Windows 11 22H2 Apps (Settings and Notepad) cannot be started any more

[Alt68er]

For better understanding the history of my clean Win 11 installation. As basis I used an ISO downloaded from MS with MCT, v22621.525. I slimmed that image with NTLite with the automatically saved session xml file from my installation fo a previous version of Windows 11 in March or April this year which was working absolutely fine.

But I added some things: 1. the updates for getting a v22621.674, 2. one additional reg-file, 3. the drivers for chipset, sound, and video.

Enclosed you'll find the final automatically saved session.xml file and the additional reg-file.

Then I did an unattended OFFLINE setup and all looked fine with Windows 11. Then I reconnected to the internet.

My problem is that after a short while "playing" with the new installation without installing anything suddenly the settings and the new Notepad could not be started anymore. I could not recreate this behavior doing the same steps again I did before.

But then by accident I had opened the Windows Update settings for checking and noted the following:
1. the version was updated to 22.621.674
2. the updates included to the installation by NTLite ware not shown in the update history, but opening the uninstall options they were shown there; strange
3. going back to the main Windows Update page I was surprised that Windows found 3 updates (INCLUDING THE KB5018427 WHICH ALREADY WAS INCLUDED BY NTLITE!!!), downloaded and installed them without taking a second for installation. No restart was required and none of these updates were shown in the update history.

After closing the windows setting I tried to open the notepad and also the settings again, but now both were "killed".

My feeling is, that there is/was something wrong with the updates and the settings and notepad apps were were "damaged".

Or is there something wrong in my additionally added reg-file?

Or is NTLite having a problem with the latest Windows version(s)?

Or con anyone of you can see a different reason for this behavior?

Thousands and more thanks for your kind assistance.

Kind regards,
Peter


PS: When starting Notepad simply nothing happens; when starting the settings for a short moment an empty settings window is shown and then closed. That's it.

 

[Alt68er]

Hi,
after having done some additional tests I can confirm that the automatical re-downloading of the already installed update KB5018427 is causing the problem. After its complete download Windows Updates states installing, but nothing happens. I closed the settings app and tried to re-open it. It opens shortly with an empty window and then closes... Notepad doesn't show up at all. The opening of the startmenu now is a shortly delayed also.-
What I realized just now is that the search field within the explorer doesn't allow any input. Maybe there is a relation between these 2 misbeheaviors??
My impression is that Windows does not know that the update is installed already (not shown in the update history) although it shows the update as removable which I cannot imagine to work cause it was integrated before installing... As a non-expert I would mean that Windows is missing an information about the already integrated updates for whatever reason.

 

[Hellbovine]

I don't know if it's related, but I do see 4 potential problems in your reg files:

1) On line 8 you do not have a semicolon to comment out the long line of asterisks.

2) One of the keys you're removing has an extraneous line:

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{90AA3A4E-1CBA-4233-B8BB-535773D48449}]
@="Taskband Pin"

Should instead be by itself:

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{90AA3A4E-1CBA-4233-B8BB-535773D48449}]

(without the @="Taskband Pin")

3) Why do you add that Taskband pin key back in, but with a minus sign on the ID?

4) Why do some of your keys have em dashes (double dash), such as:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\--{09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780}

 

[francis11]

For better understanding the history of my clean Win 11 installation. As basis I used an ISO downloaded from MS with MCT, v22621.525. I slimmed that image with NTLite with the automatically saved session xml file from my installation fo a previous version of Windows 11 in March or April this year which was working absolutely fine.

But I added some things: 1. the updates for getting a v22621.674, 2. one additional reg-file, 3. the drivers for chipset, sound, and video.

Enclosed you'll find the final automatically saved session.xml file and the additional reg-file.

Then I did an unattended OFFLINE setup and all looked fine with Windows 11. Then I reconnected to the internet.

My problem is that after a short while "playing" with the new installation without installing anything suddenly the settings and the new Notepad could not be started anymore. I could not recreate this behavior doing the same steps again I did before.

But then by accident I had opened the Windows Update settings for checking and noted the following:
1. the version was updated to 22.621.674
2. the updates included to the installation by NTLite ware not shown in the update history, but opening the uninstall options they were shown there; strange
3. going back to the main Windows Update page I was surprised that Windows found 3 updates (INCLUDING THE KB5018427 WHICH ALREADY WAS INCLUDED BY NTLITE!!!), downloaded and installed them without taking a second for installation. No restart was required and none of these updates were shown in the update history.

After closing the windows setting I tried to open the notepad and also the settings again, but now both were "killed".

