SOLVED Critical Error: Start menu and Cortana aren't working.

[emerysteele]

I've been having this issue with Windows 10 for about a month now. Lately it's been a daily occurrence.
I was running Malwarebytes as well but just uninstalled it to see if that's the culprit. I'll see how that goes.

 

[Ath]

I've been having this issue with Windows 10 for about a month now. Lately it's been a daily occurrence.
I was running Malwarebytes as well but just uninstalled it to see if that's the culprit. I'll see how that goes.

Hi emerysteele,

I contacted Malwarebytes support and was sent some instructions (with web links) that stepped me through a complete removal of Malwarebytes from my computer followed by a clean re-install. It worked a treat and I have now been running error free for about two weeks. I found the Malwarebytes support team to be extremely helpful; their instructions very easy to follow. I now have no Windows errors and Malwarebytes is functioning perfectly.

By the way, when I say a complete removal of Malwarebytes I mean using their clean tool rather than Windows uninstall.

If your recent uninstall of Malwarebytes rids your computer of its error message then I suggest you contact Malwarebytes for help to re-install the software in a way that gives you back your anti-malware facility without the negative side effect.

Good luck!

 

[RecumbentTim]

I was loading Ccleaner to a Windows 10 system yesterday and Pow, Disaster, I went back and forth with it for an hour and then reset but that was a battle as well, finally it just totally failed, black screen, no response. I could not restore it but the pc is under warranty so it is going back. I hated to do that but it is a sealed unit with no optical drive so I gave up.

I too have been having update problems. Crashing nearly every time I restart after the update and many failures to install updates. This on Windows 10 as well as a Windows 7 pc. The Windows 7 pc is operating great right now.

 

[Ath]

RecumbentTim,

Sounds like you may have other problems going on with your PC, possibly even hardware related. Sending it back under warranty is probably the best course of action.

 

[Natasha K.]

Hi so my girlfriend got the Critical error with Cortana and the Start Menu. She shut down her computer and it will not boot now. She tried at least 5 times. The screen goes bright, dims, then dies. Any advice on how to help?

 

[Trouble]

Laptop or desktop?

 

[Natasha K.]

Laptop or desktop?

It's a Lenovo Laptop

 

[Trouble]

Do a hard reset.
Shut it down, unplug it from the wall, remove the battery.
Turn it back over, open it up, press and hold the power button for 30 seconds or so to completely remove any residual charge.

Replace the battery, plug it back into the wall, press the power button.
Do not log in.
At the sign in screen, use the power button on the screen, hold the shift button and choose restart, to restart the computer in safe mode.
https://www.windows10forums.com/articles/safe-mode.3/
Different starting place but the subsequent screens you encounter will be the same.
Choose #4 plain old safe mode when you arrive at the appropriate screen.

 

[MidknightMom]

I am getting the Critical Error message - Start menu and Cortana aren't working. We'll try to fix in next time you sign in. I have been using Windows 10 for a month and this just happened yesterday. I have not tried the other fixes yet. I will attempt the safe mode start fix. But I am really frustrated. I have an HP envy 2 laptop and started with windows 8.1

 

[Trouble]

The safe mode start may work for you but, ......
It is only, apparently a temporary solution and the problem may come back at any time.
If you can hang in there for a week or so we are suppose to be getting the big November (Threshold_2) update, which I hope will resolve at least this particular annoyance.
If you are using a third party security suite (Avast, Avira, AVG, Comodo, McAfee, Norton, Vipre, Zone Alarm) you might want to try uninstalling it. Sometimes that helps.

 

[fred b]

Just reading the blogs as the same thing happened to me last night. Kept getting all sorts of pop ups appearing so decided to download Malwarebytes. Restarted and 'critical error message came straight up, as yet have not found an answer but thanks for all the info at least I am not alone on this

 

[Jill]

