Weird problem when performing actions

Hi, whenever I click Taskbar Settings, Display Settings, Network & Internet Settings, Personalize, etc., a CMD window of RegAsm.exe opens and closes. Nothing happens. I just did sfc /scannow and reported no integrity violation.
I also have done DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, but has not returned success.

Since RegAsm.exe was inside NET 4 folder (Windows/NET Framework/v4.0) I completely moved to desktop, re-ran /scannow and it fixed some errors, restarted the PC, still the same problem. Most of the actions as specified above (and some too) have the same tendency.

I also tried a clean boot and updated to the latest version. Nothing helps.

Win 10 Pro 1909.

Weird indeed. I would scan the system with malwarebytes and adwcleaner first. Also upload that exe to virustotal and see if it is OK. What is even weirder is that a "clean" reinstall won't get rid of the problem....

does this happens when you do some action or randomly or every x minutes? There could be a task schedule. Something is triggering. Try uninstalling NET and reinstalling. Reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ rutimes too.

Check task manager to see if you see anything fishy

xaccell said:

does this happens when you do some action or randomly or every x minutes? There could be a task schedule. Something is triggering. Try uninstalling NET and reinstalling. Reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ rutimes too.

This only is triggered when certain actions are made: Taskbar Settings, Display & Personalize (right-click on desktop), Open Network & Internet Settings, etc. So, to re-confirm, no one of these settings work. It's like they can't be launched.

I've actually thought about reinstalling .NET but it's integrated on the OS, so it can't be re-installed. What I've done, is removed the NET Framework 4 folder from C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET and ran sfc /scannow which found and successfully repaired the problem - the folder is back, but the issue persists. I have also tried netfx repair tool, with no success. I will try to reinstall C++ runtimes also. - Reinstalled C++ 2010 and 2015 (only these two are installed, both x86 and x64) but still no luck.

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GoldenDog said:

Check task manager to see if you see anything fishy

Halfly-sad (that is clean from known malware, but problem isn't there), there's nothing fishy in processes, or at least that I'm not aware of. I can PM you the processes list if you really think there's the problem.

when you talk about taskbar settings, etc... Do you mean the ones in the new Settings app? I mean the one exclusively for windows 10 or the old school ones??? If it happens in the new settings apps, you could try reregistering them. I know there is a tutorial here in the 10 forums!

xaccell said:

when you talk about taskbar settings, etc... Do you mean the ones in the new Settings app? I mean the one exclusively for windows 10 or the old school ones??? If it happens in the new settings apps, you could try reregistering them. I know there is a tutorial here in the 10 forums!

No, taskbar (right-click) -> Taskbar settings. Network connection icon in taskbar (right-click) -> Open Network & Internet Settings.
Desktop (right-click) -> Personalize or Display, Sound icon in taskbar -> Open Sound Settings.

I've noticed that it happens on a few links on the new settings app too.

I sure think that it's due to updates. Because after installing Win10 it was fine. But, after several updates and restarts (and several days) the problem occurred. I can't recall when. I uninstalled an update for "Microsoft Windows" but no luck. There are many more in general and 2-3 in the Microsoft Windows category.

YOu are gonna have to rely on restore points to find the KB that might have caused that. Start restoring from the newest to the oldest until you find the one that caused all that.

Sadly and unknowingly, only one restore point is there. And it is yesterday (Feb 11).
I will probably put Win10 on USB and start repairing. It is excruciating to install the software one by one again, but I worry there's no way around. I'll lurk through the internet for the next few days to see if anyone had a similar problem, but I reckon I'd not find it.

It seems like not a big deal to access such settings, but it is really frustrating and time-consuming to launch the settings by other means, especially when I have to work with such things.

Anyhow, thank you so much for your replies!