Notepad not opening from Start menu search Windows 10

0

After checking for corrupt files (sfc /scannow in cmd returning no corrupt files detected) and rebuilding the index from index option in the control panel, notepad does not open from the Start menu.

I type 'notepad' into the search in the Start menu, and the notepad icon appears:

Notepad

However, then I click on the icon, nothing happens.

I noted that this also happens to some other apps such as Snipping Tool and Paint, and that all these apps are in the Windows Accessories folder.

However, I can open these apps if I scroll down through the Start menu and access them from the Accessories folder:

Accessories

How do I make it so that Notepad and all those other apps can open when I search for them?

Thanks,

George

George Tian

Posted 2017-01-31T21:07:07.603

Reputation: 597

The Windows 10 Start Menu has been a bit finicky for some people. Does the problem persist if you restart your computer? – wysiwyg – 2017-01-31T21:09:56.040

The problem still persists after restarting my computer. – George Tian – 2017-02-01T05:16:14.860

Answers

0

THIS works: https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/64dzug/creators_update_broke_my_search_and_indexing/

How for the love of GOD... TL;DR It's only when you disable "let apps run in the background" that search breaks.

dajczu

Posted 2017-01-31T21:07:07.603

Reputation: 16

Can you give more information not just a link – Sam – 2017-06-15T07:26:53.903

enable "let apps run in the background". – dajczu – 2017-06-15T20:53:51.350

0

Ensure that the path is correct and the .exe is present in your System32 folder. You can check the path by right clicking and viewing the properties of the executable.

You can further check if this is malware by ensuring that the certificate is valid. Right click and navigate to the security tab and check the certificate validation dates, and types.

upandouttherabbith0le

Posted 2017-01-31T21:07:07.603

Reputation: 5

Hi @upandouttherabbith0le, the app notepad.exe is present in bot C:\Windows and C:\Windows\System32. Could you please describe how to view the path and the security? – George Tian – 2017-02-01T05:12:48.290

The path simply means where on a certain drive your file/executable/etc. is located. In your case, the path is determined to be both C:\Windows and C:\Windows\System32 If your file was located in the Users folder, the path would then be C:\Users – upandouttherabbith0le – 2017-02-01T07:43:49.717

In the question George stated he is able to open Notepad by navigating the start menu, so the path is most likely fine. It's the search that has issues. – wysiwyg – 2017-02-01T17:57:59.563

There may be an issue then with the .lnk or link pathing to the executable. I will try and solve the problem hands-on. The icon you are referring to is essentially a GUI for a link. You can think of it as a picture which represents a link to an executable. That icon/link that you see on your Start menu links you to where that executable is stored. If you right click on what you see (link/icon), you will go to its properties. By default, link extensions should open up to the Shortcut tab of your Notepad's properties. Ensure that the target path is correct. – upandouttherabbith0le – 2017-02-01T19:55:35.260

The target path of a link should generally be in the form %xxxx%\xxxx\xxxx.(exe/lnk/JPG..etc) The first part of that path is what is known as a string. A string in this instance serves to specify which location your file is in. In this instance, the string SHOULD be %windir%. Windir is short for Windows directory. The reason it is a variable or a string, is because your Windows directory could potentially be on a different drive, for example on your D drive. This is a design solution to minimize errors while, in a sense, pathing. Ensure that TARGET path is where Notepad is located – upandouttherabbith0le – 2017-02-01T20:01:01.583

Hi @upandouttherabbith0le and, when I right click on the notepad icon in search, the only option that comes up is 'Pin to start'. When I pin it to start, no icon shows up, but the start menu is resized as if the icon is present: http://prnt.sc/e3g425

– George Tian – 2017-02-02T07:23:49.603

Try to pin it to Start from its location in your Windows directory. Try and do so using the Run/Search box (which you can access on Windows 10 using the Windows Key + X). Type in the string as outlined in my above post so you can practice the concept. Cheers – upandouttherabbith0le – 2017-02-02T19:54:39.113

Hi @upandouttherabbith0le, I typed in the following target path: %windir%\System32\notepad.exe and notepad appeared. I also pinned notepad to start, and I can open from start. However, I still cannot open notepad from search. – George Tian – 2017-02-03T04:59:24.737

Try and press the Windows Key and R, or Windows Key and X if you are using Windows 10 – upandouttherabbith0le – 2017-02-04T22:18:49.717

Asked: 2017-01-31T21:07:07.603

Viewed: 7 547 times

Active: 2019-05-20T14:20:13.620