Windows Repair Tool has broken my laptop.

Can you help me please? I posted this in the MS Community Forum eight days ago and the two technical experts are now lost for further ideas to resolve the problem. My laptop is still broken.

I powered up one morning, clicked on an icon that should have opened one of the ten Excel spreadsheets on my desktop but didn't. Instead, this icon appeared:



I clicked on it and this appeared:



I then clicked on an icon that should have opened an Excel spreadsheet and this appeared:



The words in every one of my Excel spreadsheets have been changed to these hieroglyphics.

I then checked my Word documents and saw that although I can read the words every document is covered with boxes e.g.



I clicked it again and this appeared:



One of those advising me on that Forum said "the WINDOWS "default file associations" have been messed up some how".He said that I should run Office Repairand gave me this link:https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...e-a6b40c5bb88b

I ran it but nothing changed. Then he said to run it again - no change. He then advised me to reinstall Office (I have version 18.2106.12410.0 ). I did, twice, but again no change.

At this point I asked what else could be done and we discussed using System Restore, but we can 't find where it is/how to get to it. Resetting my laptop was then suggested but again we can't find it it is nor how to get to it.

I'm now at my wit's end. To make it worse, I have my Annual Review of my prescription medication at my Doctors' Surgery in ten days' time and I can't prepare for it because Microsoft's Repair (sic) Tool has corrupted it.

Can you help me please?

Windows 21H1 – 19043.1288

Was the file downloaded or is it one which you’ve created?
Is the Excel program set as the default for opening that type of file?
Do you have Office apps installed & the subscription still valid?
If you open the file using Edge does the corruption still occur?

Go to your saved document. If you have a document that is supposed to open an Excel Spread Sheet, right click it and choose Properties. The Type of file should read Microsoft Excel Worksheet (.xlsx) or (.xls) The Opens With should say Excel, if not, press the Change button click the More Apps link and choose Microsoft Excel. You can also set your Office Apps to default How to set Office 2016 / 2019 / 365 as default Office program version? | EasyTweaks.com

Thanks pericles . I've just run System Restore. I wanted to restore to the 15th October, the day before the problem hit but I wasn't given the option to select a day. Should I have been given this option?
I ran sfc scannow and it found and fixed problems.
But when I opened some xlxs documents just now, there was no change e.g. all my medical records going back seven years have been wiped out & replaced with hieroglyphics characters.

What should I do now please? Windows Repair (sic) App has even wiped out my files in my e: (File History) and g: (Daily) drives.

Hello @Taffy078,

---

Have you tried these? . . .

> How to Restore Default Apps for File Type Associations in Windows 10
> How to Choose Default Apps to Open Files with in Windows 10

---

Have you tried copying one of the files to a USB and opening it on another computer to see if the file is corupted, or it is your OS causing the problem?

---

Have you got a System Image PRIOR to this happening that you can use?

---

I know you have run SFC, but try this . . .

 SFC and RestoreHealth

[1] Press the Win + X keys together > Command Prompt (Admin).
[2] Highlight ALL the commands below.

IMPORTANT:

• It is recommended when running SFC that Fast Startup is turned OFF [ Turn it back ON when finished ] => How to Turn On or Off Fast Startup in Windows 10
  
  
• If SFC finds any ERRORS that it can NOT repair, run SFC again upto 3 more times, Restarting after each to allow any pending actions to be implemented.
  
  
• DISM will initially try and Repair ANY Corrupted or Missing files using the Component Store.
  If this is NOT possible, DISM will use Windows Update. Therefore, Internet access is required.
  If you are NOT connected to the Internet, you will receive a Error: 0x800f081f.

[3] Press the Ctrl + C keys together.
[4] Right-click inside the Administrator: Command Prompt Window > Paste.
[5] Press Enter.

Code:

sfc /scannow
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

• When the above has finished processing . . .

[6] Right-click on the title bar of the Administrator: Command Prompt Window > Edit > Select All.
[7] Right-click on the title bar of the Administrator: Command Prompt Window again > Edit > Copy.

• Paste the results into your post using the [CODE] tags . . .

[8] In your post, click the Hashtag icon #.
[9] Click INSIDE the [CODE]Here[CODE] tags and press the Ctrl + V keys together.

• In your post it will look like this . . .

Code:

<<< Results here >>>

 SFC Error Report

However, if there are STILL SFC ERRORS . . .

[1] Press the Win + X keys together > Command Prompt (Admin).
[2] Highlight the command below.

NOTE:

If you have a Relocated Desktop, then change the %UserProfile% part of the Command below to the actual path of the Relocated Desktop folder.

[3] Press the Ctrl + C keys together.
[4] Right-click inside the Administrator: Command Prompt Window > Paste.
[5] Press Enter.

