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I accidentally deleted Cortana (okay it wasn't an accident). By running

rm -rf /c/Windows/SystemApps/Microsoft.Windows.Cortana_cw5n1h2txyewy/*

in bash. Cortana was gone (yay!) but now I can't search anything from the start menu (unintended and unacceptable consequence). I need to get this feature back but I don't know how. I could live with re-installing Cortana, but I'm not sure how to do that. Another solution that enables searching from the windows start menu without Cortana would be better.

Jon Deaton
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  • To clarify, you *intentionally* removed the interface that allows Windows 10 to performs searches, and now you are saying that your inability to search from the Start menu is an unintended consequence? – Run5k Aug 04 '17 at 17:08
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    I wasn't aware of the fact that the entire searching feature is build on Cortana. I don't see any reason why it need to be. – Jon Deaton Aug 04 '17 at 17:09
  • We are always glad to help, but within another question you also emphasized that *"I'm a newcomer to Windows 10."* It might be prudent to avoid making major changes to your operating system (including disabling core capabilities) until you become a bit more familiar with Windows 10. – Run5k Aug 04 '17 at 17:19
  • You might also consider dropping back to a previous Windows 10 system restore point that was taken prior to the unfortunate change: [How to Restore Windows 10 to an Earlier Restore Point](http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2866655/restore-windows-earlier-restore-point.html) – Run5k Aug 04 '17 at 17:50
  • If your goal is to "lock down" Cortana to prevent web access and prevent voice recognition, there are a number of tools to do so that still allow Windows Search to work, such as ShutUp10. Cortana *still* accesses the web on its own and Firewall rules are needed to block that. – DrMoishe Pippik Aug 04 '17 at 19:15
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    @Run5k, I don't think people need your lecture on what to do and what not with an operating system. If "core capabilities" are there to learn your speech patterns, typing patterns, search patterns, handwriting patterns, I think it makes a lot of sense not to learn anymore about this spyware if it can't do what I WANT it to do. – Ale..chenski Aug 06 '17 at 05:54
  • @AliChen if you would actually label my last post as a *"lecture,"* you are probably too sensitive. Trust me, if that had been a genuine lecture my wording would have been considerably different! Regardless, although the OP may have the best of intentions he previously admitted to being a Windows 10 novice. Instead of seeking knowledgeable advice in an attempt to disable Cortana, he probably utilized his "Google-fu" or some unfortunate advice from a classmate. But when it made things *worse*, only then did he think to actually post request for help. By then, it was too late. – Run5k Aug 06 '17 at 09:11
  • @Run5k, yes, I am sensitive, after wasting two days trying to make the Cortana to shut up. No method published so far works, there are maybe thousand Cortana-related items in the registry. It looks hopeless. If you know how to disable the annoying invasion of "Cortana" but keep a reasonable LOCAL search, please be our guest. – Ale..chenski Aug 06 '17 at 19:37
  • @AliChen you may find this beneficial: [How do I ask a good question?](https://superuser.com/help/how-to-ask) – Run5k Aug 06 '17 at 20:10
  • I found an answer: `sfc /scannow` in admin cmd. – Jon Deaton Aug 07 '17 at 17:22

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