Using Win 10 with latest updates.

Fences updates seems to have lost all icons on desktop and configure "can not find executable file "and lost all desktop icons.

I've been trying to recover my icons for over an hour and now seem to have traced it to Fences issue so step by step:

First when tried to update to 3.0.09 (prior shows as 3.0.08 I believe can't get to it now. It gave an error could not decompress file.  Retried same error.  Look for it in my F:/Downloads where I normally download and the This PC/downloads default. No trace of it other than under my username/downloads created a Stardock directory but nothing in it.

Goggled Fences not decompress and found only posts to be sure download to root directory etc.   But from the what's new doesn't look like anything from ver 08 to 09 that I need. So cancel out. But something isn't working on desktop - forget what so I reboot.

Now the frustrating fun begins. No desktop icons, no fences.

When I talk about the desktop I do not mean the Windows 10 tiles which I have never used.  I have start10 with fences with close to 100 cons etc nicely arranged on about six fences