File Explorer menu missing

kelper · Oct 14, 2023

This is on my very old HP Mini (system 2) with a screen resolution of only 1024 x 600. But it does work.

I have run SFC /SACANNOW, DISM with each option in turn. A second run of SFC /SCANNOW found no errors but the problem persisted. I deleted all the partitions and ran CHKDSK /r and it did find and fix some errors. I made a clean install of Win 11 Pro and File Explorer was working perfectly. But after restoring a Macrium image, the problem is back.

kelper · Oct 14, 2023

When I 'restore' from a Macrium image I get an error 9

But cloning proceeds without an error. So my question is, would a cloning recreate a faulty disk sector / cluster?

Spunk · Oct 14, 2023

If you are cloning a drive with Bad Clusters or Sectors, when you restore the image, you will import any corrupted or missing files that were on the previous drives Bad Clusters/Sectors.

kelper · Oct 14, 2023

Yes, I understand, but will it transfer the bad sectors? That is what I was asking. i.e. will it actually recreate bad sectors?

Ghot · Oct 14, 2023

kelper said:
Yes, I understand, but will it transfer the bad sectors? That is what I was asking. i.e. will it actually recreate bad sectors?

NO.

But... the files on those bad sectors (probably corrupt), will get transferred.
Macrium doesn't backup or restore... sectors, just what's ON those sectors.

Think of an LP record with a scratch. If you "clone" that record to a new piece of vinyl, the distorted sound (caused by the scratch), will be reproduced, but not the scratch itself.

The sectors on a hard drive or the cells on an SSD are at a much lower level than the backup software can access.
Backup software can read or write to them, but can't "alter/reproduce" them, so to speak.

I'm probably explaining this badly... :/

Berton · Oct 14, 2023

Agree with @Ghot. cloning or backup from within the Operating System works with the data it sees. I always run error checking first then defragging before doing either. I did get a Drive Dock device by Eaxer for 2.5"/3.5" SATA drives that allows Byte for Byte cloning, cannot be connected to any computer during the process, haven't had any problem cloning a bootable drive. It will clone either size to the other size and any drive to a larger drive.

Ghot · Oct 14, 2023

It's like hard drives... there's format and "low level format".

Format... just erases that "data" on the blocks, sectors, etc.
Low Level Format... can erase and recreate the blocks and sectors, themselves.

You'd need special software to do a low level format, and to access the drive afterwards... in order to recreate the sectors on the drive.
After a low level format... the BIOS, the OS, etc., can't even see the drive.

kelper · Oct 15, 2023

Ghot said:
NO.

But... the files on those bad sectors (probably corrupt), will get transferred.
Macrium doesn't backup or restore... sectors, just what's ON those sectors.

Think of an LP record with a scratch. If you "clone" that record to a new piece of vinyl, the distorted sound (caused by the scratch), will be reproduced, but not the scratch itself.

The sectors on a hard drive or the cells on an SSD are at a much lower level than the backup software can access.
Backup software can read or write to them, but can't "alter/reproduce" them, so to speak.

I'm probably explaining this badly... :/

I used chkdsk /r so the damage was repaired. I don't think any debris will be active - if that makes sense. There were two folders affected. Can't remember the details.

Ghot · Oct 15, 2023

kelper said:
I used chkdsk /r so the damage was repaired. I don't think any debris will be active - if that makes sense. There were two folders affected. Can't remember the details.

If you ran chkdsk /r you should be fine.
That finds, tries to repair and marks bad sectors, so the OS doesn't use them anymore.

kelper · Oct 26, 2023

A clean install of Windows or even a repair install brings back the menu on File Explorer but after a couple of reboots, the menu disappears again!

I am uninstalling and reinstalling the driver for the integrated video in case that's the cause. Since first boot after a repair install when it was working WU has NOT installed any new drivers apart from Realtek.

kelper · Oct 26, 2023

Uninstalling and reinstalling the video driver seems to have 'fixed' File Explorer. Still ok after three reboots and one shutdown.

File Explorer menu missing

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