Windows Update seems to have broken Start10 functionality

from Stardock Forums

Hi there. While I was away at the gym, my computer installed a Windows update and rebooted. I wasn't particularly happy with this, since especially I thought I had just disabled it from doing that a week or so ago. So I went to check to make sure the settings were set and I am greeted with this:

 

 

I am going to spare you the details of me hunting down the culprit, but here is what I have found. Apparently, executing settingcontent-ms links has been disabled. I'm not sure if it was the bunch of Microsoft Office security updates (I found this which may explain *why* it was done: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/windows-settings-shortcuts-can-be-abused-for-code-execution-on-windows-10/) or the 2018-08 Cumulative Update for build 1803, but it is done, I don't know how to reenable it, and I'm not sure I want to.

 

Also to be extra clear, I have uninstalled/reinstalled/purged Start10, rebooted a dozen times, all as part of the debug process. While this isn't an issue with start10 *per se*, Start10 needs an alternative to execute all of these menu options.

 

Feedback would be appreciated

6,997 views 2 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,

Sorry to hear you are having issues. You can refer to this thread, it is discussing about same problem as yours. https://forums.stardock.com/490488

Interesting discussion start from Reply#35 on-words.

Thank you.

Basj,

Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

I appreciate the reply, but whatever "solution" has been found in that thread is hardly a solution. One can either use someone elses zip file of shortcuts or you can make your own. However, even with the references provided, it only gives ms-settings URI's for ~150 items, where there are ~700 of these shortcuts that need replaced. I personally have spent too long working out what is going on and how to fix it and if this were a paying gig, I'd have already gone home after a full day of work. This is something the Stardock team needs to resolve themselves.

 

I did find the CVE that addresses the patch that broke everything: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8414

 

The patch was indeed rolled up in the 2018-08 Cumulative Update for build 1803 (KB 4343909)

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