# Hello please help, blank start screen and unable to search



## Ryze (Sep 8, 2012)

Hello there, i've recently come from the 'malware forum' where i've had help from a very friendly and helpful admin 'chemist' where all the malware on my system has been removed, he couldn't help me any further and suggested I come here, my remaining problems is that I have a blank start screen and I'm unable to search anything when I click on the magnifying glass on the right side pop up menu, it comes up 'no results found for your search' any help would be appreciated!, thankyou.


----------



## sobeit (Nov 11, 2007)

it sounds strange but if you are in metro, just start typing search and see if it comes up. it will verify it is working or not. You do not need to be in any type of box, bar or window, just type it.


----------



## Macboatmaster (Dec 17, 2014)

From the desktop press the Windows key + R
in the run box paste this

*%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows*

click OK

when the location opens see my screenshot please and verify that you have the marked files - the red arrow and the two below.


Then exiting out of that if there is another user account on this computer log in on that and see they have a start screen and a search

If there is NOT another user account
Open a cmd prompt with admin rights
that is right click the white microsoft flag bottom left of taskbar click cmd prompt - admin

when that opens which is known as an elevated cmd prompt

copy and paste this 

*net user administrator /active:yes*

you should receive confirmation - exit out of cmd window and reboot - now log into the admin account - the password is normally left blank as this is the system account.

Does that user have a start screen with tiles etc.

If so the problem is your account profile
If the admin account does NOT have the screen the problem is Windows itself and I would then doubt we will recover it.

Do not stay in that admin account go back to cmd prompt and this time use the same cmd but with the word 
*no*
replacing yes.

Reboot and enter your normal account
When you post back we can hopefully progress further


----------



## Ryze (Sep 8, 2012)

Hello there, apologies for the late reply but when I copy and paste "%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows" into the 'run' bar, it says "Windows cannot find '%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows'. Make sure you typed the name correctly and try again.",


----------



## Macboatmaster (Dec 17, 2014)

right click the Microsoft flag - left of taskbar
click file explorer
when that opens 
click the view tab
on the right of the bar click the drop arrow on options 
then click change folder and search options
on the window that opens click the view tab
on the white window of advanced settings scroll to hidden files and folders and click the circle to SHOW
scroll again to Hide Protected Operating system files and click to UNCHECK that square
agree the warning and click apply and OK
Now on the File explorer window open C drive presuming that is where windows is installed
then open users
then your account 
then app data
then local
then Microsoft
then Windows 

if you get that far do you then have the files shown on my screenshot

please report in your reply where this operation fails or produces an error message

If it does so please proceed to the second of my requests in my first reply re the system account


----------



## Ryze (Sep 8, 2012)

Ok awesome I followed your instructions and this is a screen shot of the folder I did have the file you showed in yours but I noticed it's 100kb more than yours, is that make any difference?, thankyou for being so patient, I really appreciate it.


----------



## Macboatmaster (Dec 17, 2014)

To ensure any avoidance of doubt that is YOUR user account (Isaac)and you have deleted the name of the account - is that correct please

See my screenshot

Also could you please verify if the start menu is on the system account or another user account that existed before the problem with the infection


----------



## Ryze (Sep 8, 2012)

Yes it's on the system account, and sorry I just get cautious, if you would like I'd send you a screen shot with out any blanks, should I take a screen shot of what my start screen looks like?


----------



## Macboatmaster (Dec 17, 2014)

No need for the other screenshot
Please do this
cmd prompt with admin rights

that is as I explained in the access to the system account but when logged into your account and type

sfc /scannow

if it reports all in order we will proceed to the next step. If it reports some errors could not be fixed please REBOOT and run it again

If it still reports errors REBOOT and run it once more

If it has not fixed errors on the third run it is not going to

REBOOT go back to cmd prompt and run this cmd

*Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth*

it is best to copy and paste,

Ensure you are connected as it uses files from Microsoft if needed
If that reports health restored
go back to cmd prompt AFTER reboot and run 
the sfc /scannow again

See if that now reports all in order no violations found

Then test to see if the start menu and the search is the same - I do not really expect this to repair the error but it is worth a try before we proceed with another possible solution


----------



## Macboatmaster (Dec 17, 2014)

Please make sure you do not leave that system account access open


> Do not stay in that admin account go back to cmd prompt and this time use the same cmd but with the word
> *no*
> replacing yes.


----------



## Ryze (Sep 8, 2012)

I ran the scan and no integrity violations were found, and I just closed the access to the system account by typing ' net user administrator/active:no, I'm really sorry about the late reply, been extremely busy with family returning home and having the only license in the family over here


----------



## Macboatmaster (Dec 17, 2014)

ON YOUR account do the following
1. Establish a restore point
Control Panel 
System
System protection on left pane
Create button
REBOOT
2. Go back to that file explorer on your screenshot
right click the first of the files I marked on my screenshot 
appsfolder.itemdata-ms
click copy
then paste it to the root of a flash pen
3. Do the same with the second file
with the same name but the bak extension
4. Check the files are on the flash pen
5. Going back again to the file explorer DELETE both those files
6. Safely remove flash pen drive
7. REBOOT
8. With a little bit of luck you should now have the tiles
However you will only have the standard tiles as though you have just installed and you will have to rebuild the start menu as you wish


----------

