Windows 8 Start Screen and Apps Not Responding

Anonymous
2012-11-17T18:46:01+00:00

I upgraded to Windows 8 Pro on its release date.  It had been working fine for me until yesterday (11/16/2012).  Suddenly, I can't get the Start screen to respond.  I'm unable to launch apps, access the Charms bar, etc.  By pressing WinKey + D multiple times, I am able to get the Desktop to load.  Once loaded, the Desktop seems OK though I can't access Charms from it either.  

I tried the Apps Troubleshooter from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=271185, but it didn't find any problems.  Also, my screen resolution is above 1024 x 768, my video driver is current (I checked for updates via Device Manager), I do NOT have UAC disabled, and I'm logged into my own account (which is linked to my Microsoft account).  Also, I do not have a 3rd party AV/security product installed, just Defender.

In Event Viewer, I do see repeated errors from Time Broker (listed as TimeBroker.exe or  svchost.exe_TimeBroker).  The error message reads, "The Time Broker service terminated unexpectedly."  That didn't seem to be a problem until yesterday, but I don't know what to do about it.

I would appreciate any suggestions or advice.k

Matt

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Performance and system failures

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-12-17T14:03:22+00:00

    Nope, mine's still broken also.

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-12-17T13:45:37+00:00

    did it end up working? I am having the same problem. I managed to uninstall the clock program that was ruining everything with a system refresh, but timebroker still crashes every time I use a modern ui program. So basically, no skype, no calendar, no messaging, no mail....

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-12-15T01:49:44+00:00

    I too was experiencing this exact issue with TimeBroker service crashing and unresponsive start menu after a recent update while having some random clock app installed..

    I've managed to solve it by using regedit to set the timebroker service disabled. I then restarted, removed all apps (including Mail, Games, everything) using the PowerShell script. I set the service to enabled and restarted the computer. Then went to store and redownloaded the apps I needed.

    Before I did the above I did the old netsh winsock and ipv4/6 reset, and removed all my NICs in device manager, because SSDP service was crashing too. Didn't seem to have any effect. I also ran WSReset, but that kept hanging...

    Fingers crossed it sticks :)

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-12-14T14:50:45+00:00

    i read something previously that once you get your end cleared, logging into the store resets things on your account.  My thinking is that safemode let me uninstall stuff then logging back in let the store clear them on that end.  Only thing that makes sense to me.

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  5. Anonymous
    2012-12-12T02:11:51+00:00

    Answering my own question, I reran the ISE script discussed earlier in this thread and chose to uninstall all but store and menu and play.  Sure enough, they all now show up in the store as uninstalled on this PD, finally.  They also start up with a "first use" message... but they also still have the hang, just as before.  I'd like to kill the guy that created that clock app, and the Microsoft engineers that left themselves susceptible to whatever he violated.

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