Windows 10 Right Click on Start, doesn't open some apps.

MikeHawthorne · Jan 3, 2021

Hi everyone.

I touched on this once before but now have found that several applications can't be opened from the right click menu brought up from the start button.

Things like PowerShell, Device Manager and Disk Management. I waited a while because I hoped that an update would fix it, and it isn't really that much of a problem because I can open the applications by typing them into the search box on the taskbar.

So everything works but the menu itself, I found that I'm not the only person experiencing this, and it is attributed to an update from Microsoft.

I haven't' found anyway to reactivate the action so that I can open things like PowerShell from this menu.

Does anyone know anything about this.

I tried to follow one fix, but you know how that goes, on step three when I clicked I got a totally different screen then the one shown and had to back out of the process.

If anyone knows anything about this let me know.

Like I said, this isn't a real problem because I can open all these applications things like the PowerShell as admin by other means, I just like things to work the way they are supposed to.

Mike

Neemobeer · Jan 4, 2021

Sounds like it might either be a permission issue or a context menu item interfering.

Run the following in Powershell and review the permissions.
Each item should return Full Permissions for SYSTEM, Administrators, and your username

Code:

(Get-ChildItem -Path $env:USERPROFILE\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WinX -Recurse) | % {$_.FullName; (Get-Acl -Path $_.Fullname).Access }

Neemobeer · Jan 3, 2021

Well the WinX menu is nothing more than regular shortcuts with a twist.

They're stored under C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WinX
Each group starting with Group1 corresponds to a section of the WinX menu with a separator. The twist part is that these shortcuts contain a small hash value so they can't be tampered with nor other shortcuts added. Some one did reverse engineer that hashing function and created a tool to add items etc though.

Can you run the affected applications from the regular start menu? or by navigating to their locations?

You can try right clicking the shortcuts and copy the commands to either a cmd prompt or the run box and validate they work.
If the commands work I'd suspect possibly OS corruption and would try running commands like SFC /SCANNOW and from powershell Repair-WindowsImage -CheckHealth -RepairHealth -Online

MikeHawthorne · Jan 3, 2021

Hi Neemo

Yes I can run all the applications by starting them in other ways, mostly just be typing them in the search bar on the taskbar.
I.E. if I type Disc Management it will take me to a link to open Disk Management.

And some entries do work, but a group of them don't. It just started one day, I hadn't noticed until I wanted to get into the PowerShell as Administrator, and when I clicked on it nothing happened.

I have to do that through Task Manager now, but everything works, except the menu itself. I've already run SFC /scannow and it doesn't find any problems.

I haven't' tried the other command, I'll give it a try.

How exactly is the Repair-WindowsImage command entered, it's rejecting it?

Mike

MikeHawthorne · Jan 3, 2021

MikeHawthorne said:
Hi Neemo

Yes I can run all the applications by starting them in other ways, mostly just be typing them in the search bar on the taskbar.
I.E. if I type Disc Management it will take me to a link to open Disk Management.

And some entries do work, but a group of them don't. It just started one day, I hadn't noticed until I wanted to get into the PowerShell as Administrator, and when I clicked on it nothing happened.

I have to do that through Task Manager now, but everything works, except the menu itself. I've already run SFC /scannow and it doesn't find any problems.

I haven't' tried the other command, I'll give it a try.

How exactly is the Repair-WindowsImage command entered, it's rejecting it?

Mike

Never mind I got it.

MikeHawthorne · Jan 4, 2021

I ran all the diagnostic stuff, and it's still the same.
It's a good thing I can start any of the apps in another way.

Maybe one day there will be a big update and it will get fixed.

Neemobeer · Jan 4, 2021

For Powershell it's looking in your user profile for a shortcut
Can you look for the powershell.lnk file here
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Windows PowerShell

Look at the properties it should have the following target
%SystemRoot%\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe

MikeHawthorne · Jan 4, 2021

C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0

Yes I found it, I made a start icon on the desktop it works in normal mode but not when asked to "Run as Administrator", from the icon.
Interesting, I'm glade to find that I'm not the only one, and Microsoft acknowledges the problem.

I added it to my Rocket Dock and it works fine.

Neemobeer · Jan 4, 2021

Sounds like it might either be a permission issue or a context menu item interfering.

Run the following in Powershell and review the permissions.
Each item should return Full Permissions for SYSTEM, Administrators, and your username

Code:

(Get-ChildItem -Path $env:USERPROFILE\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WinX -Recurse) | % {$_.FullName; (Get-Acl -Path $_.Fullname).Access }

MikeHawthorne · Jan 5, 2021

Yes everything says full control.

But I have gained something.
For the last few days my computer was running really badly, I couldn't get the expected frame rates, my GPU was running hot and everything felt wrong, my mouse was even off.

After running all the diagnostic stuff and repair apps the computer has returned to its normal operation.
I was even able to turn the specs on my games back up to where they were before.

Very weird, I was thinking about resetting it to one of my earlier backups, and doing the updates again, but now it seems back to normal except for the menu thing.

At least the menu thing is something I can get around.

Neemobeer · Jan 5, 2021

I would also try disabling shell extensions one at a time and test the menu.

ShellExView - Shell Extension Manager For Windows

Shell Extensions Manager

www.nirsoft.net

MikeHawthorne · Jan 6, 2021

I'll check it out.

MikeHawthorne · May 14, 2021

Hi Neemo

I just came back to say I never did figure this out, I started working my way through ShellExView but I didn't get very far and then didn't get back to it, there are several hundreds of them to disable and re-able.

If you have any suggestions of which commands might make a difference I'll get back at it one of these days.
I have gotten used to it, but it still isn't right.

Mike

PS, I logged in to my computer under my other Administer username, one I never really use, and the situation was the same, the same commands don't work from the menu.

Windows 10 Right Click on Start, doesn't open some apps.

MikeHawthorne

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MikeHawthorne

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ShellExView - Shell Extension Manager For Windows

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