Desktop and Start menu icons not working

I'm having a rather frustrating problem. When I click on any desktop or start menu icons, the apps won't launch. The apps appear in windows processes, but do not show in applications on the taskbar. If I right click them and use 'Run as administrator', they launch correctly. Items in control panel are behaving likewise. I can launch control panel, but am unable to elevate some of the commands to administrator status (no right click launch available).

Driving me crazy . Please help if you can....

Ian

Thanks for replying myzr7. Yes. Restored until I got it to work again and then created a new restore point. Now that restore point isn't working. After a few restarts, the problem arises again., so going down the restore avenue, may not be practicable.

Everything running ticketyboo in safe mode. Ran Malwarebytes. Nothing untoward found.

How bizzare! Can't switch users. Screen goes black then reappears as me again...

When I log off. The system is automatically rebooting with my user account...

I can't change my account from standard to admin in user accounts, because it is greyed out. I used to be admin. Don't know how this changed. As far as I am aware, the UAC is disabled.