Programs unable to start after installation WIN 10

[archemack]

Hello. I'm having a very annoying problem. Recently, any program i install will not be able to start. Example is Handbrake, i want to convert some videos to put them on my Iphone so I downloaded Handbrake to convert them. It all installs well as Administrator. I try to start the program, making sure to run it as administrator but every time it gives me the error "Handbrake has stopped working" Ive tried many different versions of handbrake, even their nightly builds but nothing works. Today i want to test ShadowPlay using Geforce Experience. Problem is, I had uninstalled GeForce experience. I installed it again but it will not start. It gives the error "Geforce Experience has encountered and error and must close" Before this programs were able to install and run perfectly fine. Any help is appreciated, thanks.

 

[Lutfij]

Can you recall when the issue cropped up? Did it come up after a mandatory windows update or from the get go? If the issue came post the update process then try a system restore and if the issue is from the get go try a repair install(although you can try it irrespective of a new installation or an old installation). Speaking of installation, is this an installation of Windows 10 via the upgrade path or anew using a licence?

Just to be sure, can you please pass on your full systems specs? Is your BIOS up to date?

 

[archemack]

I only noticed the issue start after I got back from a 3 week holiday in Australia. Now that you ask I do remember it installing updates after a restart. When it restarted I got a message when I logged in saying we couldn't finish installing updates. Maybe that's the problem. Full specs are:
Case: Lancool Dragonlord PC-K62
Processor: Intel I7 930 Overclocked to 3.8Ghz
Arctic Xtreme CPU Cooler
Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 680 2gb
RAM: 12Gb Kingston Hyper X
Windows 10 64 bit operating system.
Samsung Evo 840 250gb SSD
1TB HDD
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R
PSU: Corsair HX750
BIOS is up to date.

UPDATE:
Looking at my update history, an update was installed on the 29th January, and another on the 1st of February. I know I was having the problem before the 1st. Should i uninstall the update that happened on the 29th? (KB3133431)

 

[basroil]

Before that, update your graphics card drivers and disable automatic driver updates. Both programs you stated can crash if the graphics drivers are corrupted

 

[archemack]

I've done that already, didn't work sadly

 

[basroil]

I've done that already, didn't work sadly

Can you open up any program that uses the video card without having it crash? If not, your card might have been damaged at some point

 

[archemack]

I guess it depends what type. I can play Farming simulator 15 on max graphics still with 0 problems. iTunes works, my First Person shooters work

 

[basroil]

In that case it's likely a software issue. The easiest thing might be to just reinstall windows, though if you know software you might be able to use a debugger (visual studio 2015 community edition is recommended) to see what's failing and where.

 

[archemack]

Reinstalling Windows would be a last resort for me. I don't actually have my own copy of Windows, I bought my PC second hand and i wasn't given a disk or USB with Windows on it

 

[basroil]

Reinstalling Windows would be a last resort for me. I don't actually have my own copy of Windows, I bought my PC second hand and i wasn't given a disk or USB with Windows on it

As long as you have a valid, legal copy on that computer that's been activated, you can follow the instructions at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 to make a new installer and reinstall.

For problems like this, it's usually much faster to just reinstall than to find the actual issue and fix it.

 

[archemack]

I'd prefer not to reinstall Windows, I've set up my Flight Sim and spent hours tweaking it to run perfectly and get all my addons installed. It's a lengthy process I'd rather not repeat

Sorry! Just found out you can in fact reinstall Windows 10 without losing any data. I will try that and get back to you if it works

 

[archemack]

Reinstalling Windows would be a last resort for me. I don't actually have my own copy of Windows, I bought my PC second hand and i wasn't given a disk or USB with Windows on it

As long as you have a valid, legal copy on that computer that's been activated, you can follow the instructions at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 to make a new installer and reinstall.

For problems like this, it's usually much faster to just reinstall than to find the actual issue and fix it.

Thank you so much! You're a life saver!! Everything is back to normal, Geforce Experience is working! I dont know what id do without this website!