Start Menu And Search On Laptop Wont Open.

[joko]

The other day, for no reason i could see, the start button and search button on my laptop just stopped functioning.
when i click on either, nothing happens

i can right click on them and a different menu comes up, but the main menus and functions do nothing.
i tried a system restore but it had no effect - probably because there was only one restore point and it wasn't long enough ago to work (even though it was set to maximum restore points so should have had loads of options ... )

any ideas why or how i can get them back?

i dont want to reset just yet as that will apparently remove my apps
(by apps do they mean my installed software? )

thanks
(windows 10, and an asus X550)

[Old_Geezer]

I'm unsure I can come up with a solution but: was the right click menu the one expected ? How about left clicking elsewhere. Is the left click working anywhere ? If not it could be a mouse issue.

[chelle7272]

Some advice here
http://home.bt.com/tech-gadgets/computing/has-your-windows-10-start-menu-stopped-working-here-are-four-ways-to-fix-it-11364000314532

[Old_Geezer]

It occurs to me that on my woman's laptop the left click on 'start' seems to hide the icons on the desktop but put 2 new symbols above the 'start' button. Clicking on one of them seems to show a menu of the installed programmes. Seemed an incredibly stupid change to me but ... that's MS for you.

[WyeDyed]

With the right click menu that you have some shut down options. If you chose 'shut down' while holding the shift key and allow it to completely shut down, then restart as usual, this will cure the problem most times

[joko]

left click does nothing at all, same as clicking directly on the icon

right click menu is a different menu from the main one

i have shut down many times, it doesnt change it

thanks

[WyeDyed]

did you shut down with the shift key pressed?

[joko]

wyedyed. - yes i tried that, twice, its still the same.
i also tried something on that link chelle put up but still nothing
its very oddd, thanks

[Tuvok]

My neighbours computer does this as well - its a well know bug of Windows 10

I put shortcuts to her programs onto the desktop - so that she could use them

[joko]

just realised its not just the start icon that wont function - its pretty much everything on the task bar ... volume, wifi, battery life etc ...