Task Bar Completely Dead

delwhjr wrote:

mr. ed wrote:
GOT IT FIXED! Finally, after much messing around, I was able to open"file explorer" I went to my C drive and scanned for errors. Was informed errors were found. I then elected to have the errors repaired and voila, the computer is back in shape. I don't know what caused the problem in the first place, but hope it doesn't return. I was all set to run out and buy a new laptop!

How old is the laptop? You maybe seeing the first indication of impending hard drive failure. It maybe prudent to run scan-disc on a regular basis to watch for problems.

Actually, we ARE talking about Windows "10", the OS that for some reason randomly will self destruct all on it's own without user intervention or hardware related errors.

With MS insistence on forced automatic updates with zero lab testing before releasing into the wild you do have very good chances of system files corrupting, your user files disappearing and all kinds of frustrating issues.

MrEd got lucky this time, next time maybe not so much.

Important lesson: BACK YOUR PC UP, NOW!!!

Quite a few FREE hard drive imaging software packages out there to choose from, get one and an external hard drive or two and make it a REAL HABIT to REGULARLY MAKE BACKUP IMAGES OF YOUR DRIVE.

IT WILL SAVE YOUR BACON SOME DAY!

Under no circumstances should you depend on the built in Win10 "backup", it doesn't work.

The laptop isn't too old, but don't remember when I actually bought it. I guess a few years, and it's always been reliable. Unfortunately, I lost a fairly new HP laptop plus an iPad when my vehicle was stolen last Friday-Saturday.

mr. ed wrote:
GOT IT FIXED! Finally, after much messing around, I was able to open"file explorer" I went to my C drive and scanned for errors. Was informed errors were found. I then elected to have the errors repaired and voila, the computer is back in shape. I don't know what caused the problem in the first place, but hope it doesn't return. I was all set to run out and buy a new laptop!

How old is the laptop? You maybe seeing the first indication of impending hard drive failure. It maybe prudent to run scan-disc on a regular basis to watch for problems.

GOT IT FIXED! Finally, after much messing around, I was able to open"file explorer" I went to my C drive and scanned for errors. Was informed errors were found. I then elected to have the errors repaired and voila, the computer is back in shape. I don't know what caused the problem in the first place, but hope it doesn't return. I was all set to run out and buy a new laptop!

Google can be your friend, too.

Reset Windows 10 PC

Scroll down to bottom where ' reset ' link is listed.

GordonThree wrote:

mr. ed wrote:
Thanks for all the suggestions, folks, but I can't get into task mgr using any method at all. I'd like to reset/recover the OS but see no viable way to do it since it's impossible to reach "settings". My other thought is to perform a new W10 installation. Either that, or get a new PC.

Reboot and then force it to turn off while it's loading windows. Do this once or twice and you'll be dumped into windows repair.

From there you can choose to reset windows, or boot safe mode and try creating a new profile.

Sn of a gun, sir. That method worked, to an extent. The icons are back in the task bar and I can access task mgr. I'd like to go ahead and reset this PC, if I can get to "settings". Thanks again.
However, although the icons are back, I still can't launch anything from the task bar.Is there a way to reset the PC using task mgr?

mr. ed wrote:
Thanks for all the suggestions, folks, but I can't get into task mgr using any method at all. I'd like to reset/recover the OS but see no viable way to do it since it's impossible to reach "settings". My other thought is to perform a new W10 installation. Either that, or get a new PC.

Reboot and then force it to turn off while it's loading windows. Do this once or twice and you'll be dumped into windows repair.

From there you can choose to reset windows, or boot safe mode and try creating a new profile.

Thanks for all the suggestions, folks, but I can't get into task mgr using any method at all. I'd like to reset/recover the OS but see no viable way to do it since it's impossible to reach "settings". My other thought is to perform a new W10 installation. Either that, or get a new PC.

Years ago (2011) my daughter who did not believe in firewalls and anti virus. handed me a computer "If you can get it working it's yours" took me about 15 minutes and most of those was waiting for the computer to fix itself .

That virus is still out there.. What does it do.. It hides everything. and I mean EVERYTHING you don't even get a desktop.

Try this:

1. CTRL-SHIFT-ESC to open task manager
2. In task manager click on more details (if not already expended).
3. Go to File ... Run new task... type in control.exe and press enter.
4. In control panel click on User Accounts, then click on User Accounts again
5. Click on Manage another account, then add new user in PC settings
6. If settings opens this way, you can "add someone else" ... if settings doesn't then write back, we'll have to find another way in.