Win 10 Start menu+others not working

Endre555

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Jul 4, 2016
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So, I decided to buy a Samsung 850 EVO 250GB SSD and install Windows 10 and some smaller programs on it, next to an older 400GB HDD.
Well, every second (or sometimes third) time I start up Windows, the Start menu, the volume controls, the notification bar, the search bar (Win key + S) and some other things don't work.
I've reinstalled Windows TWO TIMES, and nothing has changed. Tried without the HDD plugged in, with AHCI and TRIM off, instead of on. Tried sfc/scannow.

And the most important thing:
When I try to shut the PC down while the Start menu, etc. is NOT working, it gives me a blue window saying that it has to close an application before shutting down, and that is:

Microsoft\Windows\Plug and Play\Device Install Reboot Required

and you can choose to force shutdown or to cancel.
It ONLY does this when the Start menu is NOT working.

I've installed Windows 10 on this PC -- without the SSD, just that old 400GB Samsung HDD --
two times and on other PCs six times and I haven't encountered such a problem before.

I have Samsung Magician, nVidia GeForce drivers, Realtek Audio drivers installed so maybe I would need another driver??

Any help would be appreciated that could stop the Start menu, etc. from not working at every second time I turn on the computer and log into Windows.
 
Solution
I have had a similar experience, losing Start menu and other items (but no error messages) and this was a corrupted profile. When you log in the system looks for your profile and loands a start ing screen showing your personal wallpaper icons etc. Try setting up an alternate test user and see if logging in to that user sorts the problem.

Turning to the error message. Look in Device Manager to see if anything is flagged as not working.

Rumbletum

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Feb 2, 2012
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0
18,860
I have had a similar experience, losing Start menu and other items (but no error messages) and this was a corrupted profile. When you log in the system looks for your profile and loands a start ing screen showing your personal wallpaper icons etc. Try setting up an alternate test user and see if logging in to that user sorts the problem.

Turning to the error message. Look in Device Manager to see if anything is flagged as not working.
 
Solution

Endre555

Reputable
Jul 4, 2016
221
0
4,760

No, there aren't any problems in Device Manager.
I'll try the alternate user.
Thanks for the help.