Help with metro apps not working, (found possible cause)?

[Drathian]

Hi, am a rather experienced user of windows since dos and 3.1 and computers since i386. I have a current problem of my metro apps are useless and do not work, start but immediately close.

I've tried a few solutions:

1) desktop size (update drivers)
2) delete OLE key
3) run apps.diagcab

To no avail. On my upgrade install they work fine until i run the following commands which I almost always do after a semi-fresh upgrade:

1) sfc /scannow
2) secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\inf\defltbase.inf /db defltbase.sdb /verbose
net localgroup users myusername /add

Somehow this must break permissions or something; and make the rpc server timeout, i've yet to find a solution, and would rather not do another upgrade install nor esp a refresh.

Surprisingly running the following command in both C:\windows\system32 and C:\windows\syswow64 does not produce the broken metro apps so I am a little lost with what is causing this:

1) For /F %s in ('dir /b *.dll') do regsvr32 /s %s

 

[cluberti]

On my upgrade install they work fine until i run the following commands which I almost always do after a semi-fresh upgrade:

1) sfc /scannow
2) secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\inf\defltbase.inf /db defltbase.sdb /verbose
net localgroup users myusername /add

Somehow this must break permissions or something; and make the rpc server timeout, i've yet to find a solution, and would rather not do another upgrade install nor esp a refresh.

Surprisingly running the following command in both C:\windows\system32 and C:\windows\syswow64 does not produce the broken metro apps so I am a little lost with what is causing this:

1) For /F %s in ('dir /b *.dll') do regsvr32 /s %s

I would strongly suggest you stop doing at least the second item:

How do I restore security settings to a known working state?

Beginning with Windows Vista, the method to apply the security during operating system setup changed. Specifically, security settings consisted of settings defined in deftbase.inf augmented by settings applied by the operating installation process and server role installation. Because there is no supported process to replay the permissions made by the operating system setup, the use of the “secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\inf\defltbase.inf /db defltbase.sdb /verbose” command line is no longer capable of resetting all security defaults and may even result in the operating system becoming unstable.

You're probably (unknowingly) breaking something that made sense in 2001 with NT+PlugAndPlay (aka WinXP), but nowadays will very likely break things. Also, running regsvr32 on a directory like system32 isn't necessarily a good idea either, as not everything in there should be registered that way, and could mess with the settings that setup had otherwise configured for that component in the registry.

I can't think of a good reason why you'd do either of those things by default either, honestly. Those are all very archaic things that you haven't needed to do for at least 6 or so years now.

 

[Drathian]

Is there no permission reset feature now then?

 

[cluberti]

Why would you want to reset permissions? Yes, you can still do things with custom templates, but the ones that ship with Windows no longer are stable.... Also, I'm failing to understand why you'd reset permissions on a new install....

 

[Drathian]

To fix what I have apparently broken. As far as reasons why initial repair, I thought I was just harmlessly double checking what the windows install did. Is a upgrade install or refresh my only recourse now? :/

 

[cluberti]

You can probably do a refresh - reset shouldn't be necessary. Once it's working, don't mess with the internals .

 

[Drathian]

I'm attempting this procedure (first), not sure if it will help or not will report back:


HOW TO: Use the Secedit.sdb Database to Perform a Security Analysis in Windows Server 2003
HOW TO: Use the Secedit.sdb Database to Perform a Security Analysis in Windows Server 2003

 

[Drathian]

Well I followed those instructions from a database that was created right before I ran the secedit command, it found a lot of things wrong so I thought maybe it had fixed. Now Broker Runtime is crashing but the apps don't close at least still don't load fully though, although they are loading on the start screen. I ran WSreset to no avail. Going to keep at it, I'll be darned if this system get the best of me! lol

Edit:

changed from local to microsoft account then back to local fixed the system sluggish speed and got rid of broker errors, still working on getting the apps to launch...

 

[rialcnis]

I'm trying most anything people have suggested, short of a full redo.

Yesterday I did a very complete disc scan, more indepth then a sfc/ scannow. I ran Advanced System Optimizer carefully. No effect except that after the first reboot, the tiles wouldn't respond at all, even store wasn't working. Another reboot and the Store worked and tiles worked again although same apps that didn't work still do not work.

When I did sfc scannow it detected 3 corrupted files that it said it could not repair, related to imagere.dll, I haven't had to time to check it again after the advanced 6 hour scan I ran.

UAC has always been on and prior to upgrade from win 7 the only Virus Scanner was Microsoft Security Essentials. My user account is a Local Account Administrator. It is not a new local account. from what I understand, if you make a local account is will not be able to use the Cloud.

Some apps work. Skype works. Store works. I can buy and install apps.

Some of the APPS that do NOT work:

The Weather that came installed, which I just uninstalled and reinstalled still does not work. It says I am in London (I'm in CA)...but the app wont load past the spinning progress circle.

Maps that came with the install, loads and recognizes where I live in California but the MAPS is very fuzzy and when I zoom in it just blurs.

XBOX/GAMES just spinning to log in but cannot, even though I can log in fine on the XBOX website. (No XBOX hardware)

Netflix just spins indefinitely

Amazon takes me to sign in screen but when I click sign-in with my Amazon info it either clears the password or tell me wrong combination username password and I know it is correct.

IHeart Radio...the white screen comes up and says "registering device" with the progress circle spinning, but stays like that indefinitely.

Red Karaoke Spins never loads.

