Problem with reinstalling default apps

WinThomas · 15 Dec 2015

I am having a problem with reinstalling the default apps of Windows 10.

When I have uninstalled an app, and then try to reinstall the default package through:

Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers| Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}

I get a lot of error messages in red text, and all my default apps from that point on have names that start with @{ and a version number. None of them work any more. The error messages relate to versions, if I remember correctly. Something about my versions being newer than the ones in the package. The only way to fix my problems is with system restore so far.

I did this once before, under the first Win 10 build, and it worked fine. I think this stopped working for me since the 1511 build.

The reason I am doing all of this, is because I am having regular problems with the default apps not working. Right now, for instance, my Photos app won't open. But I have had a lot more strange behaviour with my Win 10 upgrade. Unresponsive apps, or unresponsive start menu/taskbar items.

I want to be able to repair things myself, before I have to resort to completely reinstalling Windows 10 again, which I think will ultimately be unavoidable, seeing as how much problems I am having with Win 10.

Can anyone tell me what is going wrong with my default apps installation?

Also, what would happen if I took control of the WindowsApps folder, and manually delete stuff there(if that's even possible)?

dalchina · 16 Dec 2015

Hi, welcom to tenforums. I'll just comment on system restore, as much had been written about the problems of unresponsive taskbars and problems with universal apps- fortunately not a problem I've had, but one you can research until someone can offer you a specific reply on that.

Build 1511 is implemented after the manner of a new Windows installation, as you'll have noticed. Thus all system restore points prior to it will be lost, inevitably. Further, system restore (for whatever reason) is usually found to be disabled after that update.

Because the build is so implemented, you can even revert to your previous build via Settings, Update.. within 30 days (I presume).

It might help if you can post a copy of your error message, and confirm the results of running
sfc /scannow from an elevated command prompt, just to establish confidence in your current situation.

paulsalter · 16 Dec 2015

Seems to be an issue with the latest build

Here is some more info on it
Default Apps won't open or re-install, No Store App since......

Zas · 02 Jan 2016

I have the same problem

Problem with reinstalling default apps-untitled.jpg

dalchina · 02 Jan 2016

The link paulsalter quotes above appears to offer a solution. Windows 10 is fragile- changing some settings has untoward effects which can be tricky to resolve.

Almighty1 · 02 Jan 2016

The other way to fix this is if you have a image of the drive or in my case, my 7200rpm 2.5" 750GB Western Digital HDD that I upgraded to 10586 was still available that I cloned to the new 2TB Samsung 850Pro SSD so all I did was copy the folders from the Western Digital HDD by mounting via USB for Windows Store after doing a system restore to the point right before it was broken with the Powershell commands which was only 30 minutes before.

Zas · 02 Jan 2016

Thank you very much, I'm not sure if I know exactly how to do that but I will check into it .

Almighty1 · 02 Jan 2016

Basically, if you had a recent copy of the drive in either image form or a actual drive, you would know since it's like backup... System Restore would be one way to fix it if you know the app worked on a certain day and time.

Zas · 03 Jan 2016

Thank you so much! I did this and it fixed the problem - there were two of those @{... left but I was able to uninstall them after the process finished. I was worried that I'd lose all my programs and settings but everything was exactly the same, just without the problem apps.

dalchina · 03 Jan 2016

Almighty1 said:

The other way to fix this is if you have a image of the drive or in my case, my 7200rpm 2.5" 750GB Western Digital HDD that I upgraded to 10586 was still available that I cloned to the new 2TB Samsung 850Pro SSD so all I did was copy the folders from the Western Digital HDD by mounting via USB for Windows Store after doing a system restore to the point right before it was broken with the Powershell commands which was only 30 minutes before.

Just a question for future reference.. so this demonstrates System Restore does not encompass the universal apps themselves, doesn't it, as you mention both doing system restore and copying the apps folder (presumably)?

(I encountered this problem myself when running the powershell command to reregister all - I really only needed to deal with a problem with Cortana and Location- dealt with it by restoring my very recent disk image and then finding and using a command specific to Cortana).