Windows 8 apps have all stopped working

Topic

New Reply

Last week first Chrome stopped working. This seemed to be a problem with Norton 360 – when I’d un- and reinstalled this it worked again.

Then I noticed that none of the windows 8 apps work. Some apps, which I think are not windows 8 ones – do run. The ones that don’t run have a small “x” to the bottom right of their tile.

The only solution I can find is to “refresh” Windows 8 – which seems to mean uninstalling and reinstalling it, and then having to reinstall all the programmes I’ve installed since getting the computer. Given how much trouble I had installing e.g. iTunes, Chrome, Firefox… I’d rather not have to do this.

Any suggestions?

Reply | Quote

Replies

I’d want to take a closer look at your Norton 360’s advanced settings if I were you.
See if there is not something in there in terms of advanced settings that you have missed.

I do not use Norton so I cannot be anymore specific then that.

Reply | Quote

Try the Windows 8 Apps Troubleshooter, from the last paragraph of this page: What to do if you have problems with an app

Bruce

Reply | Quote

I’ve tried the troubleshooter, and checking norton. I’ve now “refreshed” the computer, losing all the software I’d installed (Office, eWallet, chrome, Norton…) and I still have no working metro apps. I guess I’ll just have to plug in an external hard drive, copy all my data files onto it, and do a complete reinstall. Ugh. It’ll be a week or so before the machine’s working again – I don’t know if I’m right to blame Windows 8, but it seems the most likely candidate…

Any other suggestions before I spend days reinstalling everything?

Reply | Quote

Only for afterward; make a master image of the system when everything is installed again and working just so; refresh and reset don’t seem to be the best options for easy recovery. Macrium Reflect or EaseUS ToDo free are all ya need for that task.

Reply | Quote

I would more suspect Norton, or some kind of corruption than Win 8.

A complete reinstallation with a Custom Installation should solve the problem, followed as F.U.N. says by a complete system image. With my Up To Date images I can restore my system in less than 10 minutes. I create a new Image each month right after patch Tuesday.

I also have moved all data to a separate partition on my HD so that a reinstallation of the OS does not touch the data. This combined with regular back ups of the data keep my data safe from these type problems.

I might ask how Win 8 was originally installed. Was it a new PC with Win 8 preinstalled or an Upgrade Installation of an existing OS? Many of these type of problems were caused by Upgrades from a less than pristine original installation to Win 8 rather than using a Custom Install when originally installing Win 8. Generally the Upgrade Installation works fine, but any issues with the underlying original installation can be carried over to Win 8.

Reply | Quote

Thanks for the suggestions.

I don’t think it’s a Norton problem because, since the refresh, Norton isn’t running. The computer was a new (Sony Vaio) laptop, purchased end December 2012 with Windows 8 preinstalled.

Reply | Quote

Check if any of the advice given here may be of help: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/21051-apps-tiles-not-working-responding-fix-windows-8-a.html

Reply | Quote

Well, I refreshed the ‘puter, and now I can’t install software… Will create a separate post.

Reply | Quote