sihost.exe unknown hard error.

Hi Jacob,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community.

I understand your concern, and we in Community will try to help you in the best possible way we can.

I would suggest you to follow steps provided by Ravinath from the link given below and check.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-win_cortana/critical-error-start-menu-and-cortana-arent/84860df1-9b74-411f-a1ba-c4d6df0544ac?tm=1444062963267

Hope the information helps, if you have any further queries, feel free to post. We are here to assist you.
Regards,

Guru Kiran

non of that works.....sihost.exe hard error in safe mode nothing loads regarding search/start button?

this is infuriating as its clean install ... no 3rd party virus installed yet either.

is there a patch or proper fix coming from Microsoft to fix this obvious and critical failure?

I expect a quick reply to this!!!!

ha thats a joke every blood corporation these days is bloody useless at communication...

Mike

Hi,

Thank you for your reply. I apologize for the delay and inconvenience that you are experiencing.

If you are still facing this issue, I suggest you to follow the below steps and check if it helps.

Try to perform Automatic Repair/Startup Repair in Windows recovery tool that can fix certain system problems that might prevent Windows from starting. Automatic Repair scans your computer for the problem and then tries to fix it so your computer can start correctly. Download a Windows 10 ISO in DVD or USB using media creation tool.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

a) After you boot your computer using Windows DVD or USB, a black screen appears with gray text "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD". Press any key.

b) Select the correct time and Keyboard type.

c) Click Repair your computer in the lower left corner.

d) Select Troubleshoot from Choose an option screen.

e) Click advanced options in Troubleshoot screen.

f) Select Automatic repair.

Regards,

Guru Kiran

I occurs to me that the chief requirement to be a Microsoft Answer Guru is to be able to copy and paste off of a script generated by the in house support team who, to the best of my 20+ years experience supporting, installing, and fixing MS Windows installations, have yet to touch a Windows based computer in a real world setting.

The scripted procedures do not work on this error.  Commonly, this is a corruption that happened during the upgrade from a version of Windows with a damaged registry, or from a lousy image to begin with.  It could also be a symptom of a bad hard drive, so test for that first if possible.

Simply put, if you are not able to get either DISM.EXE, resetting windows through the recovery settings, or rebuilding the basic core OS with a third party app to resolve this issue, then you get to back up your data and reinstall windows clean.  Simple as that.

Good luck!

I occurs to me that the chief requirement to be a Microsoft Answer Guru is to be able to copy and paste off of a script generated by the in house support team who, to the best of my 20+ years experience supporting, installing, and fixing MS Windows installations, have yet to touch a Windows based computer in a real world setting.

The scripted procedures do not work on this error.  Commonly, this is a corruption that happened during the upgrade from a version of Windows with a damaged registry, or from a lousy image to begin with.  It could also be a symptom of a bad hard drive, so test for that first if possible.

Simply put, if you are not able to get either DISM.EXE, resetting windows through the recovery settings, or rebuilding the basic core OS with a third party app to resolve this issue, then you get to back up your data and reinstall windows clean.  Simple as that.

Good luck!

Thanks.  Yours is the first answer that seems real, plausible.  I will google how to test my hard drive but may I ask you what is dism.exe?

Other than that let me just describe my problem for everyone so that diagnose is correct for others too:

- I tried to install a sd card repair program (Wondershare's Datarecovery for my mobile, card already in my laptop) and failed.  Problem was I couldn't close the dialogs so I force shut (either taskmanager or unplugging, can't remember)

- When I boot I see the desktop for 7 seconds, then black screen and cursor. TaskManager doesn't start.

- In safe mode (after ctrl+alt+del, shift+restart, troubleshoot, restart in safe) I get the dialog "sihost.exe warning - unknown hard error" but I see the desktop and some programs work, incl. TaskManager.  Most actions can't be performed (networking, internet, the pc misses hardware, it says) 

- I tried Win reinstall and all troubleshooting and autofixing options, nothing can be performed.  I was able to install that DataRecovery program but it doesn't fix anything.

Hi Jacob,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community.

I understand your concern, and we in Community will try to help you in the best possible way we can.

I would suggest you to follow steps provided by Ravinath from the link given below and check.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-win_cortana/critical-error-start-menu-and-cortana-arent/84860df1-9b74-411f-a1ba-c4d6df0544ac?tm=1444062963267

Hope the information helps, if you have any further queries, feel free to post. We are here to assist you.
Regards,

Guru Kiran

You idiot. The answer at that link IS NOT EVEN CLOSELY RELATED TO THE ISSUE.

I occurs to me that the chief requirement to be a Microsoft Answer Guru is to be able to copy and paste off of a script generated by the in house support team who, to the best of my 20+ years experience supporting, installing, and fixing MS Windows installations, have yet to touch a Windows based computer in a real world setting.

The scripted procedures do not work on this error.  Commonly, this is a corruption that happened during the upgrade from a version of Windows with a damaged registry, or from a lousy image to begin with.  It could also be a symptom of a bad hard drive, so test for that first if possible.

Simply put, if you are not able to get either DISM.EXE, resetting windows through the recovery settings, or rebuilding the basic core OS with a third party app to resolve this issue, then you get to back up your data and reinstall windows clean.  Simple as that.

Good luck!

You are absolutely right that this occurs after a system update because that is precisely what happened to me. The only question now is anybody going to be able to take their head out of their butt long enough to create a patch or a workaround for this because absolutely nothing does! I should've learned Linux