having to weekly reapply Start10 license and repin everything

from Stardock Forums

Hi,

For a couple of weeks now, roughly once a week, I've booted up pc and had a window popup from start10 to 'activate a license' (or purchase one, or trial etc). It's the same box I normally get when I've done a fresh install of windows and just installing everything for first time.

After applying my license everything is back to normal, except that any 'recent documents' that I've pinned on the start10 start menu (each program's 'jump menu' I think it's called?), and the quick access menu on windows explorer, have all been wiped clean!! >.<

This has happened 3 times now (inc today), and is infuriating to say the least (in having to re-pin everything again).

My license isn't a current active one (was bought in 2016 in fact), however I was under the impression that just meant I don't get the latest updates (not that I couldn't use the software anymore).
I have read a few other forum posts, and get the impression that something like my AV/malware programs might be deleting/quarantining my license, and that's what's causing this. How does one check to see if that is the case? Or what else could be causing this?

Thanks, and kind regards,
Joey

5,051 views 10 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,

1st what version of Windows ( full numbered version )

Which version of Start10 ?

....

Sorry to hear you are having issues.

check this link reply #4 https://forums.stardock.com/504069/page/1/#3801737

see if that works for you and report back please after testing ..

 


AzDude
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Hiya,

Thanks for replying!

Ok lets see.
Windows 10, version 2004, build 19041.804
Start10 version 1.96

and I'll go through this link and see if that works, thanks! :)

Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Your version of Windows is not up to date , reason for that ?

That may be an issue .

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Hmm.. tbh, I just hadn't looked at windows update in a while (it normally just yells at me when it needs to reboot when updating).
Have updated to version 20H2, os build 19042.867 now though.

I've deleted the start10 folder (containing the license.sig file and couple other bits) as suggested by the linked articles, and reapplied the license successfully.

Oddly, nothing reset (jump menus or quickstart) with me deleting that folder and reapplying license. So seems likely something else is doing something to delete both the license and my pins etc...

Will check back next week if it does reset again though (mayhap have fixed it?)

Kind regards, and thanks for the help thus far,

Joey

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Elanhir, reply 4

Hmm.. tbh, I just hadn't looked at windows update in a while (it normally just yells at me when it needs to reboot when updating).
Have updated to version 20H2, os build 19042.867 now though.

I've deleted the start10 folder (containing the license.sig file and couple other bits) as suggested by the linked articles, and reapplied the license successfully.

Oddly, nothing reset (jump menus or quickstart) with me deleting that folder and reapplying license. So seems likely something else is doing something to delete both the license and my pins etc...

Will check back next week if it does reset again though (mayhap have fixed it?)

Kind regards, and thanks for the help thus far,

Joey
End of Elanhir's quote

Please see:

https://forums.stardock.com/504069/get;3801994

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

Everyone's activation problems seem to be a littler different. 

  • We did identity one bug when activating with different product keys.  This is a server side error and we should have a fix for this deployed tomrrow.
  • Too many activations, and old activations not being used anymore.
    Visiting our download page (https://store.stardock.com/myaccount/products) you should be  view your keys and manage your activations (Use the ? link next to your key).  Review the computers that are activated, if you have any old computers you are no longer using, please de-activate them.
  • Other times, we suspect that license.sig file may be getting deleted between reboots.
    Here are times to check to see if the license file exists.
    ~After activation.
    ~Before Reboot
    ~After Reboot
    ~When you are prompted to re-activate.
    If anyone could you do a few reboot tests to see if that theory appears to be true?  If it is true then the question is what is deleting the file.  Antivirus?  Rollback software? Anything else?

  • And there may be other issues that we have not been able to identify yet.  Any extra information that you are able to provide may be helpful.   Detailing the error messages you are seeing, steps on how the problem occurred and what steps you have tried to remedy the problem is helpful.  Everyones errors might be a little different giving small clues that could be helpful.
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

With regards to the need to repin things, it sounds very much like something is deleting the pinned shortcut files.

Are you using AVG TuneUp to clean up temp files, perhaps automatically on a reboot?

If so it is incorrectly wiping out our license keys and given your experience may also be clearing the recent docs data from Windows.

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

Greetings guys,

Thanks for the follow up suggestions. So far nothing has unpinned since, and the license has stayed put... but then given the current pattern, I'm not expecting it to do anything til the 19th (will report back in a couple days either way).

Couple points:
I do indeed use AVG tuneup, but have had it (and start10) for many many many years (and rarely change any settings), so if it is deleting stuff now, I have no idea why it would have changed to do so.

I turn pc off every night (fully, not hibernate or whatever), and turn back on again in the morning. License (and pins) have gone through many turn-off and turn-on sequences, and have only this past month, once a week, started to do this. Again, have used this software for 5+ years now, with no prior issues (and come to think of it, I did have an update for start10 few weeks back or so... mayhap that could have been a trigger? ).

Will let you all know in a couple days if it happens again :S

 

Kind regards,

Joey

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

Quick update...

Sat here late at night, as usual, just watching some stuff on youtube. Clock turns 1am 19th march, and up pops the start10 licence request again -.-

Checked the folder (that holds the license) first, completely empty.

Both pin menus (start bar programs 'recent', and explorer quick access) untouched though (currently... hopefully doesn't change after turning off and back on again tomorrow).

If it's just the license needing resetting each week, while a tad annoying, it's simple enough... It's more the pins resetting to default that bother me (and take the time... like a lot more time... to re-pin). 

Also just checked... AVG tuneup auto maintenance has declared it ran an hour ago... so it may well be the culprit for the license removal... but why it now has decided that this is considered something it should remove (when it never has in the past, and doesn't do it with my other stardock software, like cursorfx)... is beyond me. Can it be 'whitelisted' somehow?

Thanks, and kind regards

Joey