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[terrym@tassie]

The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update aka V1709 or Build 16299.19 has changed the nature of the Windows 10 bug seen with extended JRiver Media Center playback.
Any suspended (minimized) Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps, Edge browser and SystemSettings no longer hang and return successfully from suspended to running state.
In some cases the bug appears to have disappeared completely and no longer affects the Start Menu or Search/Cortana (as reported by amsco15 and others).
This is of course a very welcome development and a big improvement on previous Windows 10 releases.
I would urge anyone having Windows 10 Start Menu problems to update to Windows 10 V1709 as soon as possible.
You never know, you may get a winning ticket in the Windows update lottery!
 
However in some cases the bug is still there, albeit with a much longer period between failure of either the Start Menu or Search/Cortana (approx 5 hours).
On systems that are still having Start Menu failures, disabling the Visual Effect 'Animations in the taskbar' and restarting the system can be effective in curing the bug.
It may be necessary to disable more Visual Effects other than 'Animations in the taskbar' to cure the bug on a particular system, experimentation is recommended!
On some systems the Start Menu responds OK but Cortana fails to respond, disabling Cortana and just using Search appears to be effective in curing this (if you don't need Cortana of course).

EDIT: 21-Nov-2017 - I have found after further experience with V1709 that not using Mozilla Firefox also seems to prevent the 'bug' occurring (I have only verified this on two systems..as ever YMMV). END EDIT

There are some systems that still fail after about 2 hours (bad luck Awesome Donkey), despite all the above 'fixes' having been tried.
In such cases running the attached V2 w10spk.vbs script on a scheduled basis does fix the bug.
Please see the attached Script Guide pdf for details of how to install and use the V2 version of w10spk, the Script Guide also contains information on how to disable Visual Effects in Windows 10.

This Windows 10 bug is ‘weird and wonderful’ and can still appear at any time on any system (even just after a restart), sometimes the Start Menu is OK but Search/Cortana will not open.
Other applications besides JRiver Media Center can also cause the bug to appear, most notably the Steam gaming platform.
Given the above it may be worthwhile installing the script and just using it when required from a desktop shortcut to restart or recover the Start Menu/Search without the need to sign out or restart the system.

For more information about the history of the 'bug' and the development of the w10spk script, see this post here: https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=106925.0

The V2 w10spk script is backwards compatible with earlier Windows 10 builds and will work with any 32 or 64 bit release of Media Center, if you are using an earlier version I would recommend updating to this version.
The V1 versions of the w10spk script should NOT be used with Windows 10 V1709 (Fall Creators Update).

I would like to offer my profound thanks to forum members Awesome Donkey and chris635 for their great work in beta testing the V2 w10spk script and also the various 'fixes'.

As ever the code and ideas are shared freely on this forum.  If you do wish to use them, feel free but if you publish your own solution, please keep it open-source.

If you need any help with the script or you find a problem, please send me a Personal Message.

Terry

[Awesome Donkey]

(bad luck Awesome Donkey)

I know, right? >.< Usually I have good luck not encountering issues others usually have, but I seem to have gotten the short straw on this one.

But that's okay, your script is working beautifully.

Thanks!

[JimH]

Thanks, Terry.

[DocLotus]

Windows 10 Fall Creators Update V1709 (build 16299.19) has resolved most of my long-standing Win 10 problems & a few with MC.

* Edge now loads.
* Windows App Store now loads.
* Calculator now loads.
* About a dozen other items that were missing in action now loads.
* AND…. The Windows START Menu now loads every time.

In fact, almost all Windows items are running very nicely now.

To top it off, even MC is now more reliable (fewer lockups & much longer time between them).

I'm getting a good feeling about this   

[glynor]

Windows 10 Fall Creators Update V1709 (build 16299.19) has resolved most of my long-standing Win 10 problems & a few with MC.

I've had the same experience. Since upgrading to the new Fall Creator's Update, I've had zero issues with the Modern App and Start Menu lockups.

[MrGadget]

I have found that the update of Windows 10 to version 1709 breaks the WinX menu on two of my machines running JRiver v23.  The simply fix is to uninstall Media Center and re-install and do not associate any media types with JRiver.

