Unable to load PowerToys settings app version 0.58.0

[krystofkrticka]

Microsoft PowerToys version

0.58.0

Running as admin

• Yes

Area(s) with issue?

Settings

Steps to reproduce

This started happening after updating PowerToys to version 0.58.0

✔️ Expected Behavior

Settings app opens after clicking settings button in tray.

❌ Actual Behavior

Nothing happens when clicking settings button in tray.

Other Software

No response

[Aaron-Junker]

/bugreport

[ghost]

Hi there!

We need a bit more information to really debug this issue. Can you add a "Report Bug" zip file here? You right click on our system tray icon and just go to report bug. Then drag the zipfile from your desktop onto the GitHub comment box in this issue. Thanks!

[krystofkrticka]

PowerToysReport_2022-05-03-20-16-08.zip

[boromyr]

I think it's my same problem:

PowerToysReport_2022-05-03-20-31-13.zip

[krystofkrticka]

I didn't even get error message. 😆 So you got atleast something.

[davidegiacometti]

I didn't even get error message. 😆 So you got atleast something.

Hi @krystofkrticka
Can you try to delete this file and open settings? %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys\settings-placement.json

[krystofkrticka]

@boromyr do you have installed all new dependencies for PowerToys because there were some changes to them.

For example I have all of them .NET 6.0.4, WebView2 and Windows App SDK Runtime 1.0.3

[krystofkrticka]

@davidegiacometti Tried that and still same issue. Weird thing is that on my other computer it works just fine.

[boromyr]

All installed, Windows App SDK Runtime 1.0.3 was installed during installation.

[davidegiacometti]

PowerToys setup install all the new requirements.

Unfortunately from a quick look to the logs I can't find relevant informations.
Can you take a look in the event viewer under application if there is any error related to PowerToys?

[krystofkrticka]

I don't see anything related to powertoys in event viewer.

[oss96]

Settings doesn't open.

Probably the same problem:
PowerToysReport_2022-05-03-21-00-33.zip

[htcfreek]

I think it's my same problem:

@boromyr
What does this message say? Can you please translate.

[Altair47]

Same here, double clicking or clicking right click>settings does nothing
PowerToys Run works when the shortcut is pressed same with fancy zones, so its just the UI
PowerToysReport_2022-05-03-22-54-38.zip
.

[boromyr]

@boromyr What does this message say? Can you please translate.

The system detected an overflow of a stack-based buffer in
this application. Overhead could allow a user
not authorized to take control of the application.

[rexbinary]

Same issue for me as well.

Edition Windows 11 Pro
Version 21H2
Installed on ‎9/‎23/‎2021
OS build 22000.652
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22000.652.0
PowerToysReport_2022-05-03-15-06-46.zip

[jaimecbernardo]

In some of the bug reports I check that have errors in the event viewer for Settings, pointing to a crash in
C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsAppRuntime.1.0_3.469.1654.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\Microsoft.ui.xaml.dll
Looks like it's being thrown from inside the winUI3 runtimes.

Could users experiencing this try to see if they can generate a dump file to send through GitHub?

One way of achieving this would be by creating an entry in the Registry Editor (regedit.msc), for Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\LocalDumps\PowerToys.Settings.exe , according to the instructions in https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/wer/collecting-user-mode-dumps

It should look something like this in the end (but for Settings instead of KeyboardManagerEditor):

After that, please replicate the bug, navigate to $LOCALAPPDATA%\CrashDumps in the File Explorer and upload the zipped PowerToys.Settings.exe.*.dmp file to a GitHub comment.

The idea is that this could show us the stack trace and help pinpoint what the issue might be.

[krystofkrticka]

@jaimecbernardo tried that but I didn't get any DMP file. Should I try to somehow hook that process with Visual Studio. Because I already have installed all required packages required to build PowerToys from source.

[CompeyDev]

Facing the same issue once again; cannot launch any GUI based functionality or settings.

Here's my dump/bug report:
PowerToysReport_2022-12-06-09-19-42.zip

[kleenkanteen]

I tried this with the previous versions 0.60.0 and 0.58.0 and settings doesn't open either. W11, no riva tuner or MSI. Very odd because 0.58.0 was released before I started using my current laptop, meaning I started with 0.58.0 on my laptop. So 0.58.0 settings opened before, but now it does not.

[CompeyDev]

I tried this with the previous versions 0.60.0 and 0.58.0 and settings doesn't open either. W11, no riva tuner or MSI. Very odd because 0.58.0 was relased before I started using my current laptop, where it worked before.

Facing exactly with my PC, and it worked perfectly alright a few months ago.

[Calmster]

I was experiencing this same issue, the inability to open settings after install or upgrade. I was able to replicate it on my machine and resolved it by checking the "Unblock" option on the PowerToys installer and redeploying it. We download the exe and deploy it to machines with a deployment software (PDQ) which was working great until this issue crept up. Checking that box on the file properties has now alleviated the issue, for now at least. I hope this might help others. Thanks.

