Greetings, dear readers!
After installing the next major Windows updates 10 called Creators Update 1703 (build number 15063.13) the item disappeared Control Panel from the context menu Start.
Now in its place there is a point Options, which brings up a settings window that is missing a good half of the settings that can be changed in Windows 10. It’s a shame that Microsoft has chosen this path for itself and is trying in every possible way to complicate the ability to use fine adjustments, knowingly believing that users do not understand anything, and they should not touch the settings at all.
Fortunately, not all is lost, and the opportunity to return the good old “Control Panel” item remains. And it's surprisingly easy to do.
Windows has a special system folder in which shortcuts are located, some of which are picked up by the system and used in the corresponding menus.
So, after the update, the shortcut that is responsible for Control Panel, has been replaced. We will simply restore its original version and thereby return the Control Panel item to its rightful place in the Start context menu.
Returning the Control Panel item to the Windows 10 Start context menu
After updating, Windows 10 prudently saves system files previous build in the folder Windows.old.
Just copy the given path and paste it (followed by pressing Enter) to the address bar file manager Windows:
%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Windows.old\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\ Microsoft Windows\WinX\Group2
Do not be alarmed by strange characters in the path to the treasured folder, these are standard variables that take the form of the corresponding drive/folder, and the required folder will open regardless of what drive the system is installed on and what user name you have entered.
If you managed to delete the folder Windows.old, then you can .
Having acquired a label under the name Control Panel, copy it and replace it in system folder, which is located in the following path:
%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WinX\Group2
And then restart your computer.
As a result, a much-loved and convenient context menu item Start in Windows 10 will return to its place.
It should be noted that the “innovations” from Microsoft did not end there. Also under the knife were the command line launch items, which were replaced by launch Windows PowerShell. If PowerShell is foreign to you and you are used to using command line, then the material tells how to return them to the Start context menu.
If you still have questions, then use the comments, where you can ask a question and receive a comprehensive answer.
With Windows 10, Microsoft has gone back to basics and, by popular demand, has brought back the Start button. Moreover, it has undergone significant changes, becoming more functional, beautiful and user-friendly.
Windows 10 is constantly updated and there are often cases when, when installing a new update, the Start button stops working and does not respond to clicks with either the mouse or the keyboard. If your Start button does not work in Windows 10, then most likely the culprit is either a crooked update or changes in the registry.
There are several simple ways solutions to this problem. Let's look at all the solutions, starting with the easiest and ending with the most difficult.
Restart explorer.exe
The Explorer program (also known as the explorer.exe process) is one of the main ones in the Windows operating systems and many other programs depend on it. Restarting Explorer can be done in two ways.
Press the Ctrl+Alt+Del key combination on your keyboard and select “Task Manager”. It can also be called right click by clicking on the taskbar.
In the Task Manager window that appears, in the “Processes” tab, find “Explorer” (Windows Explorer in English). Windows versions 10). Right-click on it and click “Restart”. You can also restart it by clicking the button in the lower right corner. 
After that, try launching the Start menu. If the method does not help, then read on.
Restoring the Start menu by editing the Windows registry
The essence of this method is to edit the registry parameter responsible for the operation of the Start menu.
Press the Win+R key combination. In the window that appears, write the command to call the regedit registry and click OK.
In the registry window that opens, go to the following branch:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
Now we need to create a new parameter. To do this, right-click anywhere in the right window and select “New” - “DWORD Value (32 bits)”.
Name the new parameter EnableXAMLStartMenu. Double-click on this parameter and assign a value to it 0 .
After this, you need to restart your computer. Make sure that after rebooting the Start button starts working.
Using PowerShell to solve a problem with the Start menu
Click on the magnifying glass icon next to the Start menu and write PowerShell there. You will find it in the search Windows application PowerShell. Right-click on it and run as administrator.
In the PoweShell window that opens, paste the following code:
Get-appxpackage -all *shellexperience* -packagetype bundle |% (add-appxpackage -register -disabledevelopmentmode ($_.installlocation + “\appxmetadata\appxbundlemanifest.xml”))
Press Enter and restart your computer. Check the operation of the Start button.
Official Microsoft utility that fixes a problem with the Start menu
The guys from Microsoft are aware of the emerging problems with the Start menu in Windows 10 and even released special utility, which almost always works.
A Start menu troubleshooting window will appear.
If there are no problems with the Start menu, the following message will appear. If there were problems, the utility will automatically fix them and nothing should interfere with the launch of the Start button.
Creating a new user with a working Start menu
If none of the methods helped you, then you can solve the problem radically and create a new computer user.
When you log in as a new user, a new registry branch will be created that is responsible for the settings of this new user and, accordingly, the Start menu should work under it.
All you have to do is transfer files from the old one account to a new one.
To create a new account, search for “Control Panel” and click on it.
Go to the "User Accounts" menu.
Select "Manage another account."
Click "Add new user".
On the next page, indicate that you do not have login information for a new user so that you do not have to provide an address email or phone number for authorization on the computer.
Windows insists that we link our account to their services. Click that you want to add a user without a Microsoft account.
And finally we have reached the final point. Specify the username and password of the new computer user.
After this, restart your computer and log in as a new user. Check the operation of the Start button. If everything works, then simply transfer the files from the old user’s folder to the new computer user’s folder.
