Slow, UWP apps not opening... warranty expiring!

samms

Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2019
Posts
20
Location
London, UK
Hi all, while it is good to be back this isn't how I was planning on coming back :/ (with an issue, that is.)

From when I originally bought the laptop, this would happen when I try to move my browser around the screen after using Windows Snap to snap it to a corner or when I change tabs:
samms-20-1.PNG
^This is what it would look like, I can't get an actual screenshot of this though.
Recently this has stopped, or at least I cannot notice it anymore.

Another thing is that at random times, the screen would lock up for a two or three seconds. It appears that everything freezes: the display freezes but pressing the Windows key whilst it is frozen doesn't seem to do anything after it unfreezes.
I've made the huge mistake of ignoring all of this for the past year. 🤦‍♂️

Aside from this, my Dell Inspiron laptop has been fine all this year until just a few weeks ago. My 7-Zip file associations have been lost and all thumbnails on my desktop have disappeared, leaving a standard thumbnail behind:
samms-20-2.PNG
This is for every file on my desktop, except for application shortcuts (so PowerPoint presentations have lost their thumbnails)

I have tried to clear thumbnails using Disk Cleanup, to no avail. Some files do still show thumbnails, and since yesterday any new image files show thumbnails. I have also tried windowscentral.com's method of killing explorer.exe and then 'del /f /s /q /a %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\thumbcache_*.db' and starting explorer - nothing there again.

Opening image files using the UWP Photos app shows this error message after a short black window (photos app) opens up. They still open with Paint, so I don't think there is anything wrong with the ssd or file itself.
samms-20-3.PNG
Trying to open Photos app directly just has it close out by itself again. I have tried to uninstall using Geek Uninstaller and reinstall, no avail.
Today, some UWP apps, like calculator and Alarms and Clock don't open. Microsoft Store, Settings still open.

What is worst is that my warranty will expire within a couple of days x_x
I am in the process of making backups so a reset is on the table to see what happens.

Windows 10 Home 1909
OS Build 18363.1139

Windows Update shows no new updates.
Please help!
 
This is the proper way to clear the icon cache.

Go to search and type:- cmd

Next press the ctrl +shift+enter keys on your keyboard an elevated cmd prompt will open.



Copy and paste all the below cmds into the command prompt window, press enter.



ie4uinit.exe -show


taskkill /IM explorer.exe /F (your desktop will go blank) <---------------this force closes explorer.exe so the next command can safely delete the Iconcache.db



DEL /A /Q "%localappdata%\IconCache.db" <------------- This deletes the Iconcache database file /A=files that are ready for archiving Q/ = quiet, you will not be asked for permission to delete



DEL /A /F /Q "%localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\iconcache*" <-------same as above



shutdown /p (your computer will shut down completely. After this, Restart your computer <------------Performs a complete shutdown instead of the hybrid shutdown.

After the restart, the iconcache.db will be automatically re-created fresh.



 
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Just completed last night :
Edition Windows 10 Home
Version 20H2
Installed on ‎31/‎10/‎2020
OS build 19042.572
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.31.0


No change, all the same problems as above...
DEL /A /Q "%localappdata%\IconCache.db" <------------- This deletes the Iconcache database file /A=files that are ready for archiving Q/ = quiet, you will not be asked for permission to delete
C:\Users\username>DEL /A /Q "%localappdata%\IconCache.db"
Could Not Find C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\IconCache.db
 
You've got to run the cmd prompt as Administrator.

Hit start- type cmd- you'll see the command prompt app - right-click that icon and choose run as administrator. Then run the above.
 
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