Start11 group - blank icons and blank icons do not open program

from Stardock Forums

I just installed Start11 v2.  After pinning several programs and apps to the Start Menu, I noticed many of them now have blank icons.  They were not blank before Start11 was installed. 

In addition, many of those blank icons, but not all, no longer work at all.  The message is displayed that Windows cannot find the app or program and says to make sure the name is typed correctly.  These were programs already install on the Windows computer before Start11 was installed.  Has anyone else seen either of these behaviors?  Any suggestions on recovering from the mess that now goes through my Start11 menu?

stardock software
26,695 views 25 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Need to know few more details on your system.

  1. Windows 10/11 full version number. Use Winver.exe.
  2. Start11v2 version number.
  3. How you usually pin those program?
  4. Screenshots please

Thank you.
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Windows version:

Start11 version:

 

I pinned the programs and apps by going to Start - All apps - right click desired program/app and select Pin to Start prior to installing Start11.

Here's what the blank icons look like either by themselves or in a group:

And when I try to open one of the blank icons from the Start11 menu:

Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

If you do the same again, but via the Start11 menu. Does the icons appear correctly?

Also, please consider updating your Windows version to current V23H2 for better compatibility.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

If you notice the screen shot, there are blank icons in the Start11 pinned section.  Installing Start11 made them blank.  These blank icons were not blank prior to installing Start11.

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Yes, I know that, just as a test, try to pin it again and see if you pin it now with Start11 installed while on Start11 start menu does the pinned item icon show up properly?

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

can you use the backup settings feature in start11 and then send me a private message with a link to that file hosted somewhere online?

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

Since the icon is ghosted/blank now on the Start menu - All Apss, it is ghosted/blank when pinned anywhere.  The blank/ghosted icon works from the Start menu - All Apps, however it does not work when pinned using Start11 to either the Pinned, Start11 sections whether an icon by itself or in a group.

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

Have you send Neil your backup setting as requested above?

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top

I ran the Start Menu troubleshooter.  There were no problems found.

I ran the DISM commands and SFC command to rebuild the icon and thumbnail cache.  The problem persists.

I am seriously considering trying this all a couple of other computers since I purchased a multi-user license, or even uninstalling Start11 on this PC and attempting to fix everything on the Start menu again for ghosted/blank icons (if I can) and reinstalling Start11.  This is very frustrating to have this kind of problem with the product.  Stardock has historically caused me no problems like this before.

Like this PC, I have Windows 11 on another and Windows 10 on the other.

Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top

I assume, you have PMed Neil as he requested above. So should wait for him to come back with any help on your issue.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #14 from Stardock Forums Top

We do not seem to be able to reproduce this here, but your Windows version is extremely behind being 21H2 rather than 23H2.

Is there a reason for having such an old version?

A couple of extra questions

1) Does it show the icons correctly in the all apps list?

2) If you launch one of the pinned apps from the all apps list instead and then sign out and in again, does the pinned item now work correctly with an icon etc?

Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top

I just now ran Windows Update. It says I am up to date.  I checked the history and it's never even attempted to install 23H2.

All of my icons showed correction in the All Apps list prior to installation of Start11.  Once I started pinning apps to Start11, some are now ghosted/blank.

I will attempt signing out and back into Windows following the launching of ghosted/blank icon from the All Apps list, and reattempting to launch it from a pinned section.  I'll post the results later.

Reply #16 from Stardock Forums Top

I don't think I can get anything newer than 21H2.  To go to 23H2, you have to be at 22H2.  I can't update to 22H2 because it says my PC doesn't qualify.  Dead end it appears.

Reply #17 from Stardock Forums Top

What is your system spec, if I may know?

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #19 from Stardock Forums Top

  IObit SysInfo Report

 Operation System          Microsoft Windows 11 Home

Processor          AMD Ryzen 5 2400G with Radeon Vega Graphics

Memory          2.1 GB Free (9.9 GB Total)

Graphics Card          AMD Radeon(TM) RX Vega 11 Graphics (2.0 GB)

Monitor          ViewSonic VA2702w (1920 x 1080 @ 60 Hz)

Disk Storage          7657.7 GB Free of 12972.2 GB

Audio          AMD Streaming Audio Device

Motherboard          HP (8433)

Mouse          USB Input Device

Keyboard          Microsoft Hardware USB Keyboard

Operating System          

          OS Name          Microsoft Windows 11 Home

          OS Version          10.0.22631

          Product ID          00325-81228-93989-AAOEM

          System Up Time          3/15/2024 12:45:57 PM

          Internet Explorer Version          11.1.22621.0

          Microsoft DirectX Version          DirectX 12

          OpenGL Version          10.0.22621.2506 (WinBuild.160101.0800)

