How To Fix The Tile Database Is Corrupt Error On Windows 10
The Start menu is one of the most common components on Windows 10 that can break. Often, Windows Search, and the Task bar might go down with it. These problems are so common, that Microsoft has a dedicated troubleshooting tool for the Start menu. This tool doesn’t always fix whatever problem it is you’re having with the Start Menu however, it will be able to identify one or more reasons that might be causing the problem. One such reason is that the ‘Tile database is corrupt’. This can lead to the Start menu not working, or tile icons disappearing. Here are three ways to fix the problem.
New Tile Database File
If the Start menu troubleshooter fails to fix the database, you’re going to have to go about doing it manually. There are two things you can try; copy a new database from a new user, or copy it from a different machine. Obviously, you want to try copying it from a new user before you go looking for an extra Windows 10 machine.
On your system, create a brand new user, and log into it. Go to the following location.
C:\Users\newUserAccount\AppData\Local\TileDataLayer
Copy the Database folder, and paste it somewhere it’s easy for you to access. Next, return to your user account (the one with the corrupt tile database). Navigate to the following location.
C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\TileDataLayer
There will be another Database folder here. Rename it something else e.g., Database.old and then paste the Database folder you copied from the other user account to the above location. Your Start menu will be reset to default however, it will also start working again.
If the new user account’s database folder doesn’t work, try getting this very same folder from a different Windows 10 system that has a fully functioning Start Menu.
Windows 10 Startup Repair
Windows 10 Startup repair might be able to fix the Start menu and the corrupted tile database. You can initiate Startup repair from the Settings app. Go to Update & Security>Recovery, and click Restart under Advanced Startup. On the Advanced Startup screen, go to Troubleshoot>Advanced Options>Startup repair.
Alternatively, if you have a Windows 10 install disk, you can connect it and select the Repair option.
Reset Windows 10
This is no one’s favorite repair option but if all else fails, resetting Windows 10 will fix the problem. If you don’t want to reset Windows 10, check if a new user account has a functioning Start menu and migrate your current user account to the new one.
