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[davidhk129]

It is not entirely hopeless.

Your Win 10 is activated. Yes ?
If yes, then you can if you want to, reinstall Win 10.
Do you want to do that or do you rather just "live with it " ?

If you decide to reinstall, read on.
Down load Media Creation Download Tool and run it............................
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ca/windows-10/media-creation-tool-install

**** Since you have been messing with the registry, I strongly suggest that you do a Clean Install ****

When you begin running the Tool, do NOT choose Upgrade this PC now. Instead select Create installation media for another PC.
That will start downloading the ISO to your computer.
When download is done, burn it to a DVD or a USB of at least 4 GB and use it to do a Clean Install.

I recommend using Windows DVD/USB Download Tool.
It is absolutely simple to use. I use it exclusively.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/windows-usb-dvd-download-tool

You might need to go to the Bios and change the boot order to CD\DVD, or USB, whichever media you have chosen to use.

 

[gogreen]

Yes, my Windows 10 is activated. I checked that.

I reinstalled Windows 10 with a DVD I had created with the media creation tool, but it didn't solve the problem. I hesitate to refresh with a clean install because I'll lose A LOT. So for now, I'll live with it.

 

[Trouble]

My suggestion would be to perform and in-place upgrade repair. That is to say...... upgrade it again, overtop of itself from within your current install, just double click setup.exe in the installation media. Just be sure to check the little box to get updates as part of the upgrade process.
That will generally keep all your programs, data, drivers and such safe, but.....
I would still create a disk image before going forward.

Installation media can be obtained here
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/techbench
OR here
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

If you already have the ISO you can simply mount it from within Windows 10 and run setup.exe from there.

Neosmart has a pretty good article on it here https://neosmart.net/wiki/windows-10-repair-installation/
You can skip the first couple paragraphs where they are promoting their recovery CDs and drill down to the meat of the article below.
Just a suggestion.

 

[gogreen]

I did a repair install. It didn't fix the problem.

 

[gogreen]

I have another idea on getting back my Cortana settings (as illustrated in your post #9).

I compared the folders Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy on my desktop (where I'm experiencing this problem) and my laptop (where Cortana is working OK). Both folders are identical, so I'm thinking this is a registry issue.

Where are Cortana's registry settings? I'd like to try copying the laptop's settings to my desktop to see if that brings Cortana's settings back (with a system restore point created first).

 

[davidhk129]

Since you specified post #9, I take it you are asking me the question.

Unfortunately, I don't know.

 

[gogreen]

I saw your #9 post. The problem on my desktop computer is that when I press the 3rd button from the top to get those settings, nothing happens. I've done a repair install, sfc /scannow and chkdsk both show all is OK. The problem persists.