My feeling is, that there is/was something wrong with the updates and the settings and notepad apps were were "damaged".

Or is there something wrong in my additionally added reg-file?

Or is NTLite having a problem with the latest Windows version(s)?

Or con anyone of you can see a different reason for this behavior?

Thousands and more thanks for your kind assistance.

Kind regards,
Peter


PS: When starting Notepad simply nothing happens; when starting the settings for a short moment an empty settings window is shown and then closed. That's it.

Try keep Compatibility for STORE - it protect the use for Modern Apps like NotePad app

 

[Alt68er]

@ Hellbovine
Thanks a lot for your hints. I corrected all 3 items but that did not have any influence, i.e. did not change anything. The double dash is there cause I simply copied it from the internet and after testing it does the same, i.e. making invisibal one context-menuitem.-

francis11
I'll test it tomorrow but I believe that this is only for NTLite to know which items it must protect to keep the compatability with the Windows store app. And: that worked well before with Win11 21H2... But, I'll test.

 

[garlin]

But then by accident I had opened the Windows Update settings for checking and noted the following:
1. the version was updated to 22.621.674
2. the updates included to the installation by NTLite ware not shown in the update history, but opening the uninstall options they were shown there; strange

Integrated updates (from the image) never show up in WU's history. Only those updates WU installed.

3. going back to the main Windows Update page I was surprised that Windows found 3 updates (INCLUDING THE KB5018427 WHICH ALREADY WAS INCLUDED BY NTLITE!!!), downloaded and installed them without taking a second for installation. No restart was required and none of these updates were shown in the update history.

When you enable Features or install language files in specific cases, it can "disturb" the WinSxS metadata. When WU runs, it scans the existing components and metadata, looking for anything which is not up-to-date. Maybe a few files or metadata need to be fixed, but since CU's are single packages, it must re-download the whole file.

When DISM extracts the update, and compares files -- almost everything is identical (you already installed the same CU). DISM skips over the duplicates and takes zero time to finish "updating". No reboot is required, because no files have changed.

This is a normal, and mostly harmless WU annoyance (re-downloading the same CU).

 

[garlin]

Hi,
after having done some additional tests I can confirm that the automatical re-downloading of the already installed update KB5018427 is causing the problem. After its complete download Windows Updates states installing, but nothing happens. I closed the settings app and tried to re-open it. It opens shortly with an empty window and then closes... Notepad doesn't show up at all. The opening of the startmenu now is a shortly delayed also.-
What I realized just now is that the search field within the explorer doesn't allow any input. Maybe there is a relation between these 2 misbeheaviors??
My impression is that Windows does not know that the update is installed already (not shown in the update history) although it shows the update as removable which I cannot imagine to work cause it was integrated before installing... As a non-expert I would mean that Windows is missing an information about the already integrated updates for whatever reason.

CU install over previous removals can cause big problems. Windows doesn't expect "to be patched" files to go missing, and you will get an inconsistent system. The rule is if you remove components: disable WU, or always run a host refresh after applying the CU.

 

[garlin]

This is a great post-mortem to learn basic troubleshooting tips. I installed your preset and allowed WU to break my install.

1. Before WU installed updates, Notepad worked...



2. Restarted Windows. Start Menu is broken, but everyone forgets shift-F10 will open a shell.



Event Viewer provides the fault reason: UI.Xaml Appx package is corrupted.

Spoiler: Settings

Faulting application name: SystemSettings.exe, version: 10.0.22621.586, time stamp: 0x12963a0f
Faulting module name: Windows.UI.Xaml.dll, version: 10.0.22621.730, time stamp: 0x841ce1e1
Exception code: 0xc000027b
Fault offset: 0x000000000059b17a
Faulting process id: 0x0x10DC
Faulting application start time: 0x0x1D8E45674CEDF9D
Faulting application path: C:\Windows\ImmersiveControlPanel\SystemSettings.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\System32\Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
Report Id: c7db0f3f-6043-462d-bc0d-519f82325d5a
Faulting package full name: windows.immersivecontrolpanel_10.0.6.1000_neutral_neutral_cw5n1h2txyewy

Spoiler: Notepad

Faulting application name: Notepad.exe, version: 11.2112.32.0, time stamp: 0x61fd74ac
Faulting module name: Windows.UI.Xaml.dll, version: 10.0.22621.730, time stamp: 0x841ce1e1
Exception code: 0xc000027b
Fault offset: 0x000000000059b17a
Faulting process id: 0x0xA80
Faulting application start time: 0x0x1D8E455DF3691C6
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsNotepad_11.2112.32.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\Notepad\Notepad.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\System32\Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
Report Id: df34fb57-d273-4883-a435-08df6e6777a9
Faulting package full name: Microsoft.WindowsNotepad_11.2112.32.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Faulting package-relative application ID: App

3. My Store Apps download script also grabs whatever libraries Notepad needs -- like UI.Xaml. Since I didn't remove App Installer, you can just click on the package in Explorer to install it (no PowerShell).



