Windows 10 - start bar disappears can't get task manager

[Aindriu]

Hi,

Every now and again I get a problem in my windows 10 sessions - simply the windows task bar disappears - the background goes black and I cannot get Task Manager to appear when I hit CTRL + ALT + Delete. The programs i have running - Chrome, code editor ,still run but everything else is not available

I can't figure out what is causing the problem. The only option I have on my Dell XPA 15 is to hold the power key down for 5 seconds - power off and start it back up again. The machine works fine for a while but eventually the bug comes back.

I have tried sfc /scannow and a virus scan but no luck. Also i went into device manager but didn't see any drivers errors anywhere.
sfc /scannow

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.


what could be the problem?

 

[Regedit32]

Hi Aindru,

I'm not entirely sure what is going on, however, when it next happens try Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager

If it opens, scroll to bottom and right-click on Windows Explorer and select Restart

This will cause the screen and taskbar to darken/flash momentarily while Windows Explorer restarts, then the screen ought to return as normal and the taskbar ought to reappear and repopulate with any active and pinned icons.

 

[Regedit32]

By the way it's not uncommon to find no resource violations on a single scan. Sometimes, you need to do a SFC scan, then shutdown and restart the computer and run another SFC scan.

Something you could try though, via an elevated Windows PowerShell console, is to register the Windows Universal Apps again. If one or more are corrupt somehow, (especially if they are pinned to your taskbar, e.g. Edge) that can cause symptoms like you are experiencing at random moments.

To register the Windows Universal Apps again, do the following:

• Press Windows key + S to give focus to your Search field
• In the Search field type powershell
• In the search results locate & right-click on Windows PowerShell & select Run as administrator
• The User Account Control will now prompt you. Click Yes
• In the Administrator: Windows PowerShell console type or copy & paste the following command:

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

Press Enter key to execute

This will take a minute or two to complete.

When done, close the Windows PowerShell console.​

 

[Aindriu]

I'm going to try it next time it happens ! thanks !