Central Processor          

          CPU Name          AMD Ryzen 5 2400G with Radeon Vega Graphics

          Number of Logical Processors          8

          Code Name          Model 1, Stepping 0

          Manufacturer          AuthenticAMD

          Current Clock Speed          3600 Mhz

          Max Clock Speed          3600 Mhz

          Voltage          1.5V

          External Clock          100 Mhz

          Serial Number          178BFBFF00810F10

          CPU ID          AMD64 Family 23 Model 17 Stepping 0

          Socket Designation          AM4

          L1 - Cache          384 KB

          L2 - Cache          2048 KB

          L3 - Cache          4096 KB

Motherboard          

          Model          8433

          Manufacturer          HP

          Serial Number          PGSYE0L0GBHE05

          BIOS Name          F.54

          BIOS Vendor          AMI

          SMBIOS Version          F.54

          BIOS Date          3/22/2022

BIOS Features          

          PCI is supported          Yes

          Plug and Play is supported          Yes

          BIOS is Upgradable (Flash)          Yes

          BIOS shadowing is allowed          Yes

          Boot from CD is supported          Yes

          Selectable Boot is supported          Yes

          EDD (Enhanced Disk Drive) Specification is supported          Yes

          Int 5h, Print Screen Service is supported          Yes

          Int 9h, 8042 Keyboard services are supported          Yes

          Int 14h, Serial Services are supported          Yes

          Int 17h, printer services are supported          Yes

          ACPI supported          Yes

          USB Legacy is supported          Yes

Memory Resource          

          Total Memory          9.9 GB

          Used Memory          7.8 GB

          Free Memory          2.1 GB

          Memory Usage          78%

Physical Memory          

          Memory Bank          P0 CHANNEL A

          Description          Physical Memory 0

          Device Locator          DIMM 0

          Capacity          8.0 GB

          Speed          2666 Mhz

          Manufacturer          Samsung

          Data Width          64 bit

          Memory Type          Unknown

          Form Factor          DIMM

Physical Memory          

          Memory Bank          P0 CHANNEL B

          Description          Physical Memory 1

          Device Locator          DIMM 0

          Capacity          4.0 GB

          Speed          2666 Mhz

          Manufacturer          Samsung

          Data Width          64 bit

          Memory Type          Unknown

          Form Factor          DIMM

Video Adapter          

          Name          AMD Radeon(TM) RX Vega 11 Graphics

          Video Processor          AMD Radeon Graphics Processor (0x15DD)

          Manufacturer          Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.

          Video Architecture          VGA

          DAC Type          Internal DAC(400MHz)

          Memory Size          2.0 GB

          Memory Type          Unknown

          Video Mode          1920 x 1080 x 4294967296 colors

          Current Refresh Rate          60 Hz

          Driver Version          31.0.21031.1005

          Driver Date          8/24/2023

IDE Controller          

          Name          Standard SATA AHCI Controller

          Manufacturer          Standard SATA AHCI Controller

          Status          OK

IDE Controller          

          Name          AMD SATA Controller

          Manufacturer          AMD

          Status          OK

VirtualBox Host-Only Network          

          Product Name          VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter

          Service Name          VBoxNetAdp

          Manufacturer          Oracle Corporation

          MAC Address          0A:00:27:00:00:0A

Ethernet          

          Product Name          Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller

          Service Name          rt640x64

          Manufacturer          Realtek

          MAC Address          F4:39:09:32:51:55

Wi-Fi          

          Product Name          Realtek RTL8821CE 802.11ac PCIe Adapter

          Service Name          RTWlanE

          Manufacturer          Realtek Semiconductor Corp.

          MAC Address          80:2B:F9:C9:4F:17

Sound Device          

          Name          AMD Streaming Audio Device

          Manufacturer          AMD

          Status          OK

Sound Device          

          Name          AMD Streaming Audio Device

          Manufacturer          AMD

          Status          OK

Sound Device          

          Name          AMD Streaming Audio Device

          Manufacturer          AMD

          Status          OK

Sound Device          

          Name          AMD Streaming Audio Device

          Manufacturer          AMD

          Status          OK

Sound Device          

          Name          AMD Streaming Audio Device

          Manufacturer          AMD

          Status          OK

Mouse          

          Name          USB Input Device

          Manufacturer          (Standard system devices)

          Buttons          0

          Status          OK

Keyboard          

          Name          Microsoft Hardware USB Keyboard

          Description          Enhanced (101- or 102-key)

          Function Keys          12

          Status          OK

USB Controller          

          Product Name          AMD USB 3.10 eXtensible Host Controller - 1.10 (Microsoft)

          Manufacturer          Generic USB xHCI Host Controller

          Protocol Supported          Universal Serial Bus

          Status          OK

USB Controller          

          Product Name          AMD USB 3.10 eXtensible Host Controller - 1.10 (Microsoft)

          Manufacturer          Generic USB xHCI Host Controller

          Protocol Supported          Universal Serial Bus

          Status          OK

USB Controller          

          Product Name          AMD USB 3.10 eXtensible Host Controller - 1.10 (Microsoft)

          Manufacturer          Generic USB xHCI Host Controller

          Protocol Supported          Universal Serial Bus

          Status          OK

 

Reply #20 from Stardock Forums Top

We have made some changes to the 2.07 beta which may help with this.

Reply #21 from Stardock Forums Top

It appears that my problem now is that once the initial installation of Start11 created a passel of ghost/blank icons, especially Windows apps, is how to get the real icons all back.  I don't believe there is any good solution for that out there.  I have tried several suggestion ways to get them back, all to no avail.

Reply #22 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting stlcardinalsfan, reply 21

It appears that my problem now is that once the initial installation of Start11 created a passel of ghost/blank icons, especially Windows apps, is how to get the real icons all back.  I don't believe there is any good solution for that out there.  I have tried several suggestion ways to get them back, all to no avail.
End of stlcardinalsfan's quote

Did you try the beta build as that has a new method to handle a failure case for getting an icon.

Reply #23 from Stardock Forums Top

I looked for the beta version on the Stardock website, but wasn't able to locate it.

Reply #24 from Stardock Forums Top

If you goes to https://store.stardock.com/myaccount/products. You should see something like screenshot below. And a beta version download link should appear next to the official release download link. Below is for Curtains. If you have Start11v2 Standalone purchase you should also have something similar to that. If you don't, please post a screenshot of your account product page. Remember to blank off those keys.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #25 from Stardock Forums Top

I found the beta version.  Sadly it did nothing different.  

On a whim, I uninstalled the beta version and reinstalled it.  Still no difference.

Finally I uninstalled the beta version once more and checked the status of All Apps.  Without Start11 installed, all icons are no longer blank/ghosted.  And once pinned to the start menu, all items execute without error.

It looks like to me I will not be installing Start11 until more revisions are made.