Lost Cortana, Edge, and windows 10 desktop icons

[Frank Muto]

I recently downloaded the windows 10 upgrade from windows 7. All was fine for about 2 weeks. I downloaded this in late September, i believe. Suddenly i got a critical error message indicating that my start menu is not working and windows will fix it the next time i log in. This never happened. I tried to go back to windows 7. now i seem to have a combination of windows 10 and windows 7. The desk top looks like windows 7 yet the task bar looks like windows 10. The search the web and windows section of the task bar does not work. if i right click on the windows icon in the lower left i get the options that used to be on the desktop.
What is the problem? Can anyone help me. I feel like removing windows 10 and downloading it again. not sure how to do that?

I no longer have Cortana, Edge, or the windows 10 desktop?

 

[Trouble]

Hello Frank and welcome to the forum.

I no longer have Cortana, Edge, or the windows 10 desktop?

I wouldn't think so. Not if you've rolled back to Windows 7 as you seem to indicate in your post.

I feel like removing windows 10 and downloading it again. not sure how to do that?

It is not necessary to remove and reinstall.
You should be able to perform an in-place upgrade. You just need the proper installation media.

The installation media can be obtain through either of these two resources.

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

Once you have the ISO, you can use ImgBurn to burn it to a DVD or Rufus to burn it to a USB ThumbDrive either of which you can then use by simply running Setup.exe from within your current install.

 

[Frank Muto]

I downloaded an in-place upgrade for windows 10 about a week ago and all was working fine, yet now the start menu will not work, either will cortana? Can someone help me correct this problem?
Thank you,
Frank