Windows 10 not loading the Settings app after 22H2 upgrade/update

[JohnLM 22]

After receiving my windows activation key for my new tablet, and after it "upgraded" my windows 10, to "Windows 10 2022 Update | Version 22H2" I was no longer able to access the windows sytem settings app.  It sometimes pops up as a blank blue dialogbox with the familiar gear in the center, and then closes. 

 

For instance, when I right-click the desktop, and select 'Display settings' 

 

 

I get this error message (after the blue dialog box with the gear pops up and closes).

 

 

"This file does not have an app associated with it for performing this action.  Please install an
app or, if one is already installed, create an association in the Default Apps Settings page."

 

Or, when I try to open the Settings app directly, or Windows key+I, or from any place or method of activating Settings, I get this (below) and then it closes in a second or two. 

 

 

 

The following are things I have tried, I believe are all that I have tried so far: 

 

1. open cmd and enter - sfc /scannow

 

2. open cmd and enter - Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

 

3. open cmd and enter - Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

 

4. open cmd and enter - Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

 

5. open powershell and enter - 

* PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "& {$manifest = (Get-AppxPackage *immersivecontrolpanel*).InstallLocation + '\AppxManifest.xml' ; Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $manifest}"

 

6. open powershell and enter -

* Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name windows.immersivecontrolpanel | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml” -Verbose}

 

7. open powershell and enter -

* Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml" -verbose}

I've also tried a few of the registry hacks but they did not help. 

 

So now I am wondering what else can I do.  Something in the 22H2 messed up the Settings's app's association. And I can't run a Settings Repair because I have to be in Settings to do that. 

 

Does anyone else have suggestions for me to try.  I can create a system restore point and then try your suggestion(s). 

 

TIA

 

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by JohnLM
typo

[FPiette 385]

7 hours ago, JohnLM said:

Does anyone else have suggestions for me to try.

Upgrade to Win11.

7 hours ago, JohnLM said:

I can create a system restore point and then try your suggestion(s).

Before upgrading to Win11, make an image of your harddisk on an external disk and create rescue USB key.

[Sherlock 663]

I concur with @FPiette. Considering Windows 10 support and life will be over in two years, you would not want to upgrade then. Do it now, and be done with it. You just witnessed in the flesh what an "old" Windows can do...or rather what it can't. Just consider that a fair warning.

[JohnLM 22]

In my searches to date, I have read that this same issue is also in Windows 11 and users are suffering from this same issue.  And, considering that I was affected by this on this tablet, there is a good chance that I will continue to have this issue in win11. 

[Brian Evans 109]

If it's hasn't been long since this happened, you can reboot in troubleshooting mode and uninstall the update. 

 

As well Dell's suggestions include:

- Log in as another user with administrator rights. If you can open the Settings app in that account, create a user account for yourself and delete the old account.

- If none of the previous solutions resolved the issue, reinstall your operating system.

(Windows 10: The Settings App Does Not Open or Flashes and Closes Instantaneously | Dell US)

[FPiette 385]

4 hours ago, JohnLM said:

by this on this tablet

Which tablet is this (Brand and model)?

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by FPiette

[Brian Evans 109]

Another thing to try - use the older control panel instead of settings. Search for "control" and launch the Control Panel app from the results. Also search for "device manager" and launch that.

 

I remember some manufacturer provided drivers / applications being a problem sometimes so try uninstalling any of those using the control panel and device manager.  

 

[JohnLM 22]

@ fpiette - the following are the specs: 

 

Windows 10 Enterprise [10.0.19045.3693 as of 11/16/2023] 

Chuwi Hi10 X 10.1" / 128GB SSD / 6GB Ram / 1920x1200 pixels tablet

Intel Celeron N4120 (Gemini Lake) 1.10GHz 4-cores cpu with UDH Graphics 600

BIOS: UEFI 

 

* I purchased the tablet Sept/2023, but did not open and use it until 11/11/2023.  Windows ver was at 10.01.19045.3570 and during that time right up to 11/15. 

* Then, I activated Windows on 11/16. 

* And then it proceeded to upgrade to 22H2, which I believe is the final version for win10. 

* Shortly after that, is when I discovered that I could no longer launch the Settings app. 

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by JohnLM

[JohnLM 22]

Still researching this issue...

 

I booted Windows into safe mode, and Settings still not loading. 

[JohnLM 22]

I was going to ask, how do I undo an update, but it requires the Settings app. Arh!!  Settings just closes. 

 

Is there any other way to undo an Update? 

[JohnLM 22]

update... i've also tried adding a new user account. . . 

 

1. create a restore point

 

2. add a new user account via CMD prompt(s): 

 

net user user2 password_xxxxx /add

net localgroup administrators user2 /add

 

3. restart

 

4. log into new user2 account 

 

5. access the Settings app, failed! 

 

I have the same situation as posted above, the Settings dialog box with the gear pops up and closes. 

[Brian Evans 109]

2 hours ago, JohnLM said:

I was going to ask, how do I undo an update, but it requires the Settings app. Arh!!  Settings just closes. 

 

Is there any other way to undo an Update? 

Yes, reboot into troubleshooting mode. Try: On the Windows sign-in screen, press and hold the Shift key while you select Power Circle with line Power icon > Restart. Should get a blue screen with three options, pick Troubleshoot, then Advanced options. May take more than one shift + restart (seems to not work if it must log you out as well).

 

Edited November 19, 2023 by Brian Evans

[FPiette 385]

Does the old "control panel" still work? The Win+R, then enter control in the input field then Enter key.

[JohnLM 22]

Fail...

 

@ FPiette - in win10, the Control Panel is on the desktop. 

