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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  1. Anonymous
    2016-08-20T22:44:15+00:00

    How do you create a new DWORD?

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-08-10T13:55:08+00:00

    I am able to report that since my first posting about doing a complete shutdown I have had the problem resurface three more times on two different Windows 10 computers and in all three new cases doing a complete shutdown and then restarting made the problem go away. (This is not the same as a restart which doesn't do a complete shutdown.)

    See my original post on July 20, 2016, for instructions on how to do a complete shutdown. And I recommend going ahead and creating a shortcut to the complete shutdown command so you don't have to look it up.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-08-08T08:53:28+00:00

    Thankyou I was aware of that and had been toying with that idea when I stumbled over this one.

    On reflection I would like to clarify:

    Select Power and Sleep

    Under Related Settings select additional power settings

    Select Choose what the power buttons do

    Select Change settings that are currently unavailable

    Under Shutdown settings click off Turn on fast start-up

    This ought to restore Left-click start menu, Cortana, notifications, calendar etc

    Once this has worked for you re-enter settings as above and click on Turn on fast start-up

    This will return your pc back to the way it was and saves all the aggravation of setting up new accounts or getting involved with re-installing Windows in any way.

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