Program menu will no longer appear

[Jeff]

I am running updated and current Win 10 on a PC. Kaspersky Total Security is running in the background but the program menu will no longer appear whether I try to use the start menu or the right click popup in Win Explorer. The system tray icon has also disappeared. I have rebooted twice with the same result. I don't know if this has anything to do with it but this all started about a week ago when I updated PDF-XChange Editor and it requested to close Kaspersky to install the update. Stupidly, I agreed. I've been using PDF-XChange Editor for a couple of years and I'm confident it's not a malicious program. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Flood and Flood's wife]

Hello Jeff, Welcome!

1. PDF-XChange Editor should not need, nor ask for KTS to be terminated for it's software to be safe.

Can you tell us the name of the site where the PDF-XChange Editor update was sourced from please? PLEASE DON'T POST the actual site URL: please PM this information to me in case the site is unsafe and to make sure we don't break any Community guidelines (like "advertising") May we have: Screen prints of:

1. "Program menu will no longer appear when accessing start menu"?
2. "Program menu will no longer appear when when accessing right click popup in Win Explorer"?
3. Has the "whole system tray icon" disappeared? If YES, please provide a screen print?

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1. Please generate a GSI & Windows logs, upload the .zip to cloud storage of your choice and post back the link please? https://support.kaspersky.com/common/diagnostics/3632#block7
2. In KTS REPORTS, are there any events that represent the issue? If YES, can you export those events, save as a text file & upload using the UPLOAD icon below?
3. Have there been any other software, harware, network changes in the timeframe just preceeding the issue that may shed light on this issue? If YES, please detail those changes?
4. Have you installed and reinstalled Windows? If NOT, please do not do thjs, just let us know if it's been done?
5. Have you unistalled & reinstalled Kaspersky software? If NOT, please do not do thjs, just let us know if it's been done?

Please let us know? Thanks!

[Jeff]

Thank you for the quick response. See underlined responses below after your questions.

1. PDF-XChange Editor should not need, nor ask for KTS to be terminated for it's software to be safe. I agree.

May we have: Screen prints of:

1. Program menu will no longer appear when I try to use the start menu? I can't provide a screenshot because nothing appears. There is a quick flash of what seems might be the menu but it quickly disappears.
2. Program menu will no longer appear when I try to right click popup in Win Explorer? Same as above except no flash.
3. Has the "whole system tray icon" disappeared? No, only the KTS icon is missing. The Kaspersky Secure Connection icon still shows though.

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1. Please generate a GSI & Windows logs, upload the .zip to cloud storage of your choice and post back the link please? https://support.kaspersky.com/common/diagnostics/3632#block7 I can provide a Dropbox link but I don't know if there is any sensitive info or data in this report. I don't want anyone but you downloading the report. Is there a more secure or private way to get the file to you?
2. In KTS REPORTS, are there any events that represent the issue? If YES, can you export those events, save as a text file & upload using the UPLOAD icon below? I can't run the KTS menu so I can't generate the report.
3. Have there been any other software, harware, network changes in the timeframe just preceeding the issue that may shed light on this issue? If YES, please detail those changes? No, not that I know of.
4. Have you installed and reinstalled Windows? No
5. Have you unistalled & reinstalled Kaspersky software? No

Please let us know? Thanks!

[Flood and Flood's wife]

Hello Jeff, Thank you for replying. (re KTS REPORTS) so I'm totally clear - you cannot access KTS at all?

1. Yes, please PM me the Dropbox link.
2. & the name of the site where the PDF-XChange Editor update was sourced from?
3. PLEASE DON'T POST the actual site URL: please PM this information to me in case the site is unsafe and to make sure we don't break any Community guidelines (like "advertising")

And, while we're waiting for the data Can you start Windows in SAFEMODE (no networking) & see if you can access:

1. "Program menu - when accessing start menu"?
2. "Program menu - right click popup in Win Explorer"?
3. KTS icon - is it visible in Taskbar?

& Can you log off you current account, "switch" to & or sign on with another Windows userprofile on the device & see if you can access:

1. "Program menu - when accessing start menu"?
2. "Program menu - right click popup in Win Explorer"?
3. KTS icon - is it visible in Taskbar?

Please let us know? Thanks!