start menu search broken after windows updates

[liquid98]

please help me, I'm stuck on this problem:



After these updates:


Updates :
---------


KB:
2416472
2468871
2487367
2533523
2656351
2446708
2468871
2473228
2478663
2518870
2533523
2539636
2572078
2633870
2656351
Silverlight 4.1.10111.0
2584146
2585542
2588516
2603229
2618451
2619339
2620704
2620712
2631813
2633873
2633952
2640148
2641690
2644615
2645640
2647516
2654428
2656356
2660075

my search function in the start menu is broken.
So when I enter a search term in the "Search programs and files"
field nothing happens.

Also when i double click on explorer.exe, it gives me this error:
"This file does not have a program associated with it for performing
this action. Please install a program or, if one is already
installed, create an association in the Default Programs control
panel."


All userprofiles , also the newly generated ones, are affected by
this error.

I tried all kinds of registry fixes but nothing helps.
I'm pretty sure it has something to do with these updates
because when I restore my system to a point before these updates,
there are no errors. Then auto-update installs these updates and the
error comes up.

So the cause of this problem has to be one of the updates mentioned above.
At least I think...

please help

liquid

 

[seavixen32]

Welcome to Windows Seven Forums.

The only practical solution I can think of other than a system restore is to go to your Control Panel and check the View Installed Updates list under Uninstall a Program.

You should be able to see the order they were installed by the date if nothing else, and then uninstall them one at a time, checking each time whether your Search function has returned to normal.

Make a note of which update is causing the problem, and then choose the Hide option when Windows Updates again offers the update in question.

Your problem is one of the reasons I always install updates one at a time. It is more time-consuming, but it does give you the chance to isolate any update that's giving you a problem.

 

[liquid98]

Ok,

Thanks for your help. Do I have to restart after each update turned off?
Iow are changes immediately noticeable?

There has to be some MS-person around who "KNOWS'' what update is causing
these problems, right?

 

[seavixen32]

A restart would be good after each one you uninstall.

Try a search after each restart and as soon as the Search function starts to work normally, you'll at least have isolated which update is giving you trouble.

I'm sorry I don't KNOW which update is causing the problem no more than any MS-person as you put it would KNOW which update is causing the problem. If they did, I'm sure Microsoft wouldn't be offering the update.

You might also want to download and run the System Updates Readiness Tool, which can solve problems with Windows Updates.

You haven't said whether you are using the 32-bit version of Windows or the 64-bit version so I'll give you the link for both versions of SURT.

32-bit version of SURT: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=3132

64-bit version of SURT: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=20858

 

[Qdos]

There has to be some MS-person around who "KNOWS'' what update is causing these problems, right?

Even if there was, without your system specifications for whatever hardware you're running, it'd be pretty difficult to speculate...

Please complete your system spec's and you might get additional support...

 

[liquid98]

Thanx, I'll try that first then.

 

[Golden]

The only practical solution I can think of other than a system restore is to go to your Control Panel and check the View Installed Updates list under Uninstall a Program.

You should be able to see the order they were installed by the date if nothing else, and then uninstall them one at a time, checking each time whether your Search function has returned to normal.

Hi Liquid,

Andrews suggestion above, whilst time-consuming, is an excellent troubleshooter for this problem. Unfortunately there are far too many updates in there for us (volunteers here), let alone Microsoft, to be able to pinpoint the exact one causing the problems.

Regards,
Golden

 

[liquid98]

Yes I fully understand that,

And well I was just hoping for a known update to cause this problem...

seavixen32: It might be a good idea to roll back and work the other way round by
installing updates one by one. How do I install updates one by one?

 

[seavixen32]

Yes I fully understand that,

And well I was just hoping for a known update to cause this problem...

seavixen32: It might be a good idea to roll back and work the other way round by
installing updates one by one. How do I install updates one by one?

Go into Windows Updates and change your settings, as this screenshot shows.

 

[liquid98]

Ok thanx guys!

 

[seavixen32]

You're very welcome.

 

[gregrocker]

Default File Type Associations - Restore - Windows 7 Forums

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/36098-search-options-change-restore.html

If these don't resolve your performance complaints, run SFC -SCANNOW Command
to check for damaged System files.

You can troubleshoot deeper via the logs and System Resources using these troubleshooting steps. I would also check for infection as given.

As far as whether someone so intimately familar with Updates issues might spot your problem, you may have to give it more time.

Meanwhile I would follow Andy's excellent suggestions to reset Updates and install in smaller groups so that you can restore if necessary and then isolate the single update responsible. MS provides Updates support via email on their WUD website.

 

[bobtran]

Ok,

Thanks for your help. Do I have to restart after each update turned off?
Iow are changes immediately noticeable?

There has to be some MS-person around who "KNOWS'' what update is causing
these problems, right?

If you are not willing to go to the effort to track down the info then you should refrain from negative posts directed at someone who was trying to help......you COULD pay Microsoft to solve it for you.....A little more work on your part probably would identify the suspect update and yes this IS the process that most of us go through when attempting to identify issues, oh and by the way "GOOGLE" works for searching errors' also........