Constant CPU usage caused by Stardock Start11 service. Please help.

from Stardock Forums

Hi all I have a weird problem with start11 (both the old 1.47 version and the new v2). I'm on Windows 11 23H2 btw. 

Every time I run it, my CPU usage goes up and down and up and sown and keeps oscillating between 5% and 20%, and it never stops.... The main tasks behind CPU usage seem to be the "System", "Antimalware Service Executable" and Windows PowerShell". It's like they are stuck in a loop trying to solve a problem or something. 

I've tried clean booting Windows and this problem is gone. 

I turned all the different services back on one by one and I found out that it looks like it's the Stardock Start11 service that's causing this. If I disable this service and set its startup type to manual, the problem is gone. But then of course I will have to go into the Windows service list and start it myself every time I want to use Start11. After I start it and the my start menu is changed the problem is still gone. 

But if I set the service to auto start on Windows startup the problem comes back. 

Any idea why it's doing this and what I can do??? Thanks! 

start menu products
1,296 views 3 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Please try this, uninstall Start11, reboot immediately after uninstall finished. Re-download Start11 v2 latest version. Install it, reboot again immediately after. Retest it and report back.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting basj, reply 1

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. Please try this, uninstall Start11, reboot immediately after uninstall finished. Re-download Start11 v2 latest version. Install it, reboot again immediately after. Retest it and report back.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant
End of basj's quote

Hi I've tried this already actually. The version I have is 2.03, and the problem still exists if the "Stardock Start11" service is on auto startup. 

Actually in addition to this problem, there is also a "powershell.exe - application error" 0xc0000142 whenever I shut down or restart Windows if I have Start11 running while shutting down. This is a much smaller problem but still... Do you want me to create another post for this? 

WindowBlinds - Free yourself of the default settings, customize your desktop.
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Please try cleanboot and see if it help to see if there is conflicting application or corrupt admin account : https://forums.stardock.com/505872/start11-support-faq#cleanboot.

For your second issue, no need to create another post. Lets solve the first issue before moving to the second one.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant