FAILS to keep authentification, every week I put in my 5 user code and a week later I have to reenter it again.

looks like a bug in the authenitcation component os start11

I have been doing this re-entering and activating of the start11 for a month now and I keep having the same bug with the software where the not activated screen pops up even AFTER I HAVE SUCCESSFULLY ACTIVATED IT.

I even try to look for updates and the software update feature can not find the new version 2 of start11

I like the many new features offered that you can not even find some of these in Windows 10 but the having to activate something that I OWN 6 licenses for every week is stupidity.

A version that does not even ask for the activation needs to be available to fix this problem.

As a First Responder, this makes it very difficult to use my laptop and computer.

6,484 views 17 replies
Reply #1 Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Usually when this happen on a regular interval, it shows that one of application running in your system is deleting the activation file. And once that file deleted, in these case Start11 will ask the user to activate it again. Try to identify which security or auto cleanup application is doing it and white list it from deleting items in that folder.

Try look into this folder-> C:\ProgramData\Stardock\Start11

There should be a file License.sig,

 

Thanks
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #2 Top

Found it and made a copy of it will see if it goes away or if I need a script to copy it back into the folder every boot up

Reply #3 Top

The problem still remaining is that the updated version 2 does not work with my activation codes. for 1.47 kept telling me wrong activation code.

Reply #4 Top

V2 and V1 will have different activation code. Use v2 activation code for Start11 V2 and V1 activation code for Start11 V1. Not sure why you trying to activate two different product with different activation code. Do know that, Start11 V2 once you purchase it, you should have a new activation code for it.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #5 Top

So each update is a different software version within the same product and not a simple update from a previous version.

That does not seem to be right.

But I am still monitoring that bug with the software to see when the activation issue returns.

There is zero reason that the activation file should be getting removed from the directory once a valid activation has been purchased.

And customers should be able to get updates within the same product line and use the same activation code in each software update that corrects bugs from a previous version or ads and enhancement that was not available in a previous version of the software within the same product line.

I have a start8 activation code but I can no longer get the software for start8 as i can not find it online at a legitimate site.

I now have 6 activations for start11 and slowly installing systems and may deploy it on a few other systems as needed so got extra licenses.

Reply #6 Top

Quoting cowen80194, reply 5

So each update is a different software version within the same product and not a simple update from a previous version.

That does not seem to be right.

But I am still monitoring that bug with the software to see when the activation issue returns.

There is zero reason that the activation file should be getting removed from the directory once a valid activation has been purchased.

And customers should be able to get updates within the same product line and use the same activation code in each software update that corrects bugs from a previous version or ads and enhancement that was not available in a previous version of the software within the same product line.

I have a start8 activation code but I can no longer get the software for start8 as i can not find it online at a legitimate site.

I now have 6 activations for start11 and slowly installing systems and may deploy it on a few other systems as needed so got extra licenses.
End of cowen80194's quote

If activation files are being removed there are two reasons.  Firstly a machine is being deactivated due to user action or too many activations of a key (installed on say 6 machines with 5 licences).  Secondly a tool to 'cleanup unused files' is deleting the files. This is the most likely reason.

A Start11 1 license gets you updates to the 1.x series of Start11 but v2 is a new series.  This is like office 2016 upgrading to office 2021.

You should be able to download products you have a license key for from the Stardock store under my downloads.  This is unless it is an expired object desktop subscription.

Reply #7 Top

Interestingly I have been monitoring for files being removed from that specific directory and BOTH the signature and the backup were removed.  The offending program that did it was START11 from what the monitor showed.

I have 6 licenses and only used them on ONE (1) system so far that I use for EMS responses.

So looks like the program is removing or installing itself every week.

The license should be hard coded to the program.

I never had this issue with start8

Reply #8 Top

Quoting cowen80194, reply 7

Interestingly I have been monitoring for files being removed from that specific directory and BOTH the signature and the backup were removed.  The offending program that did it was START11 from what the monitor showed.

I have 6 licenses and only used them on ONE (1) system so far that I use for EMS responses.

So looks like the program is removing or installing itself every week.

The license should be hard coded to the program.

I never had this issue with start8
End of cowen80194's quote

What process did the monitor claim removed them?

Reply #9 Top

Looked like the software reinstalled itself upon a reboot.

All I want is 6 software copies that I can deploy on 6 computers that does not delete its own activation file.

Simple request.

