting but its still the same

Which speakers do you have?

 

[epaul72]

WONDERFUL!!!

It apparently worked for me too. I'm up and running, and my disk activity light is dancing like crazy.

Thanks so much.

 

[staylorhdez]

That was my problem, I uninstalled Avast and now my start menu is working fine...
Now what I need to know is, which free antivirus software you recommend to install?

 

[Foxxbatt]

no need to uninstall anything, i also run Avast and all i did was do this..

crt alt del to bring up task manager
click file
run new task
enter msconfig w/admin privileges
go to boot section, click on safeboot and network
ok to restart
after restart just repeat the process but unclick the safe boot square in msconfig
restart again..
you should be good.

 

[Wreckless Rich]

Uninstalled Avast and the Critical Error is now gone, booted clean

 

[jcclive]

i dont have avast does anybody know what else the problem could be my start menu doesnt work and my icons in bottom right corner doesnt work volume network action center

 

[FlyDutch65]

Just rebooted to safe mode, but still start button doesn't work.
How do I get to "add/remove programs" without using the start button to uninstall Avast?
Thanks!

 

[Bluerain]

no need to uninstall anything, i also run Avast and all i did was do this..

crt alt del to bring up task manager
click file
run new task
enter msconfig w/admin privileges
go to boot section, click on safeboot and network
ok to restart
after restart just repeat the process but unclick the safe boot square in msconfig
restart again..
you should be good.

Thanks it worked for me..you rock !

Should I change any settings in Avast to avoid this happening again ?

Thanks again ��

 

[rickyaz]

what antivirus has worked best for Windows 10?

 

[anon(5671481)]

what antivirus has worked best for Windows 10?

After uninstalling Avast, I am using Windows Defender with no issues.

 

[jazzdoc]

I had a Windows Update into my HP Touchsmart 320 this morning, ended up with the Start menu etc all not working with left click. Ran Windows restore, this fixed the problem. I would try restoring to an earlier time to see if there is a registry problem that will be fixed. I don't have Avast either.

 

[ven07]

Just rebooted to safe mode, but still start button doesn't work.
How do I get to "add/remove programs" without using the start button to uninstall Avast?
Thanks!

Use run windows button + r and then type in control panel

 

[EmYu]

no need to uninstall anything, i also run Avast and all i did was do this..

crt alt del to bring up task manager
click file
run new task
enter msconfig w/admin privileges
go to boot section, click on safeboot and network
ok to restart
after restart just repeat the process but unclick the safe boot square in msconfig
restart again..
you should be good.

YeY! Thank you for this., its now working! You're the best

 

[Dhiraj Anand]

Thanks a lot man!