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Microsoft Windows ShellExperienceHost Cortana Fix

In my experience, fixing the Microsoft Windows ShellExperienceHost Cortana issue can be a frustrating and time-consuming task.

Restart Windows Explorer

Another method to restart Windows Explorer is through the Command Prompt. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box. Type cmd and press Enter to open the Command Prompt. In the Command Prompt window, type taskkill /f /im explorer.exe and press Enter. Then, type start explorer.exe and press Enter. This will restart Windows Explorer.

If you’re still experiencing issues with Windows Explorer, you can also try running the System File Checker tool. Open a Command Prompt with administrative privileges by right-clicking on the Start menu and selecting Command Prompt (Admin). In the Command Prompt window, type sfc /scannow and press Enter. This will scan and repair any corrupted system files that may be causing the problem.

Update BIOS, Drivers, and Windows

  • Update BIOS:
    • Go to the manufacturer’s website of your computer or motherboard to find the latest BIOS update.
    • Download the update and follow the instructions provided to install it on your system.
  • Update Drivers:
    • Open Device Manager by pressing Win+X and selecting it from the menu.
    • Expand the categories and right-click on each device to select Update driver.
    • Choose to search automatically for updated driver software.
    • Repeat this process for all devices listed in Device Manager.
  • Update Windows:
    • Go to Settings by pressing Win+I and selecting Update & Security.
    • Click on Check for updates and install any available updates for Windows.
    • Restart your computer after the updates are installed to ensure they take effect.

Install Pending Updates

Windows update icon

If you encounter any issues during the update process, you can try running the Windows Update Troubleshooter to automatically fix common problems. Simply search for “Troubleshoot settings” in the Windows search bar, select Windows Update, and click on Run the troubleshooter.

If the troubleshooter doesn’t resolve the issue, you can manually install updates by downloading them from the Microsoft Update Catalog website. Simply search for the specific update you need, download the file, and double-click on it to install.

After installing the updates, restart your computer to apply the changes. This should help resolve any issues with the Microsoft Windows ShellExperienceHost Cortana and improve the performance of your system.

Repair Windows with DISK & SFC Commands

To repair Windows issues related to ShellExperienceHost and Cortana, you can use the DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) and SFC (System File Checker) commands. These commands help fix corrupted system files that may be causing problems with these features.

1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator by searching for “cmd” in the Start menu, right-clicking on Command Prompt, and selecting “Run as administrator.”

2. Run the DISM command to repair the Windows image:
“`
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
“`

3. Once the DISM command completes, run the SFC command to scan for and repair corrupted system files:
“`
sfc /scannow
“`

4. Restart your computer after the SFC command finishes running to apply the repairs.

By using these commands, you can troubleshoot and fix issues with the Windows ShellExperienceHost and Cortana features.

Disable/Remove Conflicting Applications

To disable or remove conflicting applications on Microsoft Windows ShellExperienceHost Cortana, you can use Task Manager to identify the applications that may be causing the issue. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager and look for any applications that may be conflicting with ShellExperienceHost or Cortana.

Once you have identified the conflicting applications, you can disable or remove them through the Control Panel or Settings menu. Go to Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features or Settings > Apps to uninstall any conflicting applications.

If the conflicting applications cannot be removed through the Control Panel or Settings menu, you can use the Command-line interface to uninstall them. Open Cmd.exe with administrative privileges and use the appropriate commands to uninstall the conflicting applications.

After removing the conflicting applications, restart your computer to apply the changes. This should help resolve any issues with Microsoft Windows ShellExperienceHost Cortana caused by conflicting applications.

Reinstall Graphics Driver

To reinstall your graphics driver, follow these steps:

1. Open Device Manager by right-clicking on the Start button and selecting it from the menu.
2. Expand the Display adapters category to see your graphics driver.
3. Right-click on your graphics driver and select Uninstall device.
4. Check the box that says Delete the driver software for this device and click Uninstall.
5. Restart your computer to complete the uninstallation process.
6. Download the latest graphics driver from the manufacturer’s website.
7. Install the new driver by double-clicking on the downloaded file and following the on-screen instructions.
8. Restart your computer again to apply the changes.

By reinstalling your graphics driver, you may be able to resolve any issues with the Windows ShellExperienceHost or Cortana. If you continue to experience problems, consider updating other drivers and performing a system restore to a previous point.

Use PowerShell Commands for Reinstallation

To reinstall the Microsoft Windows ShellExperienceHost Cortana, you can use PowerShell commands to fix any issues you may be experiencing. First, open PowerShell as an administrator by searching for it in the Start menu, right-clicking on it, and selecting “Run as administrator.” Then, run the following command to uninstall and reinstall the ShellExperienceHost app:

Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost | Remove-AppxPackage

After the uninstallation is complete, run the following command to reinstall the app:

Add-AppxPackage -register “C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.Windows.ShellExperienceHost_[version number]\AppxManifest.xml” -DisableDevelopmentMode

This should resolve any issues you may be experiencing with the ShellExperienceHost Cortana. If the problem persists, you can also try running a system restore or backing up your data before reinstalling the app.

Create a New User Account

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete to open the security screen.
2. Click on Task Manager to open it.
3. Click on File and then Run New Task.
4. Type in “netplwiz” and press Enter.
5. In the User Accounts window, click on Add.
6. Follow the prompts to create a new user account.
7. Make sure to set the account type as Administrator if needed.
8. Click OK to save the changes.
9. Restart your computer to apply the new user account settings.
10. You can now log in with the newly created user account.

Creating a new user account can help troubleshoot issues with your current account, such as the Cortana or ShellExperienceHost errors. This fresh account will have a clean slate and may resolve any problems you were experiencing.

Edit the System’s Registry

To edit the system’s registry in Microsoft Windows ShellExperienceHost Cortana Fix, follow these steps:

1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Blocked
4. Look for an entry related to ShellExperienceHost or Cortana and delete it.
5. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer to apply the changes.
6. If you encounter any issues, you can always restore the registry from a backup.
7. It’s important to be careful when editing the registry, as incorrect changes can cause system errors.

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