Settings Doesn't Work In Windows? Here's the Fix!
In Windows 10 there is a message notification center button in the lower right corner:
If there is a certain type of file corruption, when you click on this button to open the notification center and then click "settings" the settings window opens for a split second and then closes. In many other places clicking on "settings" gives the same result.
Microsoft's answer is unhelpful as it involves "going into settings" which you cannot do, obviously. Updates do nothing either. Here is what finally worked. It's easy to do, even if you've never used command lines in Windows before. As always set a backup/restore point before doing anything.
Here's what you do to get settings to work:
1. Click on the Desktop of your computer. This gets you out of any programs. Shut down any running programs. This fix will involve rebooting a couple times.
2. Click CTRL + ALT + DELETE to bring up the task manager. There a around a dozen different ways to bring up the task manager.
3. In task manager choose: file > run new task.
4. In the window that pops up CHECK the "Run as administrator box".
5. Type cmd into the box labeled "open". This will open up the command line option. If you choose to bring up the command line in a different way (and there are many, many ways to bring it up), make sure to choose to open or run it as administrator. None of this works if you're not running as administrator!
6. Click "OK" and a black window with 1980s style computer type will open up. This is the command prompt. We're going to type some SIMPLE codes to fix your computer in here. It is very important to type EXACTLY including any weird spacing in the simple code or else it won't work.
7. Type sfc/scannow
8. Sit there and do nothing, even if it looks like your computer is doing nothing. This operation scans and FIXES problems. Don't touch anything. It may take 15 minutes or more.
9. Your computer may reboot itself a couple times or prompt you to ok the reboot. Go ahead and let it reboot. At some point sfc/scannow will finish and probably say "Found problems but could not fix all of them" or something like that. Cool.
10. If a reboot left you back at your desktop, do steps 1-6 again to get back to the black prompt window as an administrator.
11. In the black prompt window type this last code: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth You will notice each part has a SPACE before each / mark. Pay attention to what is capitalized and what isn't. You have to be EXACT!
12. It will start scanning and seem to GET STUCK AT 20%. This is normal. It gets stuck at 20% and again at 40% for like 5 minutes. Do nothing! Just wait! This will take a long time.
13. Your computer may reboot. Let it.
14. After rebooting one of our computers did a HUGE Microsoft update that took 45 minutes, but afterward clicking on "settings" worked and brought up the settings window! Nice.
15. Enjoy all the settings you can customize now (like turning off all those annoying notification center and upgrade Office popups)!
This fix worked after all the other fixes failed me. Microsoft's solution (still on their website as of 6-15-2016) says to go into settings...which is impossible. Another MS solution involves downloading and forcing a security patch from 2015 to load. Obviously your computer already has that.
Another failed fix involves going into user settings (again: impossible) and deleting yourself as a user and making a new user (both impossible because settings doesn't work and those options are greyed out). Downloading various things with names like "K0934834" did nothing, and may get you a nice virus.
Before doing the above you should do a few things: set a system restore point/backup. Search around the web for "windows 10 settings dism" and "windows 10 settings sfc" which will give you other ways to do the same thing (bring up command prompt as admin, run sfc and dism to fix, not just scan problems).
This process takes about 2 hours, but only about 3 minutes of typing slowing and clicking. You can go drink a RedBull and watch TV while the computer does the actual scans and repairs.
If this bricks your computer it's your problem, not mine. Be careful! This did fix a brand new Windows 10 running Dell that arrived non-functional (in terms of settings) from the factory. The user was amazed at all the settings available afterward!
I helped by meowing incessantly.
