Computer Died

Gus R

This sucks.

Rich O Brien

This sucks.

Yes, mirrored backups would save you a ton of time and frustration.

I use this to create images and sync weekly.

Windows 11 doesn't do a good job letting a user know its available as it pushes you to use their OneDrive option. But if you launch classic Control Panel you'll find it under System & Security.

Won't help you with your current situation but for future its probably worth it.

Gus R

@Rich-O-Brien Is that an external drive?

Rich O Brien

yeah, its a Samsung Portable SSD T7

Gus R

All systems go. Ready for Autocad.

Surprised at how much was saved.

Gus R

@Gus-R Lost the start menu. I give up.

Rich O Brien

Windows Start menu? Run Terminal with Admin and try:

sfc \scannow

Maybe a recent OS update didn't finish correctly. I get Explorer issues now and then in Windows 11and its always after they release a patch.

Mike Amos

Windoze crapdates seem to be at the heart of a lot of issues...

Gus R

I created a new profile (user) and it works. I don't know what I did. I've tried everything. Including doing a Window.iso install. Nothing changed. It wasn't the OS. It's the profile. That means moving everything over to the new profile.

Gus R

Looks like moving everything over to a new profile will be a real nightmare.

What's broken:

Start menu broken
Search in start menu broken
Calendar won't open
Can't create new user in normal Windows boot

Everything else is working fine. A new profile won't pay the bills.

Microsoft of course doesn't have a straight answer. It's not like the old days when you could re-install something from a disc.

Rich O Brien

Anytime I'm refreshing my device with a clean install I never sign in to microsoft.

There's a tool I use by Chris Titus that runs a series of commands to completely debloat windows and turn off all of its telemetry etc.

Digital Downloads

Having Fun with Technology

(christitus.com)

There's also Microwin if you feel brave.

Gus R

@Rich-O-Brien Thanks Rich.

I either forget about these problems and just work with what I have or I start all over again with a clean install. I'd have to get an external drive since my current work profile is huge and it includes my documents directory. Everything else is still on my work hard drive which is separate. I think if I copy over to a new profile it might be a big mess. I don't know what to do yet. I suppose I have to figure out if transferring everything to the new profile or starting over would be easier. The original repair was $639.

I should have become a mailman.

Gus R

Holy smokes I think I fixed it. It was the Windows Font Cache Service.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-performance/start-menu-and-others-broken-in-profile/cbb2a51b-081e-426d-a4c2-b3a276e5b263

Rich O Brien

Are you tired after jumping through all those hoops?

Cirque du Soleil are hiring: https://careers.cirquedusoleil.com/

To be honest, its not nice seeing the direction Microsoft are going with Windows OS. It's intrusive and since Windows 7 it feels like things are getting bolted on willy nilly.

I'd never go Mac but if I could go Linux I would.

Gus R

@Rich-O-Brien Right? Microsoft always has the same cut and paste answers. It was sort of by accident that I found the answer and as is often the case I had to find the answer myself. I was bolt up trying to fix this thing since Friday and 20 packs of cigarettes later I fixed the damn thing. Maybe this is the answer for the commonly disappearing start menu with other people? I don't know.

I should add that the answer I found wasn't directly associated with my issue. All I saw was "Windows Font Cache" and went from there.

I saw Cirque du Soleil many moons ago in San Francisco.