And I can not get it to even work on A SINGLE machine so not sure it will work on 6.

Reply #10 Top

Hello,

How did you come to that conclusion, that Start11 is deactivating itself by deleting its own activation file? So far I never read such of complain from anybody. So I am interested to know how you determined that?

Thanks
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #11 Top

I turned on a file monitoring and pointed it to that directory to watch for changes.

System ADMINS know this procedure to watch for changes on files and directories and NO OTHER programs are making the change only START11 is.

So the thing that I have been asking is that the activation is made PERMANENT for the file.

It is funny that OFFICE application registrations are embedded in the registry and are NOT being removed and that an old 1080s method of activation is still being used to activate a product that is known to be faulty which is why many in the industry no longer are using it and putting registration in the Registry Keys.

ALL I want is for the app to STOP needing activation every week.

Unlike others that want to HACK the software to use an unactivated product on thousands of systems.

Well we will reactivate in ONE (1) week which is the scheduled time that START11 uses to remove its file.

Reply #12 Top

Hello,
I have forwarded your problem/question to Stardock Support Team for their assistance. Please keep an eye on this thread for any updates. We appreciate your feedback and patience.

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #13 Top

Hello,

Sorry to hear you are having trouble.

looks like a bug in the authenitcation component os start11
End of quote

Very unlikely.  While we have seen what you are describing in the past, almost without exception, it is something external that the end user is not aware of.  Having them agree that this is the possibility is nearly as difficult as finding out what that is. 

I like the many new features offered that you can not even find some of these in Windows 10 but the having to activate something that I OWN 6 licenses for every week is stupidity.
End of quote

Under the account you are posting under, you have no Start11 licenses.  I would need to know under what account you do, cowen.


I have a start8 activation code but I can no longer get the software for start8 as i can not find it online at a legitimate site.
End of quote

That said, Start8 is under the account you are posting under.  It is, and always have been, available under your account.  Either of these links will help you obtain it:

https://store.stardock.com/myaccount/products

http://www.stardock.com/support/productkeyretrieval

That said, if you are on Windows 10 or greater, Start8 will not work on it.


If activation files are being removed there are two reasons.  Firstly a machine is being deactivated due to user action or too many activations of a key (installed on say 6 machines with 5 licences).  Secondly a tool to 'cleanup unused files' is deleting the files. This is the most likely reason.
End of quote

Neil is correct here. Users are sometimes using the same key to activate many PCs.  A license has exceeded its activation limit and the user, via an activate prompt telling them so, is deactivating everything else to activate on the PC they are on.  Its a matter of time before one of the other PCs that was last silently trying to reactivate starts to complain that it cant. 


Looked like the software reinstalled itself upon a reboot.
End of quote

There is no mechanism in the app or the installer that would do this, cowen.  However, if this is being used in an 'EMS' environment - where IT admins police the software that is on any PC they manage - there are many apps \ policies they would use to restrict what software is on them. It would be most prudent to reach out to them to see if they could provide some inside there. 

If this is not managed by IT staff, if you own any Maleware products or 3rd party Antivirus software, please check their logs to see if either of them is removing the activation file.

If you do not find anything, I need to know the account you have your license under.  You can PM me the email address like in this example:

Sean Drohan
Stardock Product Lifecycle Manager

 

 

Reply #14 Top

StartX11 5 pack
StartX11 1 pack
File name Start11-fs-setup_sd.exe
chro4@aol.com

This is what was sent to me from the site upon payment for the activation

And so far it has only been used on a SINGLE laptop, this one.

so not sure why the site sent me these codes and you can not find them.

But when I Enter my chris.owen09@gmail.com it says NOT the correct email and only works with chro4@aol.com

Edit by moderator: Please do not post serial numbers in public forum!

JanOscar, moderator

Reply #15 Top

Someone is telling me your site is sending counterfeit numbers so is a reason that the app is self-deleting the license when I have 6 and ONLY installing them on ONE single machine.

Make that Make sense 6 license and the APP thinks it is being used on more than one system and YOU Clearly can tell if it is used on one or more than the number of machines licensed.

The easy solution is to make the app permanently licensed to a certain number of licenses.

Microsoft does this and is very good at that.

 

Reply #16 Top

I think it best to wait for Support to check and reply to your previous post. No reason to speculate information that is not true. I really don't think Stardock send out "counterfeit" key numbers without any logical reason to do so.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant