I'm facing a really frustrating issue with my desktop. Every time I boot it up, it automatically goes into the PC app store, and I can't find a way to close it or switch to another application. I've tried the usual methods like using Alt+F4 and the task manager, but nothing seems to work. Is there any advice or solutions to get around this?
3 Answers
Sounds like you might be dealing with some adware that's come along with a recent installation. It can be tricky to remove. I'd recommend booting your PC with a tool like Hiren's Boot CD, which has antivirus utilities that can help detect and get rid of it. Also, in the future, make sure to choose 'custom installation' when downloading software to avoid unwanted programs sneaking in. Did you happen to install anything new recently?
I can understand your frustration! If you can get task manager open, maybe try accessing it via keyboard shortcuts even if you can't see it. You might be able to manage to close the app that way!
If you have another monitor or a TV, try plugging that in to see if it's just an issue with one display. You might be able to use that second display to remove the app you're stuck on. Alternatively, you could boot into SAFE mode and uninstall the app from there—it usually won’t load in that mode.
I was able to reveal some hidden icons and use task manager to finally close it down. After that, I found and deleted the app from my applications folder.
I noticed the last two apps I downloaded were a Gameboy emulator and Monster Hunter World. Not sure if that caused it.