JRiver is not the only application that causes this problem:

"Users reported that applications such as RWipe & Clean, JRiver Media Center, NCH Express Zip or WinMerge can cause this issue as well. In fact, almost any shell extension can cause this issue to appear, so you might have to disable several shell extensions before you find the one that is causing this issue."

[JimH]

It is a Microsoft bug.

[Aimhere]

I just thought I should mention, every time I've gotten a Windows 10 "feature update" from Microsoft, with JRiver Media Center installed, certain Windows shell functions (Win-X menu administrative items, Desktop Search) stop working. Each time, I've had to disable "Shell integration" within MC, then re-enable it, to restore the Windows functions. This has happened with the Anniversary Update, Creators Update, and now, the Fall Creators Update (who comes up with these names, anyway?)

What is it about the MC Shell Integration that causes this, I wonder?

aimhere

more info/original post: https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,103473.0.html

[F Ribeiro]

Same here.
Windows Start menu stop working after 15 to 20 minutes (only when running Media Center) 

[TheShoe]

for those of us on the previous creators update - build 1703 I think - (not Fall as that messes up 4K for me), what version of this script works?

[terrym@tassie]

for those of us on the previous creators update - build 1703 I think - (not Fall as that messes up 4K for me), what version of this script works?

The V2 w10spk script is backwards compatible with earlier Windows 10 builds and will work with any 32 or 64 bit release of Media Center, if you are using an earlier version I would recommend updating to this version.
The V1 versions of the w10spk script should NOT be used with Windows 10 V1709 (Fall Creators Update).

The V2 release of the w10spk.vbs script is now the only version I support and it is suitable for all Windows 10 builds (including 1703).

Terry

[MGD_King]

Terry, I just wanted to bring to your attention that I'm using the Windows Insider builds, and I've been experiencing this issue for the last couple of builds when I had never experienced it before. I'm on build 17046 now, so I'm wondering if whatever MS fixed in the 1709 Fall Creators Update, they reintroduced the issue in later builds as part of a fix or new feature to Cortana. If the issue disappears again I'll be sure to let you know here.

[terrym@tassie]

Terry, I just wanted to bring to your attention that I'm using the Windows Insider builds, and I've been experiencing this issue for the last couple of builds when I had never experienced it before. I'm on build 17046 now, so I'm wondering if whatever MS fixed in the 1709 Fall Creators Update, they reintroduced the issue in later builds as part of a fix or new feature to Cortana. If the issue disappears again I'll be sure to let you know here.

Thanks for that update, could you let me know the answers to the following:
Are the symptoms of the problem with build 17046 the same as 16299 e.g Only Start Menu and Cortana affected or are UWP apps also affected as in the builds before 16299?
What is the approx. duration of JRiver MC playback before the problem occurs?
Are you using either Chrome or Firefox browsers? (I have found with my HTPC system if I only use the Edge browser the problem does not occur)
Thanks

Terry

[TheShoe]

The V2 release of the w10spk.vbs script is now the only version I support and it is suitable for all Windows 10 builds (including 1703).

Terry

the script has never worked for me.  i am on the spring creators update as fall breaks other things i need.

i always have to go to task manager and kill the shellexperiencehost process and then all is well until start menu freezes again.  and that process is always running and not suspended

weird.....  and annoying

[terrym@tassie]

the script has never worked for me.  i am on the spring creators update as fall breaks other things i need.

i always have to go to task manager and kill the shellexperiencehost process and then all is well until start menu freezes again.  and that process is always running and not suspended

weird.....  and annoying

I am surprised V2 doesn't work for you- it unconditionally terminates shellexperiencehost whether it is running or suspended.
You could try enabling the log option to see what is happening.
If the scheduled mode doesn't work for you have you considered using w10spk from a desktop shortcut in restart mode?
It would mean you didn't have go into Task Manager each time to recover the Start Menu.

[TheShoe]

I am surprised V2 doesn't work for you- it unconditionally terminates shellexperiencehost whether it is running or suspended.
You could try enabling the log option to see what is happening.
If the scheduled mode doesn't work for you have you considered using w10spk from a desktop shortcut in restart mode?
It would mean you didn't have go into Task Manager each time to recover the Start Menu.

even when i ran it from the scheduler manually, it never seemed to do anything.  just said it was "running".

now to be fair, I have since completely rebuilt my HTPC for other reasons, so I'll give this a try again.  windows being windows, would not surprise me if there was something unique about my setup then that caused issues.

will give it a try tonight and report back...