Video solving problems with the Start button
Especially for those who find it easier to perceive material not in text form, I suggest you watch the video on how to return the “Start” button to functionality.
Classic Shell - free program to return the previous appearance of the classic Start menu in the operating systems Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista. The program changes the visual display of elements operating system Windows for more convenient use.
Many users experience inconvenience when using the Start menu due to the fact that Windows developer, Microsoft is constantly changing the settings, options, and appearance of the Start menu.
Therefore, many users want to return the classic Start menu for the operating systems Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8. In the operating system Windows system 7 users change the appearance of the Start menu in the style of the Windows XP operating system.
The free Classic Shell program returns the classic look of the Start menu and allows you to make extensive settings for the display of styles, options and design of the start menu.
The Classic Shell program consists of three components:
- Classic Start Menu - bringing back the classic Start menu
- Classic Explorer - Adding a Toolbar to Windows Explorer
- Classic IE - customizing panels in the browser Internet Explorer
In this article we will look at the operation of the Classic Start Menu component, which allows you to create the old Start menu in the Windows operating system. Not all users need other program components.
The Classic Shell program works in Russian. You can download the Classic Shell program from the official website of the developer. On the downloads page, select the “Classic Shell x.x.x (Russian)” file to download to your computer.
Installing Classic Shell
Installation of the Classic Shell program occurs in Russian and does not cause any difficulties. Go through the Classic Shell installation wizard one by one.
In the Custom Installation window, you must select application components to install on your computer. By default, all components are selected for installation.
We want to bring back the classic Start menu, so we only need to keep the “Classic Start Menu” and “Classic Shell Update” components (for automatic updates).
The “Classic Explorer” and “Classic IE” components change the appearance of Explorer and Internet browser Explorer, and not all users need such changes. Therefore, disable the installation of these components.
Classic Shell for Windows 10
After left-clicking on the Start menu, you will see the classic Windows 7-style Start menu installed in the Windows 10 operating system. This is what the Start menu looks like with default settings.
The classic Start menu for Windows 8.1 or Windows 8 will look similar.
Setting up Classic Shell
After installing the application, the “Classic Start Menu Options” window will open. In this window, all program parameters are configured.
You can change Classic Shell settings at any time. To do this, right-click on the “Start” menu and select “Settings” in the context menu.
In the “Start Menu Style” tab, you can select a classic style for the Start menu in the style of the Windows XP or Windows 7 operating systems.
With default settings, the Desktop displays standard button"Start". Instead of the button image from the operating system, you can set the image from Classic Shell (two options) or add your own image if you have a similar image.
By default, the main settings in the program are made in the tabs: “Start Menu Style”, “Basic Settings”, Cover”, “Start Menu Customization”.
Check the box next to “Show all parameters” to configure other parameters in the Classic Shell program.
After this, they will become available additional settings in the tabs: “Menu View”, “Start Button”, “Taskbar”, “ Windows Settings 10", "Context menu", "Sounds", "Language", "Controls", "Main menu", "General behavior", "Search field".
Although the program is configured optimally by default, the user can independently change the application settings to suit his needs by experimenting with the settings. To do this, select the settings, see what happened after changing them. If it turns out that you went a little overboard with the settings changes, you can return the program settings to their defaults.
In the application settings, you can hide unnecessary functions, change the display of elements and icons, change the order of elements, and remove elements from the Start menu.
To do this, select the element, select a command and display. After right-clicking on the desired element, select additional functions.
In the “Skin” tab, you can select a cover for the standard “Start” menu. By default, Windows 10 uses the Metro skin. You can choose from other skins: Windows Aero, Metallic, Midnight or Windows 8, a minimalist Classic Skin or No Skin.
Classic Shell parameter settings can be saved to an XML file in order to load settings from this file when new installation Classic Shell programs. To do this, use the “Archive parameters” button; select the desired option: “Save to an XML file” or “Load from an XML file”. To reset program settings to default, select "Reset all settings."
Removing Classic Shell
The Classic Shell program is uninstalled in the standard way. If the program was not uninstalled correctly, or some problems arose during the uninstallation process, use a special utility that can be downloaded from here.
Conclusion
The free Classic Shell program installs an alternative (formerly classic) Start menu in the Windows operating system. After installing the program on the computer, the user can return the classic view of the Start menu in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, and make other changes appearance and start menu options.
Among the various innovations introduced for the first time in Windows 10, there is one with almost only positive reviews- Start context menu, which can be called by right-clicking on the “Start” button or by pressing the Win+X keys.
All Win+X menu shortcuts are located in the folder %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\WinX\(you can paste this path into the "addresses" field of Explorer and press Enter) or (which is the same thing) C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WinX.
The shortcuts themselves are located in subfolders corresponding to groups of items in the menu; by default these are 3 groups, with the first being the lowest, and the third being the top.
Unfortunately, if you create shortcuts manually (in any way the system suggests doing this) and place them in the Start context menu folders, they will not appear in the menu itself, since only special “trusted shortcuts” are displayed there.
However, it is possible to change your own shortcut as necessary; for this you can use third party utility hashlnk. Next, we consider the procedure using the example of adding the “Control Panel” item to the Win+X menu. For other shortcuts the process will be the same.
Similarly, using hashlnk you can prepare any other shortcuts to be placed in the Win+X menu.
This concludes, and if you know of additional ways to change the Win+X menu items, I will be glad to see them in the comments.