Windows 10 Start menu search blank

Veziax

Distinguished
Jun 25, 2013
49
0
18,540
Hi,
When I try to search a file or program in the search bar in the start menu everything stays blank. I've tried killing the search process and rebuilding the index but nothing does it. Also, Cortana isn't available in Canada so I can't kill Cortana.exe process.
 
Java:
@echo off

title Disable/Enable Windows 10 Search Bar Internet Searching
color 1f
:Begin UAC check and Auto-Elevate Permissions
:-------------------------------------
REM  --> Check for permissions
>nul 2>&1 "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\cacls.exe" "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\config\system"

REM --> If error flag set, we do not have admin.
if '%errorlevel%' NEQ '0' (
echo:
echo   Requesting Administrative Privileges...
echo   Press YES in UAC Prompt to Continue
echo:

    goto UACPrompt
) else ( goto gotAdmin )

:UACPrompt
    echo Set UAC = CreateObject^("Shell.Application"^) > "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    echo UAC.ShellExecute "%~s0", "", "", "runas", 1 >> "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"

    "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    exit /B

:gotAdmin
    if exist "%temp%\getadmin.vbs" ( del "%temp%\getadmin.vbs" )
    pushd "%CD%"
    CD /D "%~dp0"
:--------------------------------------

:Check Windows Version
wmic os get version | find /i "10.">nul 2>nul
if %errorlevel% neq 0 GOTO :Not10

:Check the key:
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search" /v "ConnectedSearchUseWeb">NUL 2>NUL
if %errorlevel% neq 0 GOTO :KEYON
(reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search" /v "ConnectedSearchUseWeb"|find /i "0x1")>NUL 2>NUL
if %errorlevel% neq 0 GOTO :KEYOFF

:KEYON
echo ============================================================
echo Web searching in search box is currently enabled.
echo Would you like to disable this? (Y/N)
echo ============================================================
echo.
choice /c yn /n
If %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 1 GOTO :QUIT


Echo Changing Registry key
REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search" /v "ConnectedSearchUseWeb" /D 0 /T REG_DWORD /F>NUL 2>NUL
if exist c:\windows\syswow64 REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search" /v "ConnectedSearchUseWeb" /D 0 /T REG_DWORD /F>NUL 2>NUL
IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 GOTO :ERROR
Echo.

Echo Web searching in search box has been disabled.
Echo.
goto :QUIT


:KEYOFF
echo ============================================================
echo Web searching in search box is currently disabled.
echo Would you like to enable this? (Y/N)
echo ============================================================
echo.
choice /c yn /n
If %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 1 GOTO :QUIT

Echo Changing Registry key
REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search" /v "ConnectedSearchUseWeb" /D 1 /T REG_DWORD /F>NUL 2>NUL
IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 GOTO :ERROR
if exist c:\windows\syswow64 REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search" /v "ConnectedSearchUseWeb" /D 1 /T REG_DWORD /F>NUL 2>NUL
IF %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 GOTO :ERROR
Echo.

Echo Web searching in search box has been enabled.
Echo.
goto :QUIT


:QUIT
echo ============================================================
echo Press any key to exit...
echo ============================================================
pause>NUL
goto :EOF

:ERROR
echo ============================================================
echo The script ran into an unexpected error setting reg key.
echo Press any key to exit...
echo ============================================================
pause>NUL
goto :EOF

:Not10
echo ============================================================
echo This script is only designed for Windows 10...
echo Press any key to exit...
echo ============================================================
pause>NUL
goto :EOF

Try pasting all that in a .cmd file and executing it in admin mode. It will enable/disable internet searches nad might jumpstart you searchbar.
 
I found a way to refresh the usrclass.dat file. This may help you.

Please navigate to C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat and rename UsrClass.dat to UsrClass.old.dat

This makes it so that Windows 10 thinks you're trying to create a new user class for your user account, and it creates a new UsrClass.dat file in the same folder. Restart to use the new file and try searching again.

Thank user "the bri guy" from Ten Forums. That's where I got this information.