Action Center Issues (Won't Open)

Nuwisha · 10 Nov 2022

Hi, bit at my wits end here...
Yesterday evening i tried to go through the Action Center to quickly turn on my Bluetooth on my PC. Unfortunately it did not even open the Action Center, did not think much of it so i went to bed and tried again today.
Again the Action Center just did not open, of briefly showed the completely empty sidebar for a split second.

Going to my Reliability Monitor i was greeted with this mess...

Action Center Issues (Won't Open)-reliability.png

All "Windows Shell Experience Host" "Stopped Working" events of the 9th and 10th are related to me clicking on "Action Center".
The System is otherwise perfectly stable and works like always.

Source
Windows Shell Experience Host

Summary
Stopped working

Date
‎10.‎11.‎2022 14:24

Status
Report sent

Description
Faulting Application Path: C:\Windows\SystemApps\ShellExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\ShellExperienceHost.exe

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: MoBEX
Package Full Name: Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost_10.0.19041.1949_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy
Application Name: praid:App
Application Version: 10.0.19041.1949
Application Timestamp: bbdb3e51
Fault Module Name: KERNELBASE.dll
Fault Module Version: 10.0.19041.2193
Fault Module Timestamp: 7f7062e1
Exception Offset: 000000000010fdf2
Exception Code: c0000409
Exception Data: 0000000000000007
OS Version: 10.0.19045.2.0.0.768.101
Locale ID: 1031
Additional Information 1: 1f06
Additional Information 2: 1f06f80dc1b6ca28b02d06a78c1e5af7
Additional Information 3: 1a71
Additional Information 4: 1a715cda68c00660e0e4498af015cd3e

Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: 385183c4948980ef2b8444bd4bb244c2 (1982785315759342786)

This is the Info i can pull out of when viewing the events.
Every one of them is identical with the exception of "Fault Module Timestamp:", that changes from instance to instance of course.

I am running Windows 110, 2H22, Build 19045.2251 (no updates available atm)

I already tried:
- rebooting
- Turning Action Center off and back on in the settings
- i did try to rename "UsrClass.dat System File" so it could be rebuilt upon restart but it would not allow me to alter or even copy the file giving me the "This action can't be completed because the file is open in system", so i abandoned that approach.
- i tried to re-register Action center with a PowerShell command prompt that was suggested.

Get-AppxPackage | % { Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppxManifest.xml" -verbose }

- i ran "DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth" (no errors)
- i ran "DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth" (no errors)
- i ran "sfc /scannow" (no errors)

Would be grateful for any help to the issue, will supply additional info as needed.

Thanks

dalchina · 10 Nov 2022

- i did try to rename "UsrClass.dat System File" so it could be rebuilt upon restart but it would not allow me to alter or even copy the file giving me the "This action can't be completed because the file is open in system", so i abandoned that approach.

If you wished to try that you could boot to a command prompt (i.e. Windows isn't running) and do it from there, or boot your PC from a live boot disk, or use Emco Unlockit (free) which will can be set up to delete the file on reboot.

Please try creating a new user (for test purposes), log in as that user and see if you experience the same thing.

If not, general Windows repairs are unlikely to help.

N.B. one specific cause of this has been identified. (Searching tenforums can be a great help)

Problem, Action Center stopped working correctly

- font issue.

Nuwisha · 10 Nov 2022

Thanks for the suggestion, i am not sure i know enough to do either of these things. Would be a first time for sure.
Are there any other options that are on the table? That i can do within windows? Some Troubleshooter by Microsoft, some reinstall?
Thank you for the quick reply though!

dalchina · 10 Nov 2022

The first is actually easy:
a. Search for, download, install Emco Unlockit.
b. Click 'Delete' button and browse for your file.
Follow the rest to delete the file- expect to restart your PC.

The last- please read the thread about the Arial narrow fonts.
It's relatively self explanatory.

