Can't run some programs. Recent update is suspect

dalchina · 20 Sep 2019

As a matter of routine, check your disk e.g. using HD Tune, and if ok run chkdsk c: /scan from an admin command or Powershell prompt as things are breaking on your system.

Then, just to be cautious, make sure you have a current disk image (Macrium Reflect e.g.)

Note that the act of creating a disk image checks the integrity of the used disk surface.

Once you have completed the in-place repair and checked things, create a new base disk image to consolidate your position.

Note that an in-place upgrade repair will not fix things specific to a user profile.

jasoncollege24 · 20 Sep 2019

Checkdisk was run as recently as the day I posted, and it was run on all internal disks. The system was perfectly fine, until the updates.

Making an image isn't really all that practical, because I don't actually have space to spare for such a large image (The C drive is using more than 100GB, with less than 50GB free, and user folders (eg Documents, Music, Downloads, etc) for my user are stored on another disk, and are HUGE... cuz I'm a pack rat lol)

TBH, C drive failures, and other issues that bork Windows are the reason those folders are stored off the C drive... that way, if I need to reinstall Windows, I don't lose any of my personal files. I did download Macrium Reflct though, so I will check it out.

It's pending restart for updates that I didn't hide (I hid the problem update immediately on first boot), but so far, looks like it's working. I'll know for sure, after this reboot, but definitely not a user profile problem.

- - - Updated - - -

Looks like search, and Cortana are still broken. Didn't test them before the aforementioned reboot, but tested them just now.
Typing with the Start menu open does nothing at all. Can't use Cortana, and search is useless. This applies on all user accounts.

I can deal without Cortana, but I use search in the start menu quite often to find apps, or documents quicker.

Help me out here... I'm not quite understanding why you think I'm having hardware issues, (eg your recommendation to run chkdisk, when it was mentioned I did that in the first post) when everything was working perfectly fine before the updates.

That's literally one of the very first things I do, when having problems with Windows, followed by "sfc /scannow" which will be what I do right now to see if I can fix Cortana, and search.

dalchina · 20 Sep 2019

Good arrangement- same here. 100Gb is nothing for disk imaging. My SSD image via USB3 is about 13 mins for a full base image (say 150Gb) and under 8 for a differential I think. The image file created is compressed- so might be 60-70% of the used space, say.

The disk and file system checks should just be routine.. but if there was anything amiss there it would be kind of a shame doing an in-place upgrade repair and finding it a waste of time for the sake of the check.

But if you are confident in those aspects- fine.

jasoncollege24 · 20 Sep 2019

I did run the check before running dism, and sfc anyway. None of them found anything wrong, so I'm starting to think the updates really broke Cortana, and search to the point that I need to wipe the C drive, and start over. This install is less than a year old, and usually, I can go a few years between clean installs.

I can't search in Start, or Settings. the search bar does nothing when I click, or type in it, and Cortana doesn't respond to clicks, or "Hey Cortana", but i can run the apps that were failing due to d3d9.dll, and the start menu actually opens, and works, so there's that. lol

dalchina · 20 Sep 2019

There are several threads about not being able to type in the search field.

Example:
Unable to type in W10 Cortana Search or Settings since recent updates
post #12

Can't Type In Search Bar and Windows 10 Built-in Apps.

jasoncollege24 · 20 Sep 2019

I can type in the search bar of the settings app, but no matter what I type (even the word "display") I always get no results. I can do proper searches in File Explorer.

As for search, and Cortana, neither responds to clicks, which would usually bring up their UI. If you give me a few minutes, i can record a video, and post it to my youtube channel to give you a better idea of what I'm talking about.

- - - Updated - - -

Video showing the problem is here: YouTube

Edit: Should've mentioned that the solutions in those posts didn't work.

dalchina · 21 Sep 2019

Try the sledgehammer - in-place upgrade repair install. You've obviously been looking yourself for solutions, so seems little point me looking further for you.

jasoncollege24 · 21 Sep 2019

I already did that. It's how I fixed the critical error that prevented the start menu from working at all. I'll keep looking, and I'll go through the list of tutorials for more clues too, but I'm really thinking a clean install might be the only way to get my system back to a fully stable state.

I marked this as solved, because my initial app crashing issue is resolved. Thanks for the help, and have a great day!

jasoncollege24 · 23 Sep 2019

Giving a final update here. Ultimately, I ended up just doing a clean install of Windows 10 Figured it was easier to take this route, instead of trying to fix what the updates broke. I also blocked the update right away on first boot to prevent is from installing.

Thanks again for all the help!

dalchina · 23 Sep 2019

Sorry it worked out like that for you.

Note a new CU has just been released
Cumulative Update KB4522016 Windows 10 v1903 build 18362.357 Sept. 23
with no mention of the issues mentioned in comments following
Cumulative Update KB4515384 Windows 10 v1903 build 18362.356 Sept. 10
- but not available by WU. Consider blocking Windows Update before the next one..

All the more reason to make sure you consolidate a good working state by creating a disk image (e.g. Macrium reflect) ASAP.

Also note e.g.
How to fix Windows 10's Start menu and search after installing the KB4515384 update | Windows Central