[terrym@tassie]

even when i ran it from the scheduler manually, it never seemed to do anything.  just said it was "running".

now to be fair, I have since completely rebuilt my HTPC for other reasons, so I'll give this a try again.  windows being windows, would not surprise me if there was something unique about my setup then that caused issues.

will give it a try tonight and report back...

Please have a good read of the W10spk Script Guide_V2.pdf before installing.
The script won't appear to do anything when run from the scheduler, that is the point!
It is supposed to be transparent to the user.
To check everything is working as it should, use the Setup.cmd script to check that MC playback is being correctly detected and the appropriate processes are being selected for termination (Menu choices 6 & 7).
Then create a task with /log enabled (Menu choice 1), check the Start Menu is working OK and then set MC playing back for 2 hours or so and then check the log (Menu choice 8 ) -  you should see that MC playback is being detected and that every 30 minutes (as you are on V1703) Searchui.exe and Shellexperiencehost.exe are being terminated (and any suspended UWP apps).
You should also then find that the Start Menu opens normally.
Send me a Personal Message if you are still having problems and I'll help as much as I can.

Terry

[MGD_King]

Thanks for that update, could you let me know the answers to the following:
Are the symptoms of the problem with build 17046 the same as 16299 e.g Only Start Menu and Cortana affected or are UWP apps also affected as in the builds before 16299?
What is the approx. duration of JRiver MC playback before the problem occurs?
Are you using either Chrome or Firefox browsers? (I have found with my HTPC system if I only use the Edge browser the problem does not occur)
Thanks

Terry

Terry, sorry for the delay in response, I was out of town this week. I'm not really sure what the symptoms were before, all I know is that after about 45 minutes of MC playing the Start button doesn't work. However, it starts working again if I wait. Not sure how long as it was over night. It didn't work after playing MC for an hour or so last night, but it worked this morning.

[MGD_King]

UPDATE:

Windows Insider Preview Build 17063 does not experience this issue. I listened to MC a good 4 hours continuously yesterday and the Start menu issue never happened. Just wanted to let you know.

[JimH]

Split Context Menu Problems

[pgruebele]

I also have not experienced this issue recently with the most recent Windows updates.  Seems like it's finally fixed?

[terrym@tassie]

I've not seen the bug on any of my systems for months now......

Anyone with V1803 or above still experiencing the bug?

[chris635]

I haven't seen it since I installed v1803 as well. It might be slightly slow to respond sometimes, but not enough to show an error in event viewer.

[RD James]

I didn't have this issue at all on 1803 with a G-Sync monitor connected to my PC, but the last week or so I've been connected to a TV via HDMI and have started to run into issues again.
Though the start menu works, at least once or twice a day it becomes slow to respond and search breaks, requiring me to kill SearchUI.exe
It's really strange, and I'm not sure what's causing it. I'm thinking it might be related to mode switching, as I have the PC switching from 1080p60 to 1080p24 every time a video is played, rather than interpolating everything to 100Hz on the monitor.
WIN+TAB also becomes extremely slow to respond, and I'm not sure how to fix that, which is very frustrating as I tend to use that instead of ALT+TAB now (assigned to a mouse button).

[Awesome Donkey]

Hmmm, I'll try running without any 'fixes' for a day or so and see if the issue still occurs for me. I have a FreeSync 144Hz monitor, so this might get interesting.

[F Ribeiro]

Hi,

It use to be a frustrating issue for me.
Since Version 1803, didn't happen anymore.
It would be great if it was for good.
Nevertheless, I'll keep a little app in the taskbar that reactivates the start menu.

[Awesome Donkey]

I run multiple applications which is said to trigger this issue; MC, Steam and Adobe Photoshop/Creative Cloud. So far with the 'fixes' disabled, I haven't encountered this issue yet. I suspect I'm going to have to leave the PC playing all day long (at least 2 hours) before knowing for sure, which I'll do today.

Time will tell, but I hope this issue is fixed once and for all.