Solved Metro Apps Crash to Desktop or Don't Operate Correctly

Steve C

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I initially created the thread below but I have since discovered the problem relates to many apps and not just the People app.

http://www.eightforums.com/software-apps/47601-people-app-opens-then-crashes-desktop.html

I have a new Dell laptop running Windows 8.1 Core Edition. After only a week I found most of the apps would crash to the Desktop on opening. I thought I had solved the problem by creating a new user account and reinstalling the apps but that only worked for a week before the same problem reappeared.

This is what I have discovered to date:


  1. Initially most apps crashed on opening
  2. Reinstalling the apps made many of them work but there are still some issues e.g. selecting Maps within Bing weather causes the app to crash
  3. The apps work fine in a new user account or in other local accounts I have not used much to date
  4. None of the steps recommended in http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/21051-apps-tiles-not-working-responding-fix-windows-8-a.html solves the problem
  5. I've spent an hour with Microsoft Support who have found no obvious problem and have escalated the problem to the next tier

The problem appears to be due to access rights and priveliges in user accounts since the apps work in other accounts or if I create a new account.

Could someone please explain what may be the cause of the problem. Please advise where the apps are located for each user account and whether there is way of checking that they are set up to have the correct access rights and privileges.
 
Steve, this is a common problem - I haven't been able to find a solution for it yet. There are many threads on the Internet about it and many suggested solutions, but none work for me. I, too, can't figure out where the problem lies. If you find a solution, please post it. Hope you have better luck!
 
Thanks for your advice. It appears Microsoft Apps are poorly designed and supported compared to my positive experience with Apple Apps on an iPod Touch.
 
You're welcome. This is not a common problem as some claim, otherwise there would be a barrage of threads on it. Perhaps it's time for a refresh?
 
There might not be a barrage of threads about it but I don't think that's a fair way to measure whether it's a big problem or not.
Most threads have around 250 views but (as an example)... 'Windows 8.1 Most Metro Apps crash immediately at launch' ... has 124,201 views !!!!
That tells me that this problem is possibly more widespread than you think and that many people are still looking for an answer.
I've tried all the 'solutions' but they haven't worked and I'm not prepared to refresh my computer every time this happens.
I tend to agree with a previous poster that the Apps are poorly designed.
But hey, I've solved the problem. I've installed Start8 and disabled all access to the Metro Apps.
Microsoft's loss, not mine.
 
I'm unwilling to do a refresh since I have no confidence the problem will not reappear based on my experience and comments on this forum and elsewhere.

We need to understand what is actually going wrong and identify a solution based on that understanding. It's over to Microsoft I guess to fix a fundamental problem in a main feature (metro apps) of Windows 8,
 
Microsoft Support solved the problem by doing an in place repair. I also now have the Windows 8.1 installation files on my PC and a standard product key from Microsoft ((I think) rather than Dells's OEM key. I'm still curious to know why the problem occurred in the first place.
 
That's good to read that it's fixed, Steve. Yes, it would be nice to know what they did. Did you watch? Did it take them long?

They gave you an ISO? With keys?
 
Microsoft Support ran through many of the steps in http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...orking-responding-fix-windows-8-a.html?filter but I had already tried those. They then suggested creating a new user account but that solution had only lasted a week for me.

MS then downloaded the Windows 8.1 installation files into folder C:\ESD and ran an in-place repair install from those files. On completion which took ages, Windows 8.1 reported as unactivated. MS then provided a new product key and all is fine. The apps all work (at least for now) and all my programs and files are intact. I had to update my screen personalisation and the locations of some Outlook default folders but that was all.

The product key differs from my Dell OEM key. I don't know if it is a retail key or something else.

I've also created a bootable Windows 8.1 USB flash drive by the following procedure. I used the program ESD-TO-ISO to create an ISO image. See Option 3 in http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/18309-windows-8-windows-8-1-iso-download-create.html. Note I had to copy the program and directory to the root of my C: drive before it would run. I then used Rufus to create a UEFI bootable flash drive from the ISO image - see Option 1 in http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15458-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-create-windows.html
 
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