Windows 8.1 desktop with no icons

If you uninstalled IObit Start Menu 8, you should have the W8 UI back. Try rebooting — if the W8 UI doesn't come back after that, I don't know how to get it back. That may mean that IObit Start Menu 8 has hosed things and you may need to do a Repair install of W8.

Once you get Metro back — or even if you don't, as long as you can get to the web and download something else — you may want to consider the excellent (and free!) Classic Shell:
http://www.classicshell.net/

I not only don't like the W8 interface, I don't like the W7/Vista interface, so I've been using Classic Shell to give me the good old W2K (truly Classic!) interface on all of my Vista, W7, and W8 computers. Of course, if you prefer, you may configure Classic Shell to give you the XP or Vista/W7 interface on W8.

Here's a 5-minute EE video Micro Tutorial that explains how to download, install, and configure Classic Shell — all of which happens in the 5-minute video, although you may want to spend another 10-15 minutes configuring its large number of options:

http://www.experts-exchange.com/VP_211.html

Regards, Joe

Another possibility is to uninstall these third party products and just use Windows 8. Make sure you are at Windows 8.1 and with only Windows 8.1 you never need to look at Metro. I don't.

See my article on Ways to improve Windows 8

http://www.experts-exchange.com/OS/Microsoft_Operating_Systems/Windows/A_16620-Ways-to-improve-Windows-8.html

Thanks Joe. Actually i'd already thought of just installing a shell 'over the top' so Classic Shell is a good start. It's a 'no-lose' option prior to reinstalling the OS. I'll let you know how i get on.

John - as i've already explained, there's no sign of anything installed any more. Having said that, there is 'IOBit Uninstaller' installed. Wouldn't it be priceless if you have to uninstall the IOBit Start 8 stuff with that? ;)

OK, fyi the attempt to install Classic Shell failed. It didn't alter the desktop one bit, which i show below (admittedly viewed through VNC but if you ignore the title bar the scene is identical)

The left hand side of that desktop (fwiw) is shown below. The logo, as i mentioned earlier is inert

Try System File Checker. Open an admin command prompt (from wherever you can run a command prompt) and run SFC /SCANNOW twice. Allow to complete, restart and test.

If that does not work, try DISM:

Open cmd.exe with Run as Administrator.
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /Scanhealth (takes 15 - 20 minutes).
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /Restorehealth (takes 15 - 20 minutes).
Restart the computer and test.

If the above ways, go to Metro, PC Settings and run a Windows 8 Refresh. This keeps data but will make you reinstall most software.

I did actually try sfc John - the usual (for me) outcome "Windows could not repair some files" or words to that effect.

DISM i shall try in the future

Actually i've now reset the machine after setting it to restart in safe mode. When i was not in safe mode it had told me it couldn't reset in fact. So i'm now back in Win 8.0 with a mass of updates to be done. At least Metro is back though

Run hardware diagnostic tools when you get a chance. Even if it's pretty new, It could be a failing hard drive. It's always good to know if your hardware is stable.

Hopefully your machine came with some kind of diag tool such as PC-Doctor.

> Metro is back though

That's good news! And should mean that you can install Classic Shell, which I've done on many computers without a single problem. Regards, Joe

Hardware is fine - full diagnostics all passed

I'll leave the choice of whether to have classic shell with the user. Back soon

Thanks folks. afaik the user was happy enough to stay with the default Win 8 UI

> the user was happy enough to stay with the default Win 8 UI

Interesting decision! Thanks for the update. Regards, Joe