One issue and you get another FREE (Start Menu and System Tray issues)

izzyforeal · 28 Sep 2021

Hello all, my issue is that somehow any personal app in the start menu list will not open (store apps work fine). I've run a few Windows Repair apps but no luck. What's also interesting is that if I right click the app in the start menu then select Open File Location, I'm taken to the directory but the app won't open when clicked there either. What does work is that if I go the the actual path of the file and it does open.

But wait, there's more, here's your FREE problem. The apps that are set to auto-start don't minimize into my system tray (which is what I want) when I restart. They open up in a normal window (which I don't want). I've done all the right click properties stuff, registry changes and creating a UAC bypass but nothing has worked. Thanks in advance for any help, izzy.

Fabler2 · 28 Sep 2021

With system errors run system file checker and Dism restore health.

System file check (SFC) Scan and Repair System Files & - Microsoft Community

dalchina · 28 Sep 2021

I've done all the right click properties stuff, registry changes and creating a UAC bypass

I wonder if some of the hacks you seem to have done have led to this problem.

I've run a few Windows Repair apps but no luck.

What you describe makes this a potential minefield.

Do you by any chance have a disk image created before you did this (for your own protection) which you can restore? The routine use of 3rd party disk imaging is endlessly recommended by members here.

Or perhaps a System Restore point?

If you create a new user for test purposes and log in as that user, do you see the same problems?
If you don't, general Windows repairs will be unlikely to help.