Broken apps issue

[RobC]

When I ran the 3.6.4 version of the software I think I got the broken Powershell app problem you wrote about. So I am wondering whether you will come out with a fix for it if Microsoft doesn't?  I have the win 10 update.

[Boggin]

If you can restore to prior the update and run 3.6.4 again, that should restore the apps if needed.

Why did you need to run WR ?

Threshold 2 has been re-released with modifications and I'm not sure if Shane has tested the Shell command against it yet to see if it still breaks them, but as he has disabled the app repair for 3.7.0 then that will need to be restored if/when the command no longer breaks the apps.

Setting your connection to metered will stop it updating until it's known if this one causes the same problems on its own as the original Threshold 2 did for some.

http://www.howtogeek.com/224471/how-to-prevent-windows-10-from-automatically-downloading-updates/

[Shane]

I dont know of any other way to install the apps other than the powershell commands, so I dont think I will be able to come up with a fix for it. Now I could make a fix by grabbing registry keys and files BUT the amount of updates MS is doing, with new versions of the apps and windows updates coming out every two days, that any kind of fix I make like that would be outdated two days later.

I am not even sure if MS knows about it yet. After thanksgiving I am going to google it more and see if I can find anyone with some new info.

Shane

[kevlar_heart]

Hi All: I share the pain of broken App Store and Win 10 Apps. Upgrade from Win 7 Pro to Win 10 Pro went smoothly, and both the App Store and the Win 10 Apps worked before the dreaded Threshold 2 Update. I spent well over 4 hours with Windows Answers tech support (in fact one tech installed Tweaking repair app). MS finally threw up its hands and said "beat the %&#@ out of me." During theses support sessions, the Win 10 Pro ISO was installed, so going back to Win 7 Pro is not an option

I did a cursory search on the Store/App issue and find that it's not just me (yay).The common thread for broken Store and Apps is that it occurs in computers upgrading from an older OS and that no Powershell operation seems to fix the issue.

I am on Windows 10 Pro Version 1511, Build 10586.14 -- MS has pushed an update a day since Threshold 2 it seems.

All of my  user-installed applications work perfectly. Windows 10 Cortana, Calendar, Groove Music and Movies and TV are operational. The remainder of the Win 10 apps flash once and then report an error. The App Store flashes but does not launch.

I guess the mantra is hurry up and wait for MS to determine whether a fix is possible. The ONLY option offered to me was a clean install, thus wiping my installed applications and setting along with any associated data. I can live with a "wounded" version of Win 10 Pro, but I would obviously prefer the OS to be fully functional.

[kevlar_heart]

While I am not surprised at this, Windows Answers Tech Support decided to throw the "Computer not certified for Windows 10" wildcard at me after 5+ hours of phone and chat support. Dell, like most manufacturers, did not go back too far in its models to perform full Windows 10 certification -- even for the Latitude series of business laptops like my E6320. It's understandable, certification testing for drivers compatibility is not a simple task.

So despite having passed compatibility tests when the upgrade from Win 7 Pro was pushed, and the fact that Windows 10 worked like a champ until Threshold 2 was foisted off on an unsuspecting public, the broken AppStore and Win 10 Apps are now certification issues. So MS is saying that despite promoting the daylights out of the Windows 10 Upgrade to most every computer, their compatibility tests are not to be trusted. Sounds a bit sketchy to me.

I am mostly annoyed -- I have no driver compatibility issues running programs, using printers and other devices. I just have some missing Win 10 Apps that I thought were pretty cool when I first started using Win 10 in September. Hope the Powershell fixes can get some traction...anything I can do to help, send me a message 

[Shane]

It sounds more like the tech you talked with wasnt aware of the new powershell bug I found oon the newest build and so the auto answer when they cant figure it out is to either tell you to reinstall or place the blame else where.

Keep in mind many of the techs there are just people working to pay their bills, reading out of a book for the answers and can only go so far. The techs who know more and can do more get moved higher up and so on. So unless you somehow got to the holy grail of tech support they wont do much. A lot of them are good techs, hard workers, others, well not so much, we are all humans after all

But I really think this bug needs to be made more aware. Far as I know I am one of the first who found it because the command was used in my repair program, so thats why i am not sure they know about it yet, they are running the commands themselves and see the problem but dont realize it is the command doing it. I post proof and how to repeat it, but I dont know any one at MS who would listen to me lol

Shane

[kevlar_heart]

It sounds more like the tech you talked with wasnt aware of the new powershell bug I found oon the newest build and so the auto answer when they cant figure it out is to either tell you to reinstall or place the blame else where.

