Windows Start button not working

Anonymous
2010-11-11T12:49:00+00:00

The Windows start button is not working. When I press it nothing happens. SO I cannot shut down the computer in the normal manner or access any programs other than ones with desktop icons.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

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Anonymous
2015-02-14T05:42:28+00:00

Hi,

I faced a similar issue! The following worked for me

  1. Right click on the Start Button and select "Run"
  2. Type "regedit"
  3. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER>Software>Microsoft>Windows>CurrentVersion>Explorer>Advance
  4. Create a new DWORD (32-bit) value, call it "EnableXamlStartMenu"
  5. Restart Explorer​ from task manager.

Hope this helps!

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Anonymous
2010-11-11T15:34:40+00:00

Hi nickthomp.

Does start menu open if you press the windows key on the keyboard?.

Can you right click the start menu orb and choose properties, if so

In the Customize Start Menu dialog box, click Use Default Settings, clickOK, and then clickOK again.

Also try.

1 .   Press Ctrl + Alt+ delete on the keyboard and click on task manager.

2 .   Click on the Process tab and locate explorer.exe in the windows and click on end task.

3 .   Click on File and then click on New.

4.   Type explorer.exe and press enter.

Hope his helps.

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320 additional answers

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-07-20T22:17:52+00:00

    The windows did not appear as the tutorial showed but I was able to navigate. I made the shortcut, used it and my start button was operational. Now if I get past two days of operation I will consider it a success. I have used all of the fixes shown online for this issue but they worked only for two days. There is a cookie on-board that records each fix you use, so if you try to use the same one twice the second one will not work. Running a cookie cleaner restarts the clock.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-07-20T20:58:09+00:00

    THAT SUGGESTION WAS USELESS. Giving me a link about Cortina and it may not work in other countries was a poor response.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-07-20T12:23:48+00:00

    Hi,

    Would you believe - my Start Button has begun to work again!  I know that's weird, but yes, it has started to work again, just like it did at first.  I'm still careful about a few actions - I don't want to break it again.  So, first thing, I try to always 'click with patience'.  In other words.  I give the 'command' (click of the mouse) an opportunity to work--  Before, if I didn't see immediate results I would click again, and again, finding out that this does not help matters...

    I kept thinking, "Maybe I need to check or at least re-run 'updates' and then I waited for the updates to run and do their thing inside the computer.  I believe I was instructed to restart the computer to complete the update process.  All this time I kept telling myself to be patient and not double click - giving the computer a chance to correct itself.  -Then, it happened.  The first thing I noticed was the dancing circle beside the start button, where it says - Ask me anything.  I couldn't believe it.  It bounced up and down a few times and I thought - "if that is happening, the Start Button just might be working, too.  So I clicked once and waited for the start menu to open and in a moment or two it did.  I was 'flabber-gasted'!  Finally, it's working again...

    So, what did I do to fix it?  Nothing, really!  Oh, I tried most of the various recommended fixes, and was dis-hearten when I didn't see immediate results, but honestly - the biggest thing I did was to just 'take my time and not be in a rush for things to happen by clicking again and again.  My recommendation: Keep running the updates, just in case they failed to run automatically, and be patient, give the computer an opportunity to simply correct itself...

    My wish and hope to you all is to have the same eventual success that I am enjoying now that my start button is finally working again...

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