Microsoft Store Games – Disappearing Potential Fix

A recent customer faced a computer problem, where the Microsoft store games Jigsaw disappeared from their computer. Here is their request:

I have lost my Microsoft Jigsaw and would like it back. It has been mucking up for quite some time. We tried to re-download it from Microsoft store and was told we were not connected.

This individual had a Windows 10 computer. Microsoft Jigsaw is a free Xbox live game application. Depending on what version of Windows 10 you have installed, this game is already installed.

I remotely connected to their computer and verified that Microsoft Jigsaw, was not installed. This customer tried to re-install it from the Microsoft store. However, they kept receiving an error message stipulating that the Microsoft store games was not connected.

You have two options, perform a refresh of that page or check connection. There are a plethora of different ways to attempt to fix this problem. Also, I noticed that Microsoft Edge web browser could NOT connect to the Internet.

I attempted the following tacticts, to try to solve this problem.

* sfc /scannow
* chkdsk /f /r
* multiple DISM commands
* multiple power shell commands
* malware, spyware, and virus scans
* verifying network connections
* disk cleanup
* removal of temporary and internet cache
* miscellaneous other commands

You may be wondering why I went through all of this troubleshooting when I am notorious for cutting to the chase? This customer was verify hesitant on utilizing Windows 10 reset. They were willing to let me perform a windows system restore, after I explained to them very few software programs would be removed.

There is a huge difference between system restore and system reset, which I will save for another blog post. What fixed this problem was performing a Windows 10 “Reset this PC”. Also, system restore was not available.

For whatever reason system protection had been turned off and so system restore option was greyed off. Here are the instructions on how to perform a Windows 10 PC reset. Type in “reset” into Cortana or a “Search” box by right clicking the Windows 10 button in lower left corner.

Choose “Reset this PC”. You will be taken to a “Recovery” window. Click on a “Get started” button.

You now have two options, “Keep my files” or “Remove everything”. They are pretty self explanatory. Your personal files will NOT be deleted if you pick the first option.

However, ALL of your installed software programs will get removed. The second option will delete all your software programs and personal files. This will in sense reset your Windows 10 computer back to when it was originally installed.

You will have to reinstall any and all software programs that you have installed on your Windows 10 computer. Microsoft Store was repaired and my customer was able to play Microsoft Jigsaw. You might be able to perform a Windows 10 system restore instead to fix this problem.