[ INTERNET ] Edge no longer works

About four to six weeks ago, Edge just stopped working. I’ve tried an upgrade install twice, have contacted the Windows Helpline and had two online conversations with their staff to no avail. Can you help? I’m currently using Firefox without a problem.

Mayank Sharma replies: Geoff’s email is one of a number we’ve received since the Creators Update release. Unfortunately, when even a repair installation fails, you’re left with two basic choices: the first is to bite the bullet and perform a full, destructive install that should clean out all your PC’s glitches and get Edge working again. This approach is overkill if your PC is otherwise running well and it hasn’t been that long since your last reinstall. In the past, Microsoft’s browser was the standard and life without it wasn’t practical because Windows Update required it to function. That’s no longer the case, and now the browser market is more fragmented — with Google’s Chrome the dominant force — websites must support a wide range of browsers. Long story short? Many people, ourselves included, get by with never opening or using Edge. If Firefox proves insufficient, installing Chrome or Opera (which uses the same browser engine as Chrome) will prove a much better choice than worrying about how to get Edge working.