windows 8.1 and start8 not working

start8 will not load on windows 8.1

from Stardock Forums

So I updated my window 8 to windows 8.1 and updated my start8 from 1.2 to 1.3x  but when I restart nothing loads. When I try to configure I see nothing has change even after a quick sign out and back in. When I do a shut down and a startup window goes right to desktop as wanted but shows only the configuration on start8 

 

Should I uninstall and reinstall start8 and see if that helps or how can I properly configure my start8 to load properly??? 

start8
21,084 views 13 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Are you saying you are being shown the Start8 configuration window each time you login?

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

yes and only that.

 

I notice on my "start up" in window management I do not see start8 I do not know why it is not be executed maybe I should write an exempt in the registry for start8.exe 

 

I am also running x64 window 8.1 if someone can check do I need to also load the x64.exe of start8? 

 

Ok I did a quick search through the forum and found this LINK

I have checked and I have both Start8Srv.exe and Start8_64.exe running 

 

But I still do not have the start menu.

 

I have completely uninstalled and deleted all remaining file as well as did a search in the registry for all linking path and deleted them as well. 

 

I re-installed start8 and did a restart and still start8 configuration window still pop's up. 

 

Is there some other program I am suppose to install to disable or overwrite window 8 start button for start8??? 

DeskScapes - Bring your desktop background to life.
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

1) What antivirus are you using?

2) If the config opens automatically on login this typically means the product is not activated.  Delete the files in c:\programdata\stardock\registrations which have Start8 in their name and reboot.  The config should open again and prompt you to activate it.  Also are you using the trial or have you purchased the product?

3) If the config is not opening initially automatically, but opens when you click on the start button, please go to the Start8 folder off program files (x86), right click on Start8_64.dll and click properties and then on the digital signatures tab.  Is the file marked as validly signed?

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Neil, reply 5

1) What antivirus are you using?

2) If the config opens automatically on login this typically means the product is not activated.  Delete the files in c:\programdata\stardock\registrations which have Start8 in their name and reboot.  The config should open again and prompt you to activate it.  Also are you using the trial or have you purchased the product?

3) If the config is not opening initially automatically, but opens when you click on the start button, please go to the Start8 folder off program files (x86), right click on Start8_64.dll and click properties and then on the digital signatures tab.  Is the file marked as validly signed?
End of Neil's quote

 

1. I am using malwarebyte and the antimalware provide in window 8.1

2. Oh hmmmm I had it activated when I bought the service for window 8 a year back. I was promoted to activate my copy of start8 when I updated to 1.3x after moving to window 8.1 but when I enter my email and serial the program got hung up and would not allow me to "click next" as it promoted me to.  I did a restart and that is when this whole thing started to happen. I guess I will delete the file asked, but programdata folder is hidden. 

3. It opens on it's own when I do a restart or a coldboot. But I will attempt to do this to check if the it is marked as a valid signature. 

 

Thank you in advance for your help. I will do as follow neil

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

I've got the same issue, when I uninstalled Start8, the standard windows start button came back.  When I applied v.1.3.0, the standard windows button went away and I've got no Start8 start menu.

 

Before uninstalling, when I clicked on the start 8 menu, I had a series of white boxes with nothing loading.

 

Running on x64 with Norton.  I'm going to restart after I reinstalled1.3.x and see what happens.

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

Okay, I'm having the same problem now.  I installed a fresh Windows 8.1 system last week.  It was working just fine until today.  When I rebooted my machine the Start8 button disappeared.  However, it is still running.  If I go to the metro screen and type "Start8" I can get the configuration tool to launch.

When I uninstalled Start8 the windows start button re-appears.  If I install Start8 again the button disappears.

The only think special about my desktop is that I using a small task bar and I have the quick launch enabled.  When the Start8 button disappears the quick launch bar shifts to the left where the start button would reside.

Stephen

Reply #10 from LittleTinyFrogs Forums Top

I had the same problem after updating to W8.1

I opened Start8 in the Windows menu

I Just selected the START button again and everything works fine again

Hope this works for you to

Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top

Typically this would mean you accidentally picked an image that does not exist for the start button.  Doing so could make the button invisible until you set it to something else.

There are also settings in Start8 which can be used to hide the button so always check those too.

Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top

Well I went ahead and did what stephen53342 did and refreshed window 8.1 since I was also having software destabilization. What ended up happening is my HP laptop reinstalled window 8, I guess even my HP laptop was having problem with 8.1 and deleted the image that was installed.

 

This solved my problem, before doing the refresh I backed up the keyimage of mine and then downloaded start8 1.3x  and introduce the key back into the hidden folder. Everything is now fixed and working :)

 

 

Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top

Had a similar problem i.e, Start8 not starting after upgrading to Windows 8.1 Pro. The following is what worked for me. I went to the Start8tweak.exe folder in C:\ProgramFiles\Stardock\Start8. After clicking on that folder, the following window Start8 Advanced Tweaks appeared. I then placed a check mark against “Start8 should be enabled in this user account” and my Start8 application started. Hope this solution helps.