My Windows 10 laptop was working perfectly when I shutdown yesterday and when I booted up today all taskbar icons are missing and certain programs do not initialise on startup or cannot be opened because files are missing or paths do not exist. I have done restores using different restore points but nothing works.
Can anyone please, please advise me on how to fix this problem?
Try one or more of these TenForums tutorials to repair your Windows 10 installation:
How to Run SFC Command to Repair System Files in Windows 10
DISM - Repair Windows 10 Image
If neither of those works, you may have to restore from a previous image (if you have one) or perform an in-place upgrade install to repair your damaged Windows installation. Please keep us posted and we'll help you get this figured out and fixed.
Good luck!
--Ed--
Thanks Ed. I've tried the DISM option now and it gives this message below. I've also attached the DISM log file
C:\WINDOWS\system32> Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:esd:C:\$Windows.~BT\Sources\Install.esd:1 /limitaccess
Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.10586.0
Image Version: 10.0.10586.0
[==========================100.0%==========================]
Error: 0x800f081f
The source files could not be found.
Use the "Source" option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature. For more information on specifying a source location, see Configure a Windows Repair Source.
If you find a good working installation of the same language (probably [en-US] in your case) and "bittedness" (x86 or x64, which is 32- or 64-bit). You can copy the %windir%\WinSXS directly and use that for your source. This must come from a machine where both SFC and DISM /online /cleanup-image /checkhealth return a clean bill of health. If you have access to such it should work. Use the path to your copied WinSXS folder as the argument for /source and you're good to go.
HTH,
--Ed--
If you don't mind doing it in a slightly different way.........................
Use this tech bench link to download your edition of Windows 10 iso file:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-US/soft...load/techbench
Make sure you do select the same Win 10 edition, language and bit version as your computer is now running.
Once you have the iso downloaded, right click at the ISO > click Mount > leave it there.
Then open the elevated command prompt and copy and paste this................
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:wim:H:\sources\install.wim:1 /limitaccess
Note : H is the drive where the iso is mounted. Change it if your driver letter is different.
When it is completed, you should get the report that the operation is successful.
Now run the sfc /scannow again. It should be ok this time.
I have done the last step you described and the sfc /scannow came back without errors but I still couldn't start any of my programs like Outlook or Skype so I went to "Reset PC" and completed this which kept my files but removed all apps and programs. Now I am trying to re-install everything but each time the installation fails and gives me a message that says the drive J is full. It seems to keep trying to install to the J drive I mounted with the .iso Windows 10 file. I managed to install MS Office but it doesn't show up in apps to launch it. I'm at a bit of a loss here.
Hello Ed, just wanted to let you know that I eventually had to perform a clean install of Windows 10 to solve my problems. Everthing is working OK again although I've had to re-install all my programs again.
Nice to know you have finally solved the problem.
Hello David
I seem to be almost back where I started again because although my PC is not in as a bad a state as the previous time, there are some strange things going on such as:
Not able to install updates
When right clicking on a file or folder and selecting properties, the properties dialogue doesn't show up
Not showing program association icons for files folders or shortcuts on desktop
I have tried to do the DISM restore health but it keeps coming back with the message that the source folder could not be found.
I've attached the DISM log files here and hopefully you have some advice for me please.
..................I have tried to do the DISM restore health but it keeps coming back with the message that the source folder could not be found.
Go back to my reply Post #5.
Quote