 

The way I determine two distinct folder locations (and file/app kind/type/etc) is to bring up the app's Properties and select [open folder location].  From there I can look at the file size, date, and so on. 

 

1. using your suggestion to use the old 'control panel' is to press Win+R, enter 'control' and it opens the Control Panel

2. When I right-click on its icon in the Taskbar and then right-click on the menu item 'Control Panel' to pull up the Properties, the Target location points to the Desktop. 

3. I get the same results when I select/click on [open file location] it opens Explorer to the desktop and points to 'Control Panel'. 

 

Note, I've also tried win+R and enter 'control.exe' and received the same results. 

 

So it appears the there is only one control panel version in win10 enterprise. 

 

Edited November 20, 2023 by JohnLM
to clarify 2nd sentence

[Brian Evans 109]

Not all Windows setting pages have migrated to the new Settings App (the thing that won't open for you). Some can be gotten to by using the older Control Panel. Some entries in the older Control Panel just bring up pages in the new Settings App but not all. Like Control Panel -> Programs > Uninstall a program which brings up the older uninstall UI instead of the newer one from the Settings App. The older uninstall UI also has View installed updates option in the left column that can used to uninstall some Windows updates. 

 

Are you saying the older Control Panel doesn't open for you either? Below is an image with the newer Settings App on the left and the older Control Panel interface on the right.

 

 

 

[JohnLM 22]

It had occurred to me that I could also take out my Windows 10 Home HP laptop (model stream 14" with D11.2 and no Settings issue) and run some comparison tests while debugging the issues with the Chuwi tablet.

 

The settings dialog box on your left is what used to come up on the tablet under win10 before the upgrade/update I performed on 11/16/23.

The control panel on the right (in your image) is the one that always comes up if I use the start menu or win+r+'control panel'

 

on HP laptop, both* come up. 

 

* Settings is what Control Panel was but enhanced, but people still call it control panel, I guess. 

[Nigel Thomas 36]

Not sure if this has been suggested to you before? You could try enabling a "God Mode" shortcut on your desktop. This links (usually via the old, Control Panel way) to numerous settings, you might be able to find something useful in there to reset the main Settings app.

 

https://www.tomsguide.com/how-to/how-to-enable-god-mode-in-windows

[JohnLM 22]

Thanks for that link.  I tried almost all the selections (once created as a folder control applet on the desktop) and they work the same as in the Control Panel.  And the ones that do not work in the Control Panel are the same ones that call the Settings app and close immediately. 

 

For what it is worth mentioning. . .

 

{ 

For quick testing of this issue, I use the step mentioned in my first post where I right-click on the desktop area and select 'Display settings'. 

 

The win+key command to bring up the change screen resolution is win+R+'ms-settings:display'. without the quotes...  thus, win+R and enter ms-settings:display.

(I'm sure there is a way to call those commands in a cmd dos window but I don't know the proper syntax for it. Then I would make a .bat file and easily call it during testing/debug.) 

 

1. works in windows 10 home on my HP laptop

2. edit: does not work in windows 7 home premium on my Dell laptop -- win7 did not have this ms-xxx:xxx syntax option for bringing up windows applets. 

3. does not work in windows 10 Enterprse on my Chuwi tablet

} 

 

 

Edited November 21, 2023 by JohnLM
updated bullet 2

[Sherlock 663]

Have you tried undoing the update via Powershell yet? Details here: https://support.atera.com/hc/en-us/articles/360020477680-Uninstall-Windows-10-Updates-#h_01F0WXRRDN6R5S7NSCTF9P8V41

[JohnLM 22]

No, not yet, but I will be looking into that next after I image and create a restore point. Thanks for the link. 

[Nigel Thomas 36]

19 hours ago, JohnLM said:

The win+key command to bring up the change screen resolution is win+R+'ms-settings:display'. without the quotes...  thus, win+R and enter ms-settings:display.

(I'm sure there is a way to call those commands in a cmd dos window but I don't know the proper syntax for it. Then I would make a .bat file and easily call it during testing/debug.)

start ms-settings:display

[JohnLM 22]

@ Nigel, I forgot all about that, thanks !

[JohnLM 22]

Update. . . on removing Windows updates via Powershell

 

Using the following PS command to do the following: 

 

1. wmic qfe list brief/format:table -- will show a table format view of all Updates in KBnnnnnnn, ie, KB5032005

2. wusa /uninstall /kb:5032005 -- will remove an update -- note: I follow this with a restart, but some KB's will inform you to restart

 

I managed to remove the following KB's: (5032005, 5031988, 5011048 and (5015684=security update)) 

there were two more but they were not removed yet: (5031539 and 5032392) -- these were not removed due to an endless loop of restarting from the KB5015684 removal)

 

So after performing most of the above KB's, I am now stuck (after the initial system Restart) in an endless loop of: 

 

1. Preparing Automatic Repair startup screen

2. Diagnosing your pc 

3. Blue Screen Automatic Repair -> Your PC did not start correctly -> [Restart] or [Advanced options]*

 

* to try other options to repair your pc.

 

So at this stage, my Chuwi Hi10 X tablet is unusable--it will not boot up into windows. 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by JohnLM
typo

[JohnLM 22]

Update. . .  re windows boot up problems is now resolved. 

 

All is back to normal.  I managed to get a system Restore point from a dos prompt and am now back to the previous windows 10 22H2 state prior to my removing most of the updates. Oh well.  At least I'm back up and running.  I'm glad I made the choice to create a Restore point after all since I could not get Macrium to restore an image.  I will have to figure that one out. 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by JohnLM
typo

[Sherlock 663]

Phew. Congrats on that. Now you'll have to figure out if that was a one time glitch. Some future patches might rely on 22H2 being installed, which might leave your otherwise new computer ...um, looking old.