Keep in mind many of the techs there are just people working to pay their bills, reading out of a book for the answers and can only go so far. The techs who know more and can do more get moved higher up and so on. So unless you somehow got to the holy grail of tech support they wont do much. A lot of them are good techs, hard workers, others, well not so much, we are all humans after all

But I really think this bug needs to be made more aware. Far as I know I am one of the first who found it because the command was used in my repair program, so thats why i am not sure they know about it yet, they are running the commands themselves and see the problem but dont realize it is the command doing it. I post proof and how to repeat it, but I dont know any one at MS who would listen to me lol

Shane

Hi Shane: Thanks for the shout out. I definitely understand the limitations of the initial level of Tech Support. They try hard, but aren't really given a lot of leeway in what they can do. I made it to the next level of support and we worked pretty hard at trying to get the Win 10 App Store and Metro Apps working. In fact, it was that upper level Support person who installed Tweaking.com WR  (what a great program!) He read your notes going from 3.6.4 to 3.6.5 and we recreated the errors....so SOMEONE in MS has seen the Store/Apps issue and the steps used to correct the issue and the inability of the powershell scripts to successfully repair the problem. I've trolled several Forums with the results and everyone (so far) has no other solution other than the Powershell scripts created to repair the Store/Apps back in August/Sept 2015.

The "not certified" cop out is reasonable except that MS pushed the Win 10 upgrade to any computer that passed the initial compatibility test. As far as I know, there were no cautions about proceeding with the upgrade ONLY if the computer mfr was supplying complete Win 10 compatibility. A simple LUT would tell the installer whether the computer was on the list, not on the list, or specifically excluded from Win 10 support. It's not as if MS wasn't snagging data when they pre-positioned 3 GB of installation files.

Anyway, thanks for your continued hard work for us all. My wounded warrior will run the applications I need for work. I am just missing the complete Win 10 experience.

[Shane]

That is awesome that you got someone to read my notes and got them to confirm the bug, now lets hope someone there listens to him lol

As of the latest updates as of today the bug is still there.

Shane

[kevlar_heart]

Hi Shane, I was going to PM you, but figured you don't accept them for peace of mind issues ...

I hope this finds you well -- try looking up Coffee Labs Roasters in Tarrytown, NY...great coffee. I'll send you some if you like.

With regard to the Powershell fixes for App Store registration and Metro Apps installation, I am running into a roadblock wirh Microsoft Answers tech support. To wit - MS is defaulting to its position that if the host computer was not certified for Windows 10 by the manufacturer, any artifact in the Win 10 installation is the product of incompatibility rather than a bug in Win 10. Despite my protestations that Win 10 worked like a champ before the Threshold 2 update, MS is not recognizing the App Store/Metro Apps as a "known issue." I have a Dell Latitude and its signed drivers are damn near identical to another model that was certified by Dell. I have ZERO other compatibility issues running rendering software and certain image processing testing applications...so who's zooming who here?

I've poked around the Registry Keys for the Apps and got hopelessly lost comparing working vs. non-working apps. The Store itself is there but somehow not reachable...

Anyway, that's my update. If I get some actual NAMES from the Windows Answers crew (one of them installed Tweaking.com to fix the issue), I'll try to persuade him or her to review the notes I've compiled and reach out to you if that's OK.

Be well. Rock on...get some sleep! 

[Julian]

windows 10 (1511) 10.0.10586 Tested to still have this issue.

[Shane]

I am done with 10 for now on my own home system. In the house I had Windows 10, the wife and kids used it. It auto updated itself to the latest a few days ago and EVERYTHING was broken. I didnt tell it to update it just did it in the background while we where asleep and the kids left the computer on.

Media streaming got turned off even thought I had it on, file sharing got turned back off and all apps broke saying the built in admin isnt allowed to run this. For some reason they blocked the built in admin account from running apps, funny thing is, I wasnt on the build in admin account. I did have UAC turned off via a registry key since we didnt use the app store.

The whole system was a mess and ALL file association to my programs where gone and set back to Windows which would just give that same error trying to open it.

I was done, so I backed up their profile and formatted it and put 7 back on. Thing runs better than ever, my kids asked if it was still windows 10, I said no I put 7 back on, and I kid you not, they freaking cheered! They are 11, 9 and 6! They just yelled yay things work again!

I laughed hard on that one and then it made me realize how bad MS is messing up on this. To fix some bugs only to introduce new bigger ones and then FORCE them on users is a joke. I thought I hated vista and 8 the most, nope I now hate 10.

But that is for now, with the mess that it is. If they can actually hire the right people to fix it and actually test it properly before release and stopped the forced updates then I would say it has a chance. But until then, until these crippling bugs are fixed and new ones stop coming, Windows 10 will not be touching my work or home system again.

As a tech, programmer and windows user, this pisses me off.

Shane

[kevlar_heart]

windows 10 (1511) 10.0.10586 Tested to still have this issue.

Thanks Julian. I doubt much will happen in the 10586.XX updates. I could be wrong -- I often am...like about upgrading for instance.