4. Start Menu and Notepad are fixed, without rebooting! The system is probably not "correct", but we have a better idea of what happened.

 

[francis11]

I'll test it tomorrow but I believe that this is only for NTLite to know which items it must protect to keep the compatability with the Windows store app. And: that worked well before with Win11 21H2... But, I'll test.

What used to work - is not always what MS think work.
Have had my challenges - and it works flawlessly as always (now on 22621.674)

 

[francis11]

Don't know if have something to say when adding a reg with different build number from image build working on.
From attached reg the last part say:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\--{09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780}]
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\--{09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780}\InprocServer32]
@="C:\\Program Files\\Windows Defender\\shellext.dll"
"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\--{09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780}\Version]
@="10.0.22000.653"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\--{09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780}]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\--{09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780}\InprocServer32]
@="C:\\Program Files\\Windows Defender\\shellext.dll"
"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\--{09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780}\Version]
@="10.0.22000.653"

I think for 22H2 it should be:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780}]
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780}\InprocServer32]
@="C:\\Program Files\\Windows Defender\\shellext.dll"
"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780}\Version]
@="10.0.22621.1"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780}]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780}\InprocServer32]
@="C:\\Program Files\\Windows Defender\\shellext.dll"
"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{09A47860-11B0-4DA5-AFA5-26D86198A780}\Version]
@="10.0.22621.1"

 

[Alt68er]

francis11
Thanks a lot for your additional comments, I'll take them into consideration.

Try keep Compatibility for STORE - it protect the use for Modern Apps like NotePad app

THIS did not help, sorry.

 

[Alt68er]

When you enable Features or install language files in specific cases, it can "disturb" the WinSxS metadata. When WU runs, it scans the existing components and metadata, looking for anything which is not up-to-date. Maybe a few files or metadata need to be fixed, but since CU's are single packages, it must re-download the whole file.

When DISM extracts the update, and compares files -- almost everything is identical (you already installed the same CU). DISM skips over the duplicates and takes zero time to finish "updating". No reboot is required, because no files have changed.

This is a normal, and mostly harmless WU annoyance (re-downloading the same CU).

I disagree with you.

Imagine what you said in the following situation:
I'm having installed a Windows version, let's say 1.777, with the latest update, let's say number 10.
I ran NTLite on this machine uninstalling some items. The version still remains 1.777.
Now WU and is seeing my version 1.777 update number 10. So WU does not have any reason to start a download and update cause the current status of my windows is up to date.
But WU really would check and download/install the update again it would break my NTLitening, and would run into an endless screw...

If WU can notice the latest update is installed then it never should download/install the update again. And in my case Windows and WU CAN see that the latest update was already installed. 1. cause the Windows version is showing that, and 2. the update is contained in the uninstallable update list.

4. Start Menu and Notepad are fixed, without rebooting! The system is probably not "correct", but we have a better idea of what happened.

I'll test that, thank you for this hint.
But: it will not really solve the problem: the windows installation should always get informed by NTLite about the current status so that a re-download and -install will not happen. For what am I integrating updates to my installation media when auf the installation of windows it will be immediately "harmed" by an update which is installed already. (I'm not talking about later CUs but only about the integrated last one!).

Regarding the update status an NTLited installation medium should behave like an original MS installation medium. Or did you ever hear about that after installing windows 22621.525 that the last CU which was already integrated to bring it to ...525 will be downloaded and installed again???

May be I'll create a new NTLited medium without integrating updates and will WU let them install and after I'll let NTLite remove all the re-installed things again on my live machine.

But this is not the way it should work.

If Nuhi will read this he surely will agree with me.

 

[garlin]

Imagine what you said in the following situation:
I'm having installed a Windows version, let's say 1.777, with the latest update, let's say number 10.
I ran NTLite on this machine uninstalling some items. The version still remains 1.777.
Now WU and is seeing my version 1.777 update number 10. So WU does not have any reason to start a download and update cause the current status of my windows is up to date.
But WU really would check and download/install the update again it would break my NTLitening, and would run into an endless screw...

If WU can notice the latest update is installed then it never should download/install the update again. And in my case Windows and WU CAN see that the latest update was already installed. 1. cause the Windows version is showing that, and 2. the update is contained in the uninstallable update list.

