Start11 does not launch at system startup.

from Stardock Forums

I downloaded and installed the Start11v2_Setup.exe software. The PC restarted, but unfortunately, the Start11 application did not launch automatically; the standard Windows 11 Start menu was still displayed. I subsequently added Start11.exe to the startup apps list via Task Manager, but the software still does not launch automatically when the system starts up. What should I do now?

My system:
HP Notebook, CPU: 12th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-1255U (1.70 GHz), RAM 32 GB, Graphic: NVIDIA GeForce MX550 (2 GB), Intel(R) Iris(R) Xe Graphics (128 MB), Windows 11 Pro 26200.8973.

Thank you!

Stardock Software Start Menu Products Type: Question
775 views 10 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,

Sorry to hear you are having issues. Please try, uninstall Start11, reboot immediately (important), download latest version available in your account product download page: https://store.stardock.com/myaccount/products. Install it, reboot immediately again. Retest it and report back.

Thank you,

Basj,

Stardock Community  Assistant.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Hi, I did exactly that, but it doesn't help at all. I manually added START11.EXE to the startup list. It worked for a few days, but then stopped. What now?

 

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Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Please refer to this thread: https://forums.stardock.com/536996/. Perhaps, that thread OP was having the same issue as you. Please refer to reply#2 by Support. Check those items mentioned there. Continue on down that thread, perhaps, it will help you on where look. Also, look into antivirus / security setting.

Thank you,

Basj,

Stardock Community  Assistant

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Well, that didn't help me at all! The service wasn't running, and the thread I mentioned talked about activating the service via PowerShell—but it didn't explain how to actually do it. What now?

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums 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. Thank you.

Basj,

Stardock Community  Assistant

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

Hi kaiubraeutigam, thanks for posting.

Quoting kaiubraeutigam, reply 4145665

Well, that didn't help me at all! The service wasn't running, and the thread I mentioned talked about activating the service via PowerShell—but it didn't explain how to actually do it. What now?

End of kaiubraeutigam's quote

As mentioned in the other forum, the issue is likely symptomatic of something (over-aggressive anti-virus / malware blocker / corporate security settings) treating the program as a false-positive.  

If you have anything like that, the best solution may be to adjust that to make the necessary exception to allow Start11 service to run.

One thing you can check: When you run the installer, do you see a UAC (User Account Control) pop-up, asking for administrator permission to continue?  Normally, it should.

If not, that'd be a pretty clear sign that something in your environment is blocking the service.  

Best regards,

Adam McGuinness
Stardock Support Specialist

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

No service is being blocked in other installations, either. Furthermore, the issue is that—days after any new Stardock installation—the program stops launching automatically at system startup.

Judging by various forum posts, I don't seem to be the only one facing this problem.

Even if I disable the virus scanner, the issue persists after a re-installation. What now?

It works fine when I start the program manually. So why doesn't it start automatically after the system boots up, even though it is correctly listed in the startup settings?

 

 

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

Hi Kaiubraeutigam,

Start11 installs a Windows service (it isn't done through the startup apps).  Creating the service requires administrator permission, which is why I had asked about the "UAC" prompt when you install.  

If the installer never receives the prompt for permission, the service is not created — which likely explains why Start11 does not start on its own.

There is one thing you can try, as it is quick and may be the whole problem. 

Please download the latest installer from your account page. Then, instead of double-clicking it, right-click the setup file and choose "Run as administrator".  Approve the prompt, complete the installation as normal, then reboot your PC once it has finished.

If you get no prompt at all, or if an issue remains, please let us know.

Best regards,

Adam McGuinness
Stardock Support Specialist

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

There is no so-called UAC prompt when launching a setup program with administrator rights. This was the case here as well. Even after I ran the setup program with administrator rights, the service still did not start automatically.

The program works when you run the EXE directly. So, I don't understand why it doesn't work when I set up `start11.exe` to launch automatically at startup. What is the point of the service if you can theoretically just have the EXE run every time the system starts?

 

Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top
Quoting kaiubraeutigam, reply 4146501

There is no so-called UAC prompt when launching a setup program with administrator rights. This was the case here as well. Even after I ran the setup program with administrator rights, the service still did not start automatically.

The program works when you run the EXE directly. So, I don't understand why it doesn't work when I set up `start11.exe` to launch automatically at startup. What is the point of the service if you can theoretically just have the EXE run every time the system starts?

End of kaiubraeutigam's quote

That is useful information, thank you.  Regarding your question about the service:

Start11 is designed to be launched by its service at boot, which is why adding Start11.exe to the startup list is not a reliable substitute.  Running the EXE by hand only works because you are starting it yourself, after login.

If you press Windows+R, type services.msc and press Enter, then look down the list for Stardock Start11 Service, can you tell us:

  • Is it there at all?
  • If it is, what does its "Startup type" say (double click to open properties) — Automatic, Manual or Disabled?

If it is set to Manual or Disabled, right-click it, choose Properties, set Startup type to Automatic, click Apply, then click Start. That may fix it.

If it's not there, could you also confirm whether User Account Control is switched on? To check that:

Press the Start button, type "User Account" and open "Change User Account Control settings".  Let us know: 

  • Where the UAC slider sits. 
  • Is your account an Administrator account? 
  • Or is this a work-managed PC?

Best regards,

Adam McGuinness
Stardock Support Specialist

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