That's what my husband's laptop says after signing in to Windows 10. He installed an upgrade to Windows 10 about a week ago, and no problems until yesterday - 8/9/2015. A window comes up saying "Critical Error - Start menu and Cortana aren't working. We'll try to fix it the next time you sign in." Then there is a button within that window that says, "Sign out now." When he clicks on "Sign out now" his laptop restarts, shows the page with the date, he is able to clear that to the sign in page, he puts in his password, hits enter, and the same critical error shows again on his desktop. He is locked into this round robin. The toolbar doesn't load all the usual icons. He clicked on the google chrome icon on the desktop one of the times, and its homepage came up, but he was unable to use the page or to access the internet. At first he was able to click on something in the lower right corner and learned that he had internet access, but he still couldn't access the internet. Now that piece of information is unavailable to him. When he right clicks on his desktop, the right-click window comes up as usual, but when he clicks on "display settings" for example, he gets another window that says, "This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Please install a program or, if one is already installed, create an association in the Default Programs control panel." However, the slide show of his photos he uses for his desktop display or background is working well. What can he do to fix his Start Menu?

Right click on start button, select Command Prompt (administrator) and enter. Type in Powershell at the c: prompt and hit enter. When you get the prompt back paste the command below:

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

Hit enter and let it run. Once it is done you will be returned back to c: prompt and exit powershell. This worked perfectly for me.

 

[Daphne]

Hello and welcome to the forum,
Try starting his computer in safe mode and see if the same problem persists.
Instead of logging in.... at the login screen use the power button (bottom near the left next to the ease of access icon), hold the shift key and select restart. Then you'll need to navigate the subsequent screen(s) to get to startup options and then select safe mode (I think option 4)
I believe the screen selection will be
Troubleshoot
Advanced options
Startup Settings
Restart
and then select the number next to safe mode
Good luck
Keep us posted.

Hello, this suggestion is not working for me. It takes me to password which says its wrong, and says i have no internet connection. Any other help, I've tried all the suggestions in the thread

 

[Trouble]

and says i have no internet connection

If you are selecting #4 then you will not have an internet connection.
Choice #5 is for safe mode with networking.
There are many people who have this issue and some find the solution here, work for them, while other find that they do not.

If you cannot log into your machine at all, then your options are extremely limited
You could boot from the installation media and attempt to use the advance trouble shooting options.
A system restore from there may help, if the system ever worked at all.
A reset from there may help.

Whatever or however you decide to proceed, I would strongly recommend making an effort to image your disk to preserve any critical data as a complete clean install may be your only recourse.

 

[deanMan]

The problem is dropbox. I searched google for weeks and finally found a fix. Cortana, searchbar, everything works now. I just want to help others with the same issue.

I hope this helps.

 

[Daphne]

Thank you,
But i do not have drop box

 

[novice]

Hello and welcome to the forum,
Try starting his computer in safe mode and see if the same problem persists.
Instead of logging in.... at the login screen use the power button (bottom near the left next to the ease of access icon), hold the shift key and select restart. Then you'll need to navigate the subsequent screen(s) to get to startup options and then select safe mode (I think option 4)
I believe the screen selection will be
Troubleshoot
Advanced options
Startup Settings
Restart
and then select the number next to safe mode
Good luck
Keep us posted.

I had exact same problem as

Hello and welcome to the forum,
Try starting his computer in safe mode and see if the same problem persists.
Instead of logging in.... at the login screen use the power button (bottom near the left next to the ease of access icon), hold the shift key and select restart. Then you'll need to navigate the subsequent screen(s) to get to startup options and then select safe mode (I think option 4)
I believe the screen selection will be
Troubleshoot
Advanced options
Startup Settings
Restart
and then select the number next to safe mode
Good luck
Keep us posted.

I had the same problem as well explained by mimi and I followed your advice as above and I must thank you as it worked!! Thank you.

 

[Jammyal]

Hi all,

Just wanted to let you know what sorted things for me. Had the critical error message since 2 days ago. I have followed everything in this thread and others. Safe boot, removed all security software etc. Deanman mentioned dropbox and noticed this updated yesterday. Removed dropbox and everything is working fine now!

Thanks all,

 

[clifford_cooley]

So non-Microsoft software is breaking Microsoft's user interface? This never happened in Windows 7 and earlier operating systems.

 

[MagsMac]

I had exact same problem as

I had the same problem as well explained by mimi and I followed your advice as above and I must thank you as it worked!! Thank you.

Yesterday my PC with recently installed Windows 10 gave me the same Critical Error etc. message. I followed Trouble's advice and it worked perfectly! Just joined the Forum to say thank you!