Toggle "Location for this device" doesn't work

dirkdigles · 03 Oct 2017

Hi all,

I just recently discovered this problem on my Win10Pro x64 PC. Location stopped working for some reason (I noticed because Night Light stopped functioning at the correct times - sunset / sunrise).

In the Location area of Settings -> Privacy, I press the button "Change" under "location for this device is off," and it toggles on, but nothing happens. Upon exiting the little dialogue box, Location Services stays greyed out and "off," and if I click "Change" again, the toggle is also back to "off."

I've searched far and wide - done multiple registry fixes for others with a similar problem; none have worked:

Location GREYED out in windows 10...no option of turning on Windows - Microsoft Community
and
Turn On or Off Location Services in Windows 10 General Tips Tutorials

No dice. I have run sfc /scannow as well as DISM; neither report any issues.

I've checked if the Geolocation service is running - initially it was turned off, but through the registry fixes, it is now on and running, on the setting "Automatic (Triggered)." Taskmgr reports it as lfsvc, PID 4524, Geolocation service, Running, in the netsvcs group. All looks correct in msconfig and services.msc

Yet, after all this, I cannot enable "location for this device." I've tried creating a local administrator account to run the same troubleshooting processes - and the issue remains. My account is an administrator account (and the sole account on the device, aside from the Admin account I created for troubleshooting).

Running out of ideas here. I'm thinking the best step might be the upgrade/install in place at this point, but curious if anyone has any suggestions that I haven't found through searching.

Thanks much.

dalchina · 03 Oct 2017

Hi, does this help?

"Geolocation

After disabling the Geolocation Service by changing startup type to Disabled, attempts to re-enable it will fail with an error message. As the Geolocation Service can no longer be started, Geolocation will remain disabled on the device and prevent location based functionality from working. To work around this issue, manually delete the following regkey using regedit: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\lfsvc\TriggerInfo\3."

I edited the registry as described, and sure enough, after a re-boot, the Geolocation service could then be started. I opened MS Config, and made sure it was set to run at startup, re-booted again, and once Win 10 had started up, my "Location" button was live, along with an all singing and dancing Cortana.

However you refer to the geolocation service as running, so may not be relevant.. or one you've already used.

Note: other options include:
- using System Restore (if you have it turned on and any useful restore points available
- restoring your system from a previously created disk image (we strongly and repeatedly recommend people use disk imaging routinely - e,g, Macrium Reflect (free) - allows recovery even if your disk fails (to a new disk of course) )
- an in-place upgrade repair install which keeps all programs and data and most settings
- which I think you are referring to.

Similar here:
Location Greyed Out - Cortana Set Up Blocked Solved - Windows 10 Forums

There may be more if you search the forum for
location greyed out
e.g.
- not seen posts on that for a very long time.

What is your Windows build?
(Windows key + R, winver)

dirkdigles · 03 Oct 2017

Thanks for the quick reply.

Already did that registry fix you quoted - didn't have an effect.

I'm on Version 1703, Build 15063.608.

The thing is, my "Change" button isn't greyed out. I click it and it opens up the device location toggle, as it should. I click the toggle, and it switches to "on," - except only visually. Location Services (a different item) stays greyed out, as if I never clicked the toggle at all. This is verified by clicking again on "Change" and seeing that the toggle is still set to "Off," even after toggling it to "on" moments before.

Here is what I see, in order. First I click the "Change" and toggle pops up. I toggle it to "on." I exit the dialog box; nothing has changed. I click "Change" again and the toggle is still set to off!

Toggle "Location for this device" doesn't work-4.png

Toggle "Location for this device" doesn't work-2.png

Toggle "Location for this device" doesn't work-3.png

Toggle "Location for this device" doesn't work-1.png

dirkdigles · 03 Oct 2017

dalchina · 03 Oct 2017

I think you need to open the action centre, and click the location tile there.

dirkdigles · 03 Oct 2017

dalchina said:

I think you need to open the action centre, and click the location tile there.

It's grayed out.

dalchina · 03 Oct 2017

If it won't toggle (I found I could reproduce your screenshots with it off) then I suggest you have two possibilities:

1. Use Tweaking.com's cautious repair tool (free); observe the cautious stages, and select only the minimum number of likely repairs. Perhaps those related to services, for example.

2. Do an in-place upgrade repair install.

When you do get this fixed, then start using disk imaging routinely to protect yourself from many- but not all- such issues.

dirkdigles · 03 Oct 2017

Thanks for your help. I ran some of the fixes on the Tweaking.com app you recommended; didn't fix the issue though.

Will do an in-place upgrade repair install next.

dirkdigles · 03 Oct 2017

Just did the in-place repair upgrade. Problem solved!

dalchina · 04 Oct 2017

Excellent.. sometimes the time taken to find fixes is worthwhile, and sometimes it's just quicker to do that. But it won't solve every problem where e.g. registry problems are related to a particular account.

Make sure you have system restore enabled- whilst it isn't a very robust tool, when it works it can be very handy.

Now make sure you start using disk imaging routinely ... so many advantages.