Windows menus become inaccessible, file permissions changes etc.

Thanks for the links. This could be why I rejected disk imaging when I sorted my backup strategies all those years ago! It's too far back for me to remember

dalchina said:

... your disk fails
... your PC is infected by ransomware or some other irrecoverable malware
... you make some mistake you can't correct
... your PC becomes irrecoverably unbootable
... your PC is stolen

my personal data is well backed up - but system drive, not so much
But I always figured I can do a clean reinstall for that...

Asteroid strikes and major disasters- well that's another matter!

LOL - Asteroid strikes are the worst...

So, following on from my above posts , I created a fresh Local Microsoft Account to operate from a week ago.
All the problems with lost menus/File permission problems disappeared and I could use all my programs without difficulty. I installed Excel 365 several days back and everything was still working without issues.

This morning, the problem is back. Windows Search doesn't work and again Power Menu items have disappeared - I'm unable to logout except by using the shortcuts and permissions problems are back.

But something had changed this morning - I've now got a CoPilot Icon installed in the Right hand site & Onedrive seems to have logged itself itself and started backing up things without me enabling it.
I've just unlinked OneDrive and will see what happens... This seems to be a Microsoft problem all the way... :-(

Any thoughts/suggestions on next steps for me?
I'm toying with upgrading the whole system to Windows 11 at some point now, just to see if that gets rid of the problem...
Many thanks!
Shaun.

dalchina said:

Is your PC synched (via your MS account) with any other device?

Not actively - there is another machine which was, but hasn't been turned on for a long time.

Is it reversible if you use an appropriate System Restore point?

Thanks - I'll have to see if that will work. there is an available restore point from two days back. I'm going to give that a go!

I can't see changing to Win 11 necessarily providing a solution.

Think I'm getting desperate...

Onedrive is something of a law unto itself and is invasive. Many prefer to uninstall it completely.
There are many related tutorials.

I'm definitely going to give this a go...

Is ctfmon.exe running?

It's running now, but I've done a reboot and am back in a system with menus which are working again... Not sure what ctfmon does and how it could affect windows operation.

Thanks!

dalchina said:

A common cause of not being able to type in the taskbar searchbox is ctfmon.exe not running. But not the only one.

thanks, I'll check out this when it next happens.

So I've reverted to snapshot of an earlier time. The earliest one is before I created the local account so I reverted to one from the 4th. I've still got the Copilot button in the taskbar.
Interestingly when I go to "manage your account" my offline account is linked with my Microsoft account now
I guess this is because I logged into Office 365 using Excel and OneNote.

I've also noted that in the Onedrive subfolder of my "local account", there are a series of online links to all my microsoft account files.
Seems like Microsoft really doesn't want me to use a local account...
:-(

It would be interesting to see if the problem recurred with the internet completely disconnected.

Can't do that I'm afraid... I'll be needing to use it for work tomorrow

Also try disabling synching
Enable or Disable
Sync Your Settings in Windows 10
Only try using the restore point when the problem appears of course. That's no solution, merely an indicator

Thanks - that's something else to give a try...

- - - Updated - - -

ShaunHH said:

Seems like Microsoft really doesn't want me to use a local account...
Can't do that I'm afraid... I'll be needing to use it for work tomorrow

So I de-linked the Microsoft account and it's showing as local account. Will have to see how what happens. Could take few days for the problem to show itself again... Thanks for the help with this.

dalchina said:

Basic idea- try to identify the source of this.

It's either external (via the internet e.g. synching etc) - or internal- something installed or configured or malware.
If you can separate those two, that would be a significant step.

It's annoying that it takes a day or so to manifest itself. Now that I've delinked the MS account, it should tell me that if there is anything untoward with my normal apps. These appear to run OK when operating from the local account. It's appears that Onedrive enters the picture, the problem shows itself. But can't be sure...
thanks.