Please help: Windows 8 Start Screen

[Tjarboe]

Hello everyone.

I am in need of some help. I have no idea how, but my start screen is messed up. I'm not sure if this is a 'feature' or something that went wrong, but my start screen in windows 8 x64 (Desktop non touchscreen) is all one line instead of being tiled like normal.

Does anyone know how I may get it back to the tiled like default start screen?

Thanks!

[Tech Geek Alex]

1st suggestion is to create a new user. Sign in with the new user and see if the tiles are messed up under that user. If they are then you have a Windows problem. If they aren't then you have a profile problem.

I know that's not a solution but it would be a first step troubleshooting.

[+InsaneNutter MVC]

I personally think that looks pretty good to be honest!

Maybe try removing the program that set the image as the background? it could have corrupted something.

[Tjarboe]

  On 04/03/2013 at 07:09, TechGuyPA said:

1st suggestion is to create a new user. Sign in with the new user and see if the tiles are messed up under that user. If they are then you have a Windows problem. If they aren't then you have a profile problem.

I know that's not a solution but it would be a first step troubleshooting.

Well, I just tried that, and the tiles are normal in the new account. Now to figure out what I did to my profile.

Thanks.

[Tech Geek Alex]

OK I think I found what you need.

By default, your pinned Start Screen items are saved in the files at both HIDDEN folder locations below. If you move both of these files from that location and place them somewhere like your desktop and then reboot. Your start screen will reset to default.

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\appsFolder.itemdata-ms

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\appsFolder.itemdata-ms.bak

Once you reset to default try and put the 2 files back and see what happens. If nothing else you can remove them again , go back to default start screen and then repin your programs again.

Hope that helps

[Tjarboe]

  On 04/03/2013 at 07:20, InsaneNutter said:

I personally think that looks pretty good to be honest!

Maybe try removing the program that set the image as the background? it could have corrupted something.

I tried that too. Still didn't work. :(

Thanks though.

[Tjarboe]

  On 04/03/2013 at 07:21, TechGuyPA said:

OK I think I found what you need.

By default, your pinned Start Screen items are saved in the files at both HIDDEN folder locations below. If you move both of these files from that location and place them somewhere like your desktop and then reboot. Your start screen will reset to default.

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\appsFolder.itemdata-ms

C:\Users\(user-name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\appsFolder.itemdata-ms.bak

Once you reset to default try and put the 2 files back and see what happens. If nothing else you can remove them again , go back to default start screen and then repin your programs again.

Hope that helps

Thanks! That worked. Now just to get all my files that I had pinned re-pinned. :)

Thanks again!

[~Johnny]

  On 04/03/2013 at 07:20, Tjarboe said:

Now to figure out what I did to my profile.

It's most likely caused by whatever program set the backgrond image on the startscreen. I know I had my fair share of problems playing with Decor8 before I threw it out.

[Tech Geek Alex]

Once you repin your files, make sure you back up those to files I listed. So that you can go back to them if this ever happens again.