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
    2016-02-06T01:11:36+00:00

    OK, so far it looks good.  However, I'll be back if it screws up again.  MS needs to create a fix for this BS problem.  The Start Button is BASIC, it should ALWAYS work, don't you think MS??

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-02-05T11:48:24+00:00

    Perfect solution! Worked for me, many thanks.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-02-03T01:31:00+00:00

    This is exactly the same problem I was having - only a restart in the way you mention worked.  This was happening multiple times a day which was incredibly frustrating.

    It seems like Microsoft are still ignoring the issue.

    My solution... go back to Windows 8.1!  I rolled back a couple of weeks ago and all much more stable now.  If you have the option to do this, it would be my recommendation.  I will not be upgrading to Windows 10 until we get some assurance from Microsoft that this is a more stable operating system.

    It only happens once in a while for me and I am happy with windows 10, so no need for me to go back to win 7. I have noticed that it happens about the same time windows has done an update. Maybe it has to do with the install of the update needing to restart to finalize the update process.

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