That's not how Windows servicing works.

Windows is a series of feature packages, made up of components. Each component has distinct build number (version). When components are grouped into packages, the highest build number of ANY child component is given to the parent package.

And because CU's are cumulative, they contain all previously released CU files (unless it's a removal). Don't believe me? Download the file info CSV provided for every W10/11 monthly update.

KB5019509 Oct 2202 Out-of-Band (re-released Oct)

For a list of the files that are provided in this update, download the file information for cumulative update 5019509.

Count the file versions, by the top 10. Oct 22 is 22621.675, and yet it contains many .608 (Sep 22 Preview) files.

  21324 Not versioned
   7502 10.0.22621.608
    833 10.0.22621.674
    568 12.0.22621.608
    363 11.0.22621.608
    310 922.812.111.0
    310 10.0.22621.675
    142 7.0.22621.608
     82 10.8210.22621.608
     58 2001.12.10941.16384

WU works by scanning all WinSxS component folders, and comparing against a reference list. If you have something installed, it works to figure out if it's the latest. When any component is downrev (older), then it finds the most recent KB update to replace that version.

Files are updated as required. There's nothing unusual if a component has files with different build numbers.

Along with actual components, there's ComponentStore -- which is the registry database that tracks everything installed on the system. This is where update problems occur. You can't really "repair" ComponentStore corruption, the only actions are clean re-install or forced re-install to overwrite the existing metadata with known good entries (ie. "repair upgrade").

As abbodi has commented, it's known that certain instances of staging (where components must be installed in order, sometimes requiring a reboot before another component can be activated) will trigger the "reinstall" behavior. This the metadata confusing WU, and not a problem with actual file installation.

KB numbering is irrelevant. Some of the KB's are planned in advance, from the monthly release cycle. There have been Out-of-Band (emergency fixes) where the OOB is out of sequence.

June 14, 2022—KB5014697 (22000.739)
June 20, 2022—KB5016138 (22000.740) Out-of-band
July 12, 2022—KB5015814 (22000.795)

NTLite best practices have always been the same:
1. Always integrate or apply updates first.
2. Perform removals
3. Run remove reinstall after applying new updates (this is NTLite's version of a repair upgrade).

 

[Alt68er]

garlin
Thanks so much for your additional explanations which partially I could follow, partially not cause I'm not an expert but sometimes I'm thinking to be.
In this case I'm still not really understanding the reasons for Windows's behavior.
Can you please give me a hint where or how to get the corrupted file(s) for repairing my installation?

btw:
I just tried an identical installation but without integrating the updates. After I installed the CU kb5019509 from my local disk and still being offline. Strange, but after it showed me a lot of reinstalled fonts, even I was offline.
Ok, then i connected to the internet again and WU installed some other updates and after a restart all was fine.
Then I removed the reinstallations via NTLite and after the necessary reboot I ran into the same problems. HERE it seems that NTLite is the one producing the problems but I don't believe in that anymore.

Thanks again for all your efforts and hope you can help me with a hint (see above).

Peter

 

[Alt68er]

garlin
sorry for my stupid previous message. In the meantime I found your script and re-installed the notepad-app and its dependencies. Unfortunately I could not do it with a double click although the App Installer was not removed here too. But it claimed the dependencies first, so I installed them via PS and even then I could not start the installation by double click, but I did it by PS too.
But: not change. the settings still did not open up, nor the notepad. And also the search in the explorer is broken....

In the meantime I re-downloaded the Windows 22621.525 iso from Microsoft, this time directly with a .wim file, and not via MCT with an .esc file. I integrated the CU KB5018427 and my drivers (chipset, sound, graphics) and then did a clean offline install which went absolutely fine.

After Windows 22H2 22621.674 was running well I connected to the internet again and 3 additional updates were downloaded and installed (1 CU for .NET, 1 for the MS malware remover, and the third I don't remember; but the already integrated KB5018427 was NOT downloaded and installed again!). Until here all went fine, then after a restart again the settings and notepad app were broken and also se explorer search, all this without involving NTLite again.

Also here a re-installation of the apps did not help. But I'm now sure that NTLite is NOT the reason, at least not the program itself.

I'm believing now again that any session setting is causing the crash but cannot imagine which one. Also I cannot image that one of the updates or the update function of Windows itself is causing the crash cause then there should be a lot of other people complaining that and not only me.

So, please please be so kind and check my session file again and hopefully anyone of you experts can give me a hint.

A nice weekend to all of you.

Peter