Windows Apps Close Immediately After Launching

Mulsiphix · 26 Jun 2020

Windows Version Number: Version 2004 (OS Build 19041.330)

I changed the permissions for C:\ to only Group/User Everyone, Owner Everyone, with Full Control permissions. Everything is set to inherit permissions from C:\ and it was applied to all folders and subfolders. After that, Windows apps like Calculator stopped opening. It flashed open for a split second and then closed.

First, I tried to reinstall the Calculator app. I found some info that told me how to reset it using the Windows Settings → Apps → Calculator (Advanced Options) menu. No luck. I clicked on the Uninstall button in the same menu and was surprised there was no reinstall button. Now I needed to reinstall it. That led me to here: Reinstall and Re-register Apps in Windows 10 (I followed Option 1). Calculator was back on my system, but same behavior.
Next I started to focus on restoring permissions to the WindowsApps folder. I tried was executing this command (icacls "F:\Program Files\WindowsApps" /q /c /t /reset) from a Windows Install Disk, via the elevated Troubleshooting command prompt (source: Reset default ACLs for C:\Program Files\WindowsApps). Still no luck.
Checking the permissions I saw that Everyone was still the owner and only Group/User listed. So I confirmed what the folder permissions were supposed to be prior to my modification and I set those back in place. Still, the app continued to close.
I finally noticed all the Windows apps were affected. I didn't want to do a full Windows reinstallation, so I attempted a Repair Install: Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade (I used the Media Creation Tool method).

All Windows apps still close as soon as you start them. Permissions appear to be back to normal system wide, including the WindowsApps folder. I'm completely at a loss. Can anybody help me get these things working again?

Mcd73165 · 26 Jun 2020

Hi. Do you have a Macrium Reflect image to restore your computer with. It sounds like you probably don't. Other option is to try a System Restore which usually works best in Safe Mode. Good luck!
Mark

Mulsiphix · 26 Jun 2020

I've never used System Restore. I'm not sure if I have a point to restore from or not. Nor do I have a Macrium Reflect Image.

EDIT
I found System Restore. The only point that exists is from when the Repair Install occurred today.

OldNavyGuy · 26 Jun 2020

I would start by looking at the Windows Event Logs.

Right-click on the Start icon, select Event Viewer.

Expand Custom Views and open Administrative Events.

Look for entries that are flagged as Error or Critical within the time frame that the issues occurs.

Mulsiphix · 27 Jun 2020

I checked the Event Logs and saw nothing that related to the apps. I then went to run Calculator to try and see if it would generate an error for me in the Event Logs. But it was missing. Along with all other Windows apps. I had rebooted right before I noticed this. Prior to the reboot I did install Windows updates. My Start Menu now contained some weird entries that weren't there before.

I tried to reinstall and reinitialize the apps using the method I mentioned in my original post. This resulted in more weird Start Menu entries, but no apps. I opened Windows Settings and moments later it crashed, right along with Night Light functionality. I rebooted, still no Night Light (usually it is always on). I went back into Settings and into the Night Light panel but everything is greyed out.

It seems pretty obvious that Windows did not fair well from the Repair Install. I did a "sfc /scannow" scan but it reports everything is 100% normal. Before my system was just fine, with no working apps. I can live with that for now. But in it's current state, I fear I'm not far off from Windows seriously breaking. I would really like to undo this upgrade.

Is it possible to use this method for reversing this type of upgrade?: Go Back to the Previous Version of Windows in Windows 10

OldNavyGuy · 27 Jun 2020

It is possible.

You have 10 days from the time you installed the new version to go back to the previous version.

Mulsiphix · 27 Jun 2020

Turns out I was wrong. I tried to restore the single System Restore point that existed, which was created right after the Repair Install took place. Night Light works, but there are still no Windows apps. And the Start Menu still has funny entries, although far less of them. Looks like the Repair Install didn't even touch my Windows apps problem.

OldNavyGuy said:

It is possible.

You have 10 days from the time you installed the new version to go back to the previous version.

I tried the method described in: Go Back to the Previous Version of Windows in Windows 10. But "See more recovery options", as depicted in the image of Option 1 - Step 5, was missing. Can you point me in the direction of a guide that details how to reverse a Repair Install?

OldNavyGuy · 27 Jun 2020

The simplest way is to do the following -

1. Click on the Start icon.

2. Click on the "gear" icon on the left-hand side, which is Settings.

3. Click on Update & Security

4. Click on Recovery

5. In the Go back to the previous version of Windows 10 section, click on Get started.

Mulsiphix · 27 Jun 2020

OldNavyGuy said:

The simplest way is to do the following...

Completed. Everything is back to normal before the Repair Install. Thank you so much for helping me with this. You saved my bacon =). Okay, now I can troubleshoot the problem.

Restored Windows Version Info
1. Windows 10 Version 1903 (OS Build 18362.900)
2. There are no System Restore points

OldNavyGuy said:

Windows Event Logs → Event Viewer → Expand Custom Views → Administrative Events. Look for entries that are flagged as Error or Critical within the time frame that the issues occurs.

I tried to launch Calculator. It returned three errors in the Event Logs. Errors in chronological order:

1) Unable to start a DCOM Server: Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_10.1910.0.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe!App as Unavailable/Unavailable. The error:
"2147942405"
Happened while starting this command:
"C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_10.1910.0.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\Calculator.exe" -ServerName:App.AppXsm3pg4n7er43kdh1qp4e79f1j7am68r8.mca

2) Failed with 2147942405 to retrieve the trust state of the package Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_10.1910.0.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe folder.

3) 0x5: Cannot create the process for package Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_10.1910.0.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe because an error was encountered while performing the integrity check. Access is denied. 0x5: Cannot create the process for package Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_10.1910.0.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe because an error was encountered while performing the integrity check. Access is denied.

OldNavyGuy · 27 Jun 2020

Settings > Apps

In the Apps and Features list, single click on Calculator.

Click on Advanced options.

Scroll down and click on the Reset button.