Else you can
- perform a System Restore (if you have a restore point created before the problem occurred)
- restore a disk image of your Windows partition you previously created - again before the problem occurred.

Or perhaps you have a relatively geeky friend you could ask to help?

Nuwisha · 10 Nov 2022

Checking the threat about the font at the moment, turns out i do not have the Ariel Font in question. But i did download the Process Monitor and hope to maybe find the reason for the crashes the same way?

dalchina · 10 Nov 2022

Procmon creates a huge log file- everything from all registry accesses upwards.
Many filters available so you can remove items from your view of that log, but they are very technical.

If your PC is at all busy your log will be flooded with events.

You're welcome to try.

Noting this, which may have been what suggested doing that to you:
Problem, Action Center stopped working correctly

- there may be several possible causes for this symptom.

Trying the new user is a simple step- create the account, log in, try the Action Centre, log out, carry on as usual.
The new user account can be deleted when you're ready.

If you see the SAME problem with the new user, you could try

an in-place upgrade repair install which keeps all progs and data

History please
When did this start?
What happened before that?

Note the comments in that thread about what was installed in that case as an example.

Nuwisha · 10 Nov 2022

Took me a bit but i filtered ShellExpieriencehost.exe and "Access Denied", and got these results back.

Action Center Issues (Won't Open)-subfiku.png

No idea what i am dealing with... does not look like a simple Font to delete and i do not know if the Access Denied triggers the crash of program like in the font case.

- - - Updated - - -

Honestly i noticed it the first time yesterday night but that is also most likely the first time in forever that i clicked the notification center (to enable Bluetooth) in several months.
Come to think of it... Notification center has been (pleasantly) quiet for months, so i guess the issue started a long time ago, but i did not notice at all until now (as mentioned the system runs perfectly fine otherwise, fingers crossed).

Turning Bluetooth on and off in the settings instead of the Action Center is not a huge deal and i can deal with it.
Once i Update my BIOS i can also upgrade (or downgrade?) to Windows 11, which should completely redo these things anyway, right?
Anyway, i have 3 more days of vacation and i think i will spend them playing some games etc. and just blissfully ignore this issue. I do not think i can track down a Restore Point that will be prior to the problem without major hassle and rollbacks.

Thank you for your suggestions and help though dalchina, very much appreciated

dalchina · 10 Nov 2022

You're welcome.. unfortunately this could be a tricky one if it's specific to your user profile (see new user check above) - and maybe if it's common to all users.. Why?

Here's the same basic problem- note in the response all the general steps that DIDN'T help..
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...8-f65bf7f35881

- and note the respondent didn't get the new user test done first.

If there's not the same issue with the new user, then such general repairs are a waste of time.

However, consider the possibility that the problem occurs also with the new user.
In fact there is no guarantee then that general repairs will help- just that they are more likely to.

Why? Imagine the problem arises through installing a program for all users. E.g. it installs fonts (just an example).
In this case general Windows repairs won't help and you're left with diagnosing the cause...

Nuwisha · 10 Nov 2022

Created a new User Account, guest without Microsoft login, that account has the same issues when it comes to the Action Center.
Will see how this develops, at the moment i can easily deal with the inconvenience.
Just to be prepared updated my BIOS to the latest version, the system now satisfies the requirements of Windows 11.
If i decide to switch to Windows 11 that should fix these issues right? Completely different build and such, registry entries etc. should not just carry over?
Or should i be prepared to do a completely fresh install and delete everything (after doing some backups)?
Thanks again.

dalchina · 10 Nov 2022

If i decide to switch to Windows 11 that should fix these issues right?

Wrong presumption... see what I carefully explained about the possible impact of something added or installed with a 3rd party program e.g. - and you had the example of the font.

Those 3rd party items would carry over into your Win 11 installation (you wouldn't expect to lose programs or data, would you?).

I would try an in-place upgrade repair install anyway... unless a clean install for you is quick and you have little to configure afterwards and have a full backup of your data.