Code:

findstr /c:"[SR]" %windir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log > "%UserProfile%\Desktop\SFC_Details.log"

• This will create a SFC_Details.log file on the Desktop.

EITHER:

Copy & Paste the results into your post using the [CODE] tags . . .

[1] Open the SFC_Details.log file in Notepad.
[2] Press the Ctrl + A keys together.
[3] Press the Ctrl + C keys together.
[4] In your post, click the Hashtag icon #.
[5] Click INSIDE the [CODE]Here[CODE] tags and press the Ctrl + V keys together.

• In your post it will look like this . . .

Code:

<<< Results Here >>>

OR:

UPLOAD the file => How to Upload and Post Screenshots and Files at Ten Forums.

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I hope this helps.

Hi,
Just for information, as you've plenty offering guidance and suggestions...

What actually is the program you ran, and with what, if any, options?

Windows Repair (sic) App

Do you have full backups of your data?

I've just run System Restore. I wanted to restore to the 15th October, the day before the problem hit but I wasn't given the option to select a day. Should I have been given this option? I ran sfc scannow and it found and fixed problems. But when I opened some xlxs documents just now, there was no change

Neither of these should affect your data files.

As to System Restore, you might have seen something like this:


The dates available to you will be different. By default, restore points are created rather erratically by Win 10. I choose to have one created daily on a schedule (tenforums tutorial). But that's where you can find those avalable to you.

[QUOTE=Paul Black;2318620]Hello @Taffy078,

Hello Paul. Does it help if I tell you that I have uninstalled and reinstalled Office? I have version 18.2106.12410.01. I tried the first two processes that you mentioned but they didn’t resolve my problem.2. I ran sfc/ scannow and it found and repaired problems. It told me where the report has been saved but I haven’t looked at it.3. It must be my laptop; I haven’t another PC to check. 4. I had a System Image App on my previous laptop but not on this one.5. I pressed the Win + X keys together but this is what happened. There’s no “Command Prompt (Admin)” there; is it one of the other names? What should I do now, please?

---

Have you tried these? . . .

> How to Restore Default Apps for File Type Associations in Windows 10
> How to Choose Default Apps to Open Files with in Windows 10

---

Have you tried copying one of the files to a USB and opening it on another computer to see if the file is corupted, or it is your OS causing the problem?

---

Have you got a System Image PRIOR to this happening that you can use?

---

I know you have run SFC, but try this . . .

 SFC and RestoreHealth

[1] Press the Win + X keys together > Command Prompt (Admin).
[2] Highlight ALL the commands below.




[3] Press the Ctrl + C keys together.
[4] Right-click inside the Administrator: Command Prompt Window > Paste.
[5] Press Enter.

Code:

sfc /scannow
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

• When the above has finished processing . . .

[6] Right-click on the title bar of the Administrator: Command Prompt Window > Edit > Select All.
[7] Right-click on the title bar of the Administrator: Command Prompt Window again > Edit > Copy.

• Paste the results into your post using the [CODE] tags . . .

[8] In your post, click the Hashtag icon #.
[9] Click INSIDE the [CODE]Here[CODE] tags and press the Ctrl + V keys together.

• In your post it will look like this . . .

Code:

<<< Results here >>>

 SFC Error Report

However, if there are STILL SFC ERRORS . . .

[1] Press the Win + X keys together > Command Prompt (Admin).
[2] Highlight the command below.




[3] Press the Ctrl + C keys together.
[4] Right-click inside the Administrator: Command Prompt Window > Paste.
[5] Press Enter.

Code:

findstr /c:"[SR]" %windir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log > "%UserProfile%\Desktop\SFC_Details.log"

• This will create a SFC_Details.log file on the Desktop.

EITHER:

Copy & Paste the results into your post using the [CODE] tags . . .

[1] Open the SFC_Details.log file in Notepad.
[2] Press the Ctrl + A keys together.
[3] Press the Ctrl + C keys together.
[4] In your post, click the Hashtag icon #.
[5] Click INSIDE the [CODE]Here[CODE] tags and press the Ctrl + V keys together.

• In your post it will look like this . . .

Code:

<<< Results Here >>>

OR:

UPLOAD the file => How to Upload and Post Screenshots and Files at Ten Forums.

---

Hello Paul. Does it help if I tell you that I have uninstalled and reinstalled Office? I have version 18.2106.12410.0

1. I tried the first two processes that you mentioned but they didn’t resolve my problem.
2. I ran sfc/ scannow and it found and repaired problems. It told me where the report has been saved but I haven’t looked at it.
3. It must be my laptop; I haven’t another PC to check.
4. I had a System Image App on my previous laptop but not on this one. (S*d's Law!!)
5. I pressed the Win + X keys together but this is what showed.

There’s no “Command Prompt (Admin)” there; is it one of the other names?
What should I do now, please?