[CompeyDev]

I actually do not use the normal installer, but rather the wix package to build an installer from it, so I do not think this applies to me.

[kleenkanteen]

I was experiencing this same issue, the inability to open settings after install or upgrade. I was able to replicate it on my machine

I'm not finding the Security part at the bottom show up in the general tab when I open up properties of the installer. Am on a work laptop though.

[Calmster]

I was experiencing this same issue, the inability to open settings after install or upgrade. I was able to replicate it on my machine and resolved it by checking the "Unblock" option on the PowerToys installer and redeploying it. We download the exe and deploy it to machines with a deployment software (PDQ) which was working great until this issue crept up. Checking that box on the file properties has now alleviated the issue, for now at least. I hope this might help others. Thanks.

Well, while unchecking that and doing a reinstall to my station and a few others seems to have worked, it may have been luck as we are still having the issue on other stations. None of our stations have either MSI Afterburner or RivaTuner. I've had luck fixing the issue with repeated uninstall and reinstall until it randomly works.

[meeebee]

My issues with opening settings went away with the latest 0.65 release. Now, all working as expected. Thanks to the devs!!

[Renohedron]

Well, I had this same issue somewhere around 0.63 I believe. I had to enable UAC and it immediately started working again, after that I could disable UAC once more and PT settings kept working. It didn't return since. I never run PT as admin, user-mode only.

[CompeyDev]

I'm not running PowerToys as admin either, and my UAC is enabled as expected.

[ClandestineClout]

Re-enabling UAC worked for me.

[JFergen]

PowerToysReport_2023-01-05-09-55-28.zip

I am still facing this same issue when trying to run as Admin on Windows 10 & PowerToys v0.64.1

[stefansjfw]

@JFergen Can you try updating to latest version v0.66 and see if the issue is still there?

[JFergen]

That seems to have fixed it actually!

@JFergen Can you try updating to latest version v0.66 and see if the issue is still there?

[MoritzMH]

Still happening with 0.66 - first happened for me with 0.64.

[stefansjfw]

@MoritzMH Can you attach the latest bug report after updating to v0.66? Thanks

[AzBat360]

PowerToysReport_2023-01-12-08-52-34.zip

Having the problem again with v0.66 :(

[kleenkanteen]

Having the problem again with v0.66 :(

Same, W11 Pro, version 21H2 OS build 22000.1335, no MSI Afterburner or RivaTuner, PowerToysReport_2023-01-13-23-35-49.zip

[MoritzMH]

Sorry, what exactly should I attach? Stefan Markovic ***@***.***> schrieb am Mi. 11. Jan. 2023 um 08:48:

[theuving]

PowerToysReport_2023-01-17-08-14-40.zip

The Settings do not open. I'm working with Admin-Privileges, no MSI Afterburner or RivaTuner.

[soxhi8]

PowerToysReport_2023-01-17-08-14-40.zip

The Settings do not open. I'm working with Admin-Privileges, no MSI Afterburner or RivaTuner.

PowerToysReport_2023-01-17-19-04-33.zip
Same for me, can not open settings at all. Running in user mode.

[taeuscherpferd]

Same thing here. Don't know why this got closed. It's been broken for almost 9 months now 😕
PowerToysReport_2023-01-18-09-18-22.zip

[taeuscherpferd]

TL;DR: Try running this windows install uninstall troubleshooter thing then uninstall your current version. Then install the latest version. If that doesn't work, follow the rest of this below. Best of luck! 🙃

Link to download uninstall install troubleshooter

After rolling up my sleeves and deciding that enough is enough I spent the whole morning working on it and finally got it to work. I don't know how much of this will help others, but here are the steps that I went through.

1. In my case the window wouldn't show up and I was unable to install updates, so I figured some how I must have gotten into a bad state and decided to uninstall the whole thing and start from scratch. To my dismay I discovered that the uninstaller was crashing on the same error that all of the installers were crashing on.

2. I extracted the MSI from the ProgramData/PackageCache/{numbers} directory by sorting the directory by date modified, then starting an install, waiting for the directory to appear, then using my very amateur FPS gaming skills, snagging the msi and dragging it to another directory before the installer could clean it up.

3. I ran the installer using verbose options and found it was crashing on some sort of strings in the database corrupted error (Can't remember what the exact error was but it didn't seem to be very helpful anyway) After the logs led nowhere I decided to do it the ol fashioned way by going ham deleting everything myself (hardly ever a good plan, but I was now 2 hours in and desperate).