CW Television...come up but says "got error" in upper left corner.


I am going to recheck sfc /scannow and see if those .DLL are still corrupt and keep researching. I am going to be patient since it's Microsoft and they usually solve problems. I hope they come up with a update that fixes it all. The disaster with Vista was not really MS's fault. it was ATI and Nvidia driver to blame for the first year of Vistas nightmare. Hopefully this fix comes fast.

EDIT: I ran sfc scannow again and looked in the CBS.log and it is the same 3 Imageres.dll corrupted or inaccessible as before, I will check further on that, but I doubt that is the issue. That file is a bootup screen images or sound. I am not going to exchange the files till I know more.

 

[Ambellina635]

Some of the APPS that do NOT work:

The Weather that came installed, which I just uninstalled and reinstalled still does not work. It says I am in London (I'm in CA)...but the app wont load past the spinning progress circle.

Maps that came with the install, loads and recognizes where I live in California but the MAPS is very fuzzy and when I zoom in it just blurs.

XBOX/GAMES just spinning to log in but cannot, even though I can log in fine on the XBOX website. (No XBOX hardware)

Netflix just spins indefinitely

Amazon takes me to sign in screen but when I click sign-in with my Amazon info it either clears the password or tell me wrong combination username password and I know it is correct.

IHeart Radio...the white screen comes up and says "registering device" with the progress circle spinning, but stays like that indefinitely.

Red Karaoke Spins never loads.

CW Television...come up but says "got error" in upper left corner.

You are experiencing all the exact issues I am as well. I've just given up on them working and decided to hope that Microsoft will fix the issue eventually.

 

[rialcnis]

Some of the APPS that do NOT work:

The Weather that came installed, which I just uninstalled and reinstalled still does not work. It says I am in London (I'm in CA)...but the app wont load past the spinning progress circle.

Maps that came with the install, loads and recognizes where I live in California but the MAPS is very fuzzy and when I zoom in it just blurs.

XBOX/GAMES just spinning to log in but cannot, even though I can log in fine on the XBOX website. (No XBOX hardware)

Netflix just spins indefinitely

Amazon takes me to sign in screen but when I click sign-in with my Amazon info it either clears the password or tell me wrong combination username password and I know it is correct.

IHeart Radio...the white screen comes up and says "registering device" with the progress circle spinning, but stays like that indefinitely.

Red Karaoke Spins never loads.

CW Television...come up but says "got error" in upper left corner.

You are experiencing all the exact issues I am as well. I've just given up on them working and decided to hope that Microsoft will fix the issue eventually.

I hope this doesn't drag out long.

I can't find any real MS answers for this.

I hope they send us a fix that cures it.

 

[Drathian]

Ok, I finally fixed it the second to worst hard way. I did an inplace upgrade (not supported by MS, different from a refresh or reset) of WIN8MCE to WIN8PRO, which required me changing a registry key (thankfully that simple), and after two evenings have everything working without spending the 20+ hours it would take me to reinstall/configure everything from scratch.

Not going to touch those two commands especially the secedit unless i'm making my own database (unlikely though i did learn how).

sfc /scannow, anyone with like a virtual machine version bored enough with a saved state to test to see if running it causes the metro apps to break?

Thanks you.

I'm thinking those two commands change more then just what I thought, so going to stay away from permissions reseting for now, until something reliable comes around.

I guess the old addage if it ain't broke don't fix it, (or break it). lol

 

[Ambellina635]

Glad you were able to get the issues fixed Drathian. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to carry out your fix. It's very sad that something was released like this...especially when the new metro tiles were the major focus point of the OS. But I will just wait and see if there's a fix issued. I really have grown to like Windows8 very much despite this problem.

 

[rialcnis]

Ok, I finally fixed it the second to worst hard way. I did an inplace upgrade (not supported by MS, different from a refresh or reset) of WIN8MCE to WIN8PRO, which required me changing a registry key (thankfully that simple), and after two evenings have everything working without spending the 20+ hours it would take me to reinstall/configure everything from scratch.

Not going to touch those two commands especially the secedit unless i'm making my own database (unlikely though i did learn how).

sfc /scannow, anyone with like a virtual machine version bored enough with a saved state to test to see if running it causes the metro apps to break?

Thanks you.

I'm thinking those two commands change more then just what I thought, so going to stay away from permissions reseting for now, until something reliable comes around.

I guess the old addage if it ain't broke don't fix it, (or break it). lol

I am right in understanding that you are saying (theorizing) it was the scan itself that broke your APPS?

If possible, could be more specific in what you did to fix it? Was it just modifying a registry key?

 

[Drathian]

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Window NT\CurrentVersion

changed the key:

EditionID

from:

ProfessionalWMC

to:

Professional

Allows me to run the installer and re-upgrade windows (windows 8 mce to windows 8 pro) while keeping my file and settings, just to be safe I ran control panel and removed windows components media center. Then after it was done i reinstalled the media center key.

*Yeah i'm thinking for some people the sfc /scannow isn't stable in this version of windows.*

 

[cluberti]

Given that's no longer the way to do it, perhaps . Dism /online /Cleanup-Image (/CheckHealth, /ScanHealth, or /RestoreHealth) is what you should be using.

 

[rialcnis]

Hi,

Today I spent 3 hours on the phone with Microsoft about the APPS not working. Finally it was solved without a refresh!! The solution was a real trial and error.

I will make a new thread in this forums with details. All my APPS are now working.