SOLVED W10 Start Menu and Cortana Inoperative for One User, Not Other

[Cayokath]

My son's user account displays the Windows 10 Start Menu and Cortana functions as it should. He doesn't have to log in to use his account. MY user account, which I log into with my Microsoft creds, has the "Start Menu and Cortana won't work" problem. I must right-click the icon to get the list menu view.

I thought that the whole computer was the subject of the "Start Menu won't work" problem and resigned myself to the idea that it was a hardware problem. Learning otherwise tells me that it's some kind of configuration. I have administrator rights and did the setup. Oddly, the Start Menu and Cortana functioned on my login initially, but buzzed out shortly after installation (which was immediate upon the upgrade release). I know just enough to make trouble, and so that could be what happened , but dog help me if I can unravel it as I've usually been able to do prior to W10.

I've already done multiple iterations of sfc /scannow. The report is that there's nothing wrong.

Any ideas?

 

[davidhk129]

See if this can fix the problem......................

Right click at Start button > select Command Prompt (Admin) > type powershell > press Enter > wait a bit until you see....
PS C:\windows\system32>

At the flashing prompt, copy and paste this ( please use copy/paste to avoid typo).........

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

> press Enter.

Ignore any error in red.

When finished, try Start again.

 

[davidhk129]

Since only your user account has this problem, it usually indicates that your account is corrupted.
To proof or disproof that theory, please use your son's account and create another user account exactly the same privileges as your existing one.
Then logon to the new account and see if Start Menu and Cortana do work properly.
If yes, then you old account is corrupted.
If you can, backup files you want to keep and delete the old account.

 

[Cayokath]

See if this can fix the problem......................

Right click at Start button > select Command Prompt (Admin) > type powershell > press Enter > wait a bit until you see....
PS C:\windows\system32>

At the flashing prompt, copy and paste this ( please use copy/paste to avoid typo).........

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

> press Enter.

Ignore any error in red.

When finished, try Start again.

Thank you for the suggestion. I tried it. It did not resolve.

 

[davidhk129]

Thank you for the suggestion. I tried it. It did not resolve.

OK. Try the new user account suggestion.

 

[Cayokath]

Since only your user account has this problem, it usually indicates that your account is corrupted.
To proof or disproof that theory, please use your son's account and create another user account exactly the same privileges as your existing one.
Then logon to the new account and see if Start Menu and Cortana do work properly.
If yes, then you old account is corrupted.
If you can, backup files you want to keep and delete the old account.

That worked.

How does a user account become corrupted?

 

[davidhk129]

That worked.

How does a user account become corrupted?

Making registry editing improperly, installing questionable or unproven programs/software, just to name 2.
I am not qualified enough to address that subject.