4. After deleting everything that I could find in the start menu, Program Files, and the registry, I found to my deep dissatisfaction that the program was still listed as installed in the Settings app under Apps & Features. And of course the uninstaller no longer worked at all because I'd removed it. (Again deleting from Program Files == bad idea in most cases)

5. Trying to figure out where that reference is stored I found a github link that led me to a MicrosoftProgram_Install_and_Uninstall_Troubleshooter wizard. After running that and selecting power toys as the trouble child program, the wizard kindly informed me that it had found problems, patched them up, and that we were now in ship shape. Unfortunately the PowerToys (Preview) app was still in Apps & features 😭

6. Earlier I'd heard that people could use the original msi/exe that they'd used to install the program to uninstall it (worth noting that they said that it had to be launched from the same location that it was in when the program was originally installed. Good luck remembering that ;)), so I'd gone and downloaded the installer for the broken version, and tried uninstalling from there but it hadn't worked. Now out of desperation I tried using that downloaded installer again, but this time it worked!!

7. Holding my breath and trying not to get too excited, I double clicked the installer for the latest version and quickly clicked my way through it. It made it to the point where it usually failed, then continued on right past it! Within a couple of seconds the settings window for Power Toys popped up and all was well again.

I don't know how much of the above is necessary but that's what worked for me. I'm attaching the Program install uninstall troubleshooter program here as well as the scripts that I used to clear the registry. Personally I'd try just running the Program Install Uninstall first and then try uninstalling through the installer before trying to replicate the whole mess above. There was another registry key that I deleted manually as well by just looking for keys with power toys in the registry. EVERYTHING IS DO AT YOUR OWN RISK. And I DO NOT recommend messing with registries and such unless you know what you're doing and are aware of the consequences (which are that you can corrupt your whole system and lose all your data). Good luck! 😁👍

Link to download uninstall install troubleshooter

#CleanUp tool 1.0
#Copyright (C) 2022 Microsoft Corporation
#Tool to clean PowerToys settings inside AppData folder and registry

#Deleting json settings files in %AppData%/Local/Microsoft/PowerToys.

[String]$SettingsPath = $Env:LOCALAPPDATA + '\Microsoft\PowerToys'

if (Test-Path -Path $SettingsPath -PathType Any)
{
    Remove-Item -Path $SettingsPath -Recurse
}

#Deleting SuperFancyZones registry key

[String]$SuperFancyZones = "HKCU:\Software\SuperFancyZones"

if (Test-Path -Path $SuperFancyZones -PathType Any)
{
    Remove-Item -Path $SuperFancyZones -Recurse
}

#Deleting PowerRename registry key

[String]$PowerRename = "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\PowerRename"

if (Test-Path -Path $PowerRename -PathType Any)
{
    Remove-Item -Path $PowerRename -Recurse
}

#Deleting ImageResizer registry key

[String]$ImageResizer = "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\ImageResizer"

if (Test-Path -Path $ImageResizer -PathType Any)
{
    Remove-Item -Path $ImageResizer -Recurse
}

#Deleting DontShowThisDialogAgain registry key

[String]$DontShowThisDialogAgain = "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\DontShowMeThisDialogAgain\{e16ea82f-6d94-4f30-bb02-d6d911588afd}"

if (Test-Path -Path $DontShowThisDialogAgain -PathType Any)
{
    Remove-Item -Path $DontShowThisDialogAgain
}

[Rodin10]

Updating to 0.67.0 fixed this for me

[kleenkanteen]

0.67 didn't work for me. My (6th) bug report is attached.
PowerToysReport_2023-02-04-13-21-31.zip.

@taeuscherpferd I tried doing your method, first used uninstall troubleshooter to uninstall it, said it made some changes, but upon install no settings popup. Steps 3-7 I have no idea what's up so did nothing based off them.

So I uninstalled again using the powertoys uninstaller from step 2.

I ran each of your powershell commands, 1 chunk at a time, 5 total. If I ran all together, it gave a error saying something like "Cannot remove item. The directory is not empty." I also added the -Force flag to the Remove-Item lines.

When I clicked the latest release installer, it showed up a popup that said modify setup, and the only options were uninstall or cancel. I don't know why it says I had powertoys installed. So I clicked uninstalled and launched the installer again and installed it. With the latest release 0.67, settings still does not show.

Here is the bug report after doing these steps. Wish I knew enough of debugging and .NET to fix this: PowerToysReport_2023-02-04-14-12-29.zip

[taeuscherpferd]

@kleenkanteen Sorry to hear that your still having trouble. :( Something that I thought of while reading your comment here. Do you have multiple versions of powertoys installed in the add / remove software section of settings? I remember I had 2 versions while I was going through this issue. Something that might have gotten lost in the wall of instructions up there was that I had to use the same version to uninstall that I had originally installed with So for example, when I saw my duplicated versions in the add / remove software section I went and found an installer that matched the earlier version, and used that installer to uninstall. Then used the latest version to install. If you don't know which installer you used originally my best advice would be to try using version 0.64.1. I think that that is the one that I used to solve it. Best of luck to you, hope it helps 🤞

* For reference this is the add / remove dialog I was talking about 👍

[kleenkanteen]

@taeuscherpferd I think you are using w10? I am using w11 so my apps screen looks a bit different. Pic attached. I don't remember 2 versions being installed and on the apps page. Here is how it looks now:

I only used the keyboard remapping part of powertoys. But I've switched to autohotkey since. So long powertoys, salute