Devices and Printers won't load. No start menu programs.


  1. Steve56
    Posts : 5
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit SP1
       New #1

    Devices and Printers won't load. No start menu programs.


    Devices and printers won't load. Checked the Bluetooth Services as recommended in a previous tread and it was fine. When I switch users it loads fine.

    Second problem, may or may not be related.

    The programs in the start menu are missing and I am unable to pin anything to the start menu or taskbar. This also works when I switch users.

    HP desktop. Windows7 Home Premium. Ran system file checker, Malwarebytes, Norton 360 several times. Both problems showed up several weeks ago.

    Any ideas?
    Steve56
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  3. Ztruker
    Posts : 6,285
    Windows 10 Pro X64
       New #2

    Create a new account. Copy everything over from the old. If okay then delete the old.
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  4. gregrocker
    Posts : 50,642
       New #3

    If that doesn't work then try to System Restore to a point before this happened to see if it fixes it.

    Is this the original HP preinstall with all of the corrupting bloatware and duplicate utilities which have better versions built into Win7? If so consider getting the vastly superior Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.
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  6. Steve56
    Posts : 5
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit SP1
    Thread Starter
       New #4

    Ztruker, I guess that would be copying everything in the C:/users folder to the new "users" folder? Any other files that need to be copied?
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  7. Ztruker
    Posts : 6,285
    Windows 10 Pro X64
       New #5

    Here is an easy and safe way to do it:

    You can use the Windows Easy Transfer to transfer your profiles and settings to a new account:
    1. Go to Start –> type Easy Transfer –> Click Windows Easy Transfer in the search results.
    2. You will get a welcome message to Windows Easy Transfer. Click Next.
    3. Choose a different partition or internal hard drive, external hard disk or USB flash drive. Can't be the same drive you are transferring from (the "old computer").
    4. Select This is my old computer.
    5. Check the box before your current user account, and click Next.
    6. You can input a password if you want.
    7. Click Save to save the transfer file. The transfer file will be a single file with the extension .MIG. Please remember the location.
    8. Create a new account via Control Panel - User Accounts.
    9. Log off the current account and log on the new account.
    10. Open Windows Easy transfer again and click This is my New Computer.
    11. Choose "Yes, open the file" to navigate to the .MIG file.
    12. Check the box before your old account, then click the Advanced Options above the Transfer button, then you choose which user account you want to transfer.
    13. Click Save and Transfer. Now, you can see what are the files that were transferred.

    Test if everything works correctly in the new account now. If yes you can delete the old account via User Accounts.

    If not, please delete the new account via User Accounts. Go back to step 8, and repeat the step 9 and 10, then check the box before your old account, and click on the Customize button next to this old account, and uncheck the box before Windows Settings, then click the Transfer button.

    I seem to have lost the site this came from originally, sorry.
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  8. Steve56
    Posts : 5
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit SP1
    Thread Starter
       New #6

    Ztruker,

    Ok I went thru the Windows Transfer using your instructions. Signed on as the new user. Everything I have checked so far looks good, EXCEPT, the "devices and printers" still will not load. The programs in the start menu showed up and I am able to pin to it. Bluetooth services started and is automatic.

    If I switch the user to the guest account the devices and printers load fine.

    Many thanks for fixing half of my problem!

    Steve56.....
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  10. Ztruker
    Posts : 6,285
    Windows 10 Pro X64
       New #7

    Did it load before you copied everything over?
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  11. Steve56
    Posts : 5
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit SP1
    Thread Starter
       New #8

    No, I had two user related problems. Nothing in the start menu and failure to load "devices and printers" using my normal user account. When I switched users to the "guest user" they both worked. After setting up a new user and transferring everything over, the start menu problem was fixed but not the devices and printers problem.


    Steve56
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  12. Steve56
    Posts : 5
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit SP1
    Thread Starter
       New #9

    Problems Solved


    Both problems solved by setting up and transferring to a new user account. I had overlooked step 12 in the transfer back to the new user. Everything appears to be working fine now. Thanks for your help.

    Steve56....:)
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  13. Ztruker
    Posts : 6,285
    Windows 10 Pro X64
       New #10

    Great, glad it's fixed.
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