Windows 10 Explorer / Start Menu

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laythingy59
Posts: 4
Joined: 30 Jun 2016, 02:09

Windows 10 Explorer / Start Menu

30 Jun 2016, 02:22

Hi

I wondered if anyone has come across this very simple scenario to which I've trawled the web and found nothing.

I have a rugged PC with windows 10 enterprise on.
I've changed the shell to my autohotkey exe and this effectively runs my app and doesn't run explorer / start menu etc etc locking the machine down.
I've got a key shortcut Alt+E in my script to start explorer.exe.

In windows 7, this brings up the start menu if pressed once, and then an explorer window if pressed again.

In windows 10 it only opens an explorer window.

I've searched and searched for information about the start menu in windows 10 but can't find anything of use.

The ability to get the start menu up is something we require as we remotely support these units if something goes wrong

Thanks in advance

Adam
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Blackholyman
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Joined: 29 Sep 2013, 22:57
Location: Denmark
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Re: Windows 10 Explorer / Start Menu

30 Jun 2016, 02:29

doesn't the windows key still do that?

Code: Select all

send {RWin}
return
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lexikos
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Joined: 30 Sep 2013, 04:07
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Re: Windows 10 Explorer / Start Menu

30 Jun 2016, 02:54

Blackholyman: not if Explorer isn't running...

laythingy59: I understand the problem, but unfortunately don't have a solution. As far as I can tell, the explorer.exe instance which contains the shell on my Windows 10 system was launched without command line parameters, so if there's some special way the system tells it to start as a shell, it's not with parameters. Maybe it checks whether it is set as the shell (seems unlikely)? You could try using RegWrite to temporarily change the shell back to Explorer before you run explorer.exe.
laythingy59
Posts: 4
Joined: 30 Jun 2016, 02:09

Re: Windows 10 Explorer / Start Menu

30 Jun 2016, 02:56

Blackholyman wrote:doesn't the windows key still do that?

Code: Select all

send {RWin}
return

I'd disabled the windows key as an extra line of lock down.
Ill enable it and give it a go
laythingy59
Posts: 4
Joined: 30 Jun 2016, 02:09

Re: Windows 10 Explorer / Start Menu

30 Jun 2016, 05:15

but what would i launch on mouseclick
qwerty12
Posts: 468
Joined: 04 Mar 2016, 04:33
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Re: Windows 10 Explorer / Start Menu

30 Jun 2016, 06:49

As Lexikos said, you can RegWrite explorer.exe back to the Shell value before starting Explorer, or you can rename your program to install.exe and Explorer will start the full desktop regardless then whether it's set as the shell or not. Although the latter method may stop working for future versions of Windows, and doing that may trigger Windows' installer detection and cause Windows to prompt if your program should be ran elevated...
lexikos
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Joined: 30 Sep 2013, 04:07
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Re: Windows 10 Explorer / Start Menu

30 Jun 2016, 20:17

evilC: In this case, there is no Start button to click on. The Start menu cannot be shown because the process which normally creates it (explorer.exe) either isn't running or hasn't created it (because it's not in shell mode).
laythingy59
Posts: 4
Joined: 30 Jun 2016, 02:09

Re: Windows 10 Explorer / Start Menu

02 Aug 2016, 09:39

Thanks for all your responses guys. I think im going to have to do the regWrite option. I've been looking and looking but can't find anything of value.
One thing I've found is that the start menu is controlled by shell experience host but I've found its not a case of simply running this exe

https://discuss.howtogeek.com/t/purpose ... s-10/33331

Thanks again guys
kinnex
Posts: 22
Joined: 09 Jun 2016, 07:52

Re: Windows 10 Explorer / Start Menu

11 Aug 2016, 13:10

I also could not find any useful information on how to force windows 10 to open the start menu via command line or registry key. I can confirm the start menu / task bar do not open for me as well; when setting a compiled AHK script to the shell, for a specific user, using GPO -- "User Configuration/Policies/Administrative Templates/System/Custom User Interface". The GPO is also set to remove the standard logoff / switch users, etc. It only allows sleep/restart/shutdown -- and restart automatically goes directly into the custom shell using AutoLogin.

In my kiosk script, I setup a hotkey that runs a secondary compile script like the following:

Code: Select all

#NoEnv
if not A_IsAdmin
{
	Try 
	{	
	   Run *RunAs "%A_ScriptFullPath%"  ; Requires v1.0.92.01+
	}
	Catch 
	{
		; ignore error window if user hits no / cancel / or enters invalid credentials.
	}
	ExitApp
}
else
{
	DetectHiddenWindows, On
	SetTitleMatchMode, 2

	; close the kiosk
	WinClose, <kioskName.exe> ; update this line accordingly
	Run, shutdown -l	; logoff user
	ExitApp
}
The above will prompt for valid administrator credentials, and if valid will logoff the kiosk user -- going to a normal login screen so an admin can log into the machine with a normal desktop interface. I realize the above script might not help for remote administration, but it might help someone else. I do not know if there is a better way to switch user to admin account with only one login prompt, rather than the two the above code requires.

As for remote administration -- are you referring to "Remote Assistance Sessions" or "Remote Desktop" sessions? By setting up the registry keys / GPO by user, rather than computer, you might be able to remotely login with a normal desktop. That may or may not help you.
jstzzyt

Re: Windows 10 Explorer / Start Menu

18 Jan 2018, 11:47

I may know the issue.
It starts with "C:\Windows\SysWOW64\explorer.exe" not "C:\Windows\explorer.exe", so if you specify the path, it may work.
I just found it in command line with Process Explorer. Hope it will help you. :D

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