Cannot access 'Background' or 'Personalization' Windows settings

Psyche · 08 Dec 2018

ISSUES

Accessing 'Personalization' from Windows settings screen
I open Settings and click Personalization from the available options. I can open all the other options, but for this one, nothing happens. Once I click on it, the window 'freezes' and I can't do anything but close it. I can continue with other work away from the Window. Sometimes, after a period of time, when I hover over the Settings window, the cursor is shown as the 'I'm busy loading something circle'. I've left it for hours and nothing else happens.
Opening Background from the Themes and related settings page menu
The Themes and related settings page takes a few seconds to open. I can click on any of the options and amend them except the Background option. It just 'freezes' as above and the only option I have is to close the window.
Window freezes when opening Background settings from Search box
When I click Background settings from the search options, the Settings window opens (blue with a white gear cog icon) and then nothing else happens - it's 'frozen' as above.
Cannot open Personalize by right-clicking the desktop
When I right-click the desktop and choose Personalize, the Settings window opens (blue with a white gear cog icon) and then nothing else happens - it's 'frozen' as above.

RELATED INFO
It might be relevant that I've recently had and resolved an issue with Windows where my keyboard was not being recognised in the search bar, the calculator and other Windows Modern Apps. I resolved it by closing down Cortana in the Task Manager and running C:\Windows\system32\ctfmon.exe. I've rebooted several times since. Sometimes when I reboot the issue comes back and I have to do the fixes again.

WHAT I'VE TRIED
Rebooting
Full Sophos scan (nothing found)
Running the following (nothing found)

sfc /scannow
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

Hoping someone can help!

dalchina · 09 Dec 2018

Hi, you need to try distinguishing between Windows corruption and issues related to your user profile.

Try creating a new user for test purposes. Log in as that user.

If you then don't see some of these problems, they are most likely unique to your current user profile.

If you see the same problems, it's Windows corruption.

History: when did this start to happen? Do you know what may have triggered it?

System Restore: do you have any relevant restore points and have you tried using them?

Disk Imaging: we strongly and repeatedly recommend users use disk imaging e.g. Macrium Reflect (free) so they can restore their PC to a previous good working state without technical help, comparatively quickly and painlessly. Do you have any usable disk images?

Settings: - you can try re-registering it:
Reinstall and Re-register Apps in Windows 10 | Tutorials
Search for Settings and follow the instructions at the top of the relevant section.

If you decide it's Windows corruption more generally try:
chkdsk C: /F
(PC will need to restart)
Then run an in-place upgrade repair install which keeps all programs, data and most settings.

You will need a matching iso, same build as now, freely available.

qwerty30 · 31 Dec 2018

Hi. I am facing the same problem. I followed your step and found that the problem is unique to my user profile. So how do I solve this? Please advice. Thanks.

EDIT: Found the culprit. It's the Rainmeter software that I used. Found somewhere that suggests disabling any desktop customization tool. Worked for me.

dalchina · 31 Dec 2018

Good- sometimes a basic check like doing a clean boot (so 'extra' software isn't running) can help to identify things like that.