Windows 10 version 1903: This new update brings Start menu fixes
Right on time, Microsoft has delivered an update for Windows 10 version 1903 that fixes the Start menu critical-error warnings that some users have experienced.
Windows 10
Microsoft on Thursday released KB4522355, its third update for version 1903 in October. The new update is a non-security and optional update, but it could be what addresses complaints about the Start menu not working after installing the October Patch Tuesday update.
Microsoft hasn't acknowledged the Start menu problems on its issues page for version 1903, but a Microsoft employee left a remark on a complaint about Start menu problems on its Answers forum, stating that Microsoft was aware of the issue and would release a fix in late October.
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Microsoft's explanation of the fix for the Start menu is a little cryptic, so it remains to be seen whether this update fixes the specific issue users were reporting.
"Updates an issue that causes the Start menu, the Cortana Search bar, Tray icons, or Microsoft Edge to stop responding in certain scenarios after installing a monthly update," Microsoft says.
German Microsoft-watcher Borncity explained that Start menu, Cortana, and other apps were affected by the October Patch Tuesday update because the file ActivationStore.dat is missing or damaged in four built-in shell apps, including Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost, Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost, Microsoft.Windows.Cortana, and Microsoft.AAD.BrokerPlugin.
"This also explains why the start menu, the (Cortana) search and the Windows shell have massive issues," he wrote to readers on Microsoft's Answers forum.
This update addresses a whole bunch of problems that could be annoying for those affected. It should fix a bug that caused Windows 10 to display a black screen the first time users sign in after installing a feature or quality update. It fixed the same problem in version 1809 last week.
The update should also address a bug that prevented users from connecting to a VPN and another bug that froze the system at the sign-in screen.
Some users also couldn't shrink a window in some circumstances, but this problem is now fixed.
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There are a bunch of fixes for Microsoft Narrator assistive technology. One bug stopped Narrator from working in certain touch-mode scenarios, while another started Narrator after signing in even when the user had configured it to start before signing in. Another bug caused Narrator to stop working in the middle of a session.
And Microsoft claims to have fixed an issue with high CPU usage in Desktop Windows Manager when disconnecting from an RDP session.
For now, Microsoft says it isn't aware of any problems caused by this update. These stability fixes will also be included in November's Patch Tuesday, scheduled for November 12.