Dead! Search the Web and Windows

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

  1. Posts : 322
    win 10 home
    Thread Starter
       #11

    This post is an attempt at a concise composite reply to the questions and suggestions made by everyone on my problem. I hope it is enough to be of use, and await further advice ofbest way forward.
    I have run indexing three times and the search box is still grey and inactive. The Windows icon to the left is white, but shows blue momentarily with a mini-brief flash of, I think, the hour glass. Cortana I switched to “on” last evening but the search box did not change attributes. This morning I checked find settings and Cortana is on. Windows-S has no effect.
    Action Centre Icon shows “no new notifications”, and, in case it is of use, right clicking to open does nothing. The series of boxes on the desktop is missing too.
    Anti-telemetry applications, I have no idea what they are, so I cannot say.
    There is no message in red in privacy.
    I do have several Sys Res points available, and the disc on to which I burnt the ISO Windows 10 image.
    Language before all this happened I noticed it had been rest from UK to US and altered it back.
      My Computer


  2. Arc
    Posts : 1,626
    Microsoft Windows 10 Home
       #12

    chipwood said:
    I have run indexing three times and the search box is still grey and inactive. The Windows icon to the left is white, but shows blue momentarily with a mini-brief flash of, I think, the hour glass. Cortana I switched to “on” last evening but the search box did not change attributes. This morning I checked find settings and Cortana is on. Windows-S has no effect.
    Action Centre Icon shows “no new notifications”, and, in case it is of use, right clicking to open does nothing. The series of boxes on the desktop is missing too.
    So it is not the search function only but some other elements of the taskbar are not performing their job.

    Do you mean desktop icons by "The series of boxes on the desktop"?

    If so, I would say that something has messed up the system/registry. It might be an aggressive disk cleanup tool, it might be a virus, it might be an improper windows update/upgrade.

    Whatever, IMHO a clean reinstall will be the easiest way to resolve it.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 322
    win 10 home
    Thread Starter
       #13

    I'll have to read link very carefully. As my computer has quite dated BIOS would it be better to use that or UEFI (presuming I can and can set it up)? Because of time I can't do it today, anways.
      My Computer


  4. Arc
    Posts : 1,626
    Microsoft Windows 10 Home
       #14

    If your motherboard supports UEFI, then it will be better to use it.
    But UEFI will need the HDDs to be GPT formatted. So if you plan to go for UEFI, I would suggest you to back up your files at first.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 322
    win 10 home
    Thread Starter
       #15

    I used the disc and reinstalled and so far everything seems back to normal. Thanks all!

    Going off my own topic, I note that I have several odd empty items, some of which are pre any installation of Windows 10. I have shots of the properties of the type of files I mean. As they're empty should I and can I delete them; is there a special procedure? I know they take up hardly any space, but they do clutter things up.Dead! Search the Web and Windows-odd-empty-1.gifDead! Search the Web and Windows-odd-empty-2.gifDead! Search the Web and Windows-odd-empty-3.gif
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 414
    Windows 10 Pro
       #16

    davidhk said:
    As far as I can remember, if Cortana is not enabled, the search bar will not function.
    Um... No. Enabling Cortana has absolutely nothing to do with the availability of Search functionality.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 305
    Windows 10
       #17

    Sometimes, Ask Cortana and the Start Button stop working at the same time. If your Start Button also does not work, try this. If the Start Button does work, then it is a different problem.

    Folks, so many people are having trouble with the Start Button not working in Windows 10, that I have assembled all the various cures. None of them will work every time, but there’s a good chance that one of them will.

    1) Go to this web page Has your Windows 10 Start menu stopped working? Here are four ways to fix it - BT to learn how to use PowerShell (a built-in Windows utility that you already have) to fix it. His first two ideas are pretty good. Don’t do his more drastic solutions, though, until you try these other ones.
    2) Uninstall your anti-virus program and re-install it.
    3) Simply use the Windows key (between the Ctrl and Alt keys) instead
    4) Type “Classic Shell” into a search engine and install it. It is a free Start Button that works great.
    5) Use System Restore

    On its official site, Microsoft recommends:

    Method 1:
    1 Open run command. (Windows logo + r)
    2. type regedit and press enter.
    3. click ok when notification window prompt.
    4. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER>Software>Microsoft>Windows>CurrentVersion>Explorer>Advance
    5. Create a Dword with name ‘EnableXamlStartMenu’.
    6. Give it value 0
    7. Log off and login again.
    If it still doesn't work try these methods.

    Method 2:
    I would suggest you to try ‘sfc scan’ if you haven’t tried it yet.
    Let’s use the System File Checker (SFC) tool to see if it can find any missing or corrupted system files. If so, it will attempt to repair and/or replace them. Follow these steps:
    1. Press Windows +x
    2. Select command prompt admin.
    3. At the command prompt type “sfc /scannow” (no quotes), and then press ENTER
    Method 3:
    1. Press Windows + x
    2. Select command prompt admin.
    3. Type dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
    4. Reboot PC.
      My Computer


  8. Arc
    Posts : 1,626
    Microsoft Windows 10 Home
       #18

    chipwood said:

    Going off my own topic, I note that I have several odd empty items, some of which are pre any installation of Windows 10. I have shots of the properties of the type of files I mean. As they're empty should I and can I delete them; is there a special procedure? I know they take up hardly any space, but they do clutter things up.
    Try it? Disk Cleanup - Open and Use in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 322
    win 10 home
    Thread Starter
       #19

    Well, I tried Disk Cleanup and even at elevated privileges it didn't work!
      My Computer


 

  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 10 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 10" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:07.
Find Us




Windows 10 Forums