Fences not working after update - desktop totally blank

from Stardock Forums

I have just updated Fences as per the email informing of major update and have rebooted PC and now there are no icons showing on my desktop at all – completely nothing! 

If I right click the desktop rather than the usual "configure fences" option, there is displayed "enable fences". Nothing happens when I select this. Help please!!

fences
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Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

I have the same problem after updating today.

EDIT: downgrading to 3.09 solved my problem.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

I no longer have the 3.09 version, so cannot do what you have done. Any idea how to escalate this? Is this forum monitored by support?

Elemental: Reforged
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

I had exactly the same problem.  No of the suggested 'self help' solutions worked for me , ref. :

https://forums.stardock.com/486084/fences-support-faq

 

What *DID* work for me were to download version 3.10 from my Downloads at my Stardock account  ( https://store.stardock.com/myaccount/products )  and then install that on top of what was already installed (I installed the version 3.10)

 

The way I comprehend it , then Stardock messed up somehow, either they made something that introduced a problem, or they offered us an update that we were not entitled to so that product did not work correctly after install because of too old product key or something.

Anyway , as written then just download and install 3.10 (or what is your correct version via your account download !).

 

P.S. :

It appears as if some people have issues with 3.10  (3,1,0,5 is the version installed on my system) , ref. :

https://forums.stardock.com/505007/page/1/

If your issue persists then solution appear to be to uninstall v. 3.10 and reinstall v. 3.09 .

(I personally do *NOT* have 'WallPaper Engine' installed so my issue with Fences has nothing to do with that !)

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Same problem here. After installing the update on July 22, 2021 I did not immediately restart the computer. On July 23 when I started up the computer my desktop had no icons and Fences seems to be not working at all. I can't even start over by drawing a rectangle on the desktop and defining new fences.

Following the advice from FiatLux_DK I downloaded and re-installed from my Stardock downloads area. That restored my desktop and all my icons.

I won't be installing any more Stardock upgrades until they tell us this problem has been fixed. It would have taken hours to re-build my desktop if I had to do it manually.

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

Identical thing happened to me today. While working yesterday, an alert came up out of the blue, asking if I wanted to upgrade. I said yes, proceeded without rebooting, and blank desktop this morning. 

Per FiatLux's advice, I got a fresh F3 install file from my downloads, ran, rebooted, and all looks good!

I was worried there... Thanks very much FL! 

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

Thanks AzDude, I am not technical at all, so what am I looking for on this link you sent?

However is there some issue with the update/upgrade process, as the comments from the different users have all been similar however a clean install seems to be working? 

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting garlic_dude, reply 8

Thanks AzDude, I am not technical at all, so what am I looking for on this link you sent?

However is there some issue with the update/upgrade process, as the comments from the different users have all been similar however a clean install seems to be working? 
End of garlic_dude's quote

If you hold on for a bit We are working on the fix for the issue 

and a update for it should be ready soon ...

Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,

Just an FYI that Fences 3.12 Beta was released today.

For all the details, please see:

https://forums.stardock.com/506115

We are very much looking forward to your feedback there.

Thanks,

 


AzDude
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top

Hi AzDude

Have installed beta and seems to all be working OK, with no issues on system start. Have noticed in About that the version shown is 3.1.2.7. Is this the expected version?

 

Thanks

Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top

Yes that's the right version

Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top

AzDude

This is my first time posting, hope I am doing it correctly. I am running Windows 10 Home 21H1 build 19043.1083. I have three 32" TVs attached. I have been using v3.0.9.11 for many years without any problems. Love the software. I received the email to upgrade to 3.1.0.5. Created a Restore Point and downloaded and installed the update. I received the message that Fences has detected that Explorer was not closed properly. The instructions to re-enable did not work. I used the Restore Point and moved back to v3.0.9.11.

I have Fences back and is working, but now have a different problem. Sometimes when I move the cursor over my roll up Fences a black background appears around some Fences, but as I move the cursor more black background appears on the display. And when I try to remove the background it covers the whole display and then the other two. Now I am looking at three black screens. I have been able to solve this problem by re-setting my wallpaper. But the black reappears at times (not all the time) when I use Fences.

It would be nice to use this version (3.0.9.11) that has worked for me in the past. It only started when I upgraded. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. 

 

 

 

Reply #16 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello buckwheat64,

Sorry to hear you are having issues. Please try purge and reinstall steps as mentioned here: https://forums.stardock.com/486084/fences-support-faq#reinstalling. Just make sure to download the latest version (V3.12 Beta) from your account. Reboot after the purged. Reinstall, and Reboot again after the installation. Retest it. Report back here.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant