1.2 update Problem - Win 8 apps no longer work

from Stardock Forums

Very weird, but on two of my computers running win 8, I updated them to ver 1.2 of Start8 and now have a nightmare.  On the Win 8 charms start page, almost all the win 8 applications will not load.  They start to open and then return back to the Win 8 Start Page.  Live tiles still update, but cannot open the applications now.  Only common denominator between the laptop and my desktop is an update to this application I have loved from day 1.  I even called Lenovo Support and even using remote access, they could not figure out what had happened.  

I am going to have to now install image backups and go back to ver 1.1 and not update anymore because there is no explanation why two different computers now have the same problem and the only thing both did this last week was update to ver 1.2.  If this problem has happened to someone else I would hope they also report.  Just so you know, the laptop has no legacy programs installed other than Norton 360 security and Acronis True Image 2013, both of which have millions of user globally.  So this can't be a problem caused by software conflicts and both systems worked fine until I upgraded.

If you have any suggestions before I install my image backups, I would sure like to hear them.

 

 

UPDATE OCT 3:  NO ONE ELSE SEEMS TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND I AM STILL BAFFLED HOW TWO IDENTICAL LAPTOPS, MY WIFE AND MINE, CAN NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE CHARMS NOT WORKING ON MINE BUT JUST FINE ON HERS.  SHE HAS 1.1 VERSION RUNNING AND I UPDATED TO THE 1.2 VERSION IS THE ONLY DIFFERENCE.  SEARCHING MICROSOFT I FOUND MANY WHO HAVE ALSO LOST FUNCTIONALITY OF THE WIN 8 APPLICATIONS AND EVERY SUPPOSED SOLUTION HAS NOT WORKED FOR ME SO I AM FORCED TO RESET THE OPERATING SYSTEM AND REINSTALL EVERYTHING OR JUST USE MY LEGACY WINDOWS PROGRAMS AND FORGET THOSE NEW WIN 8 APPLICATIONS.  SO WEIRD BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.

start8
1,608 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Ok, so first you are confusing windows 8 and 8.1. Windows 8.2 doesnt exist. 2nd this forum is for issues with Start 8, you are having general windows 8.1 problems. I suggest you go over to technet or to Lenovo forums and explain your problems there. You won't find the help you need here. It looks like you need to re-install.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Generally this means Windows 8 has corrupted the user account information.  Windows 8 does this on occasion, would you perhaps be using the same login on both machines?

Start8 should not have any impact on this and we have not had any reports of anything similar with Start8 so I imagine updating Start8 was a coincidence as we too have a large user base and the bulk of them will have updated to Start8 1.2 within 7 days of the update coming out.

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Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

I corrected the mistakes in referencing the versions of 1.1. and 1.2 and calling them 8.1 and 8.2.  Interesting that you ask about the user accounts.  Yes, both machines use the same user account because they sign into my Microsoft account and make both machines alike as to my settings, store downloads, preferences, and sync accounts for email etc.

That is an interesting link possibility as to why the machines now have the same problem but it is the way Microsoft has designed win8 to work across hardware and there has been no changes to my Microsoft account settings which are used to access my Xbox, online storage in Skydrive, and my two computers that now do not work right at least as to windows 8 applications.,  Legacy programs work fine from the desktop though. 

Your suggestion that my problem could be linked to my Microsoft account settings is quite scary as it is also linked to my Microsoft Store account and If I was to assume you are correct, and I wipe out my entire account and start over, I also lose those things I have paid for.  I will contact Microsoft and see what their suggestions are but I will still restore a prior image on one of the machines which will have the prior version of your software on it and see if it develops the same problem.

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Sorry corrected the references and now read 1.1 and 1.2 of Start8 and I do not run version 8.1 of Win8 which is not yet officially released but in beta.  Thanks for showing me my errors in the original post.

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Start8 worked fine during trial period.  Paid for $5 license and 1.2 destroyed my interactive start screen and no start button.  If program is not already on taskbar, I have to go find it in program files folder and open it.

 

There's another post similar to this and 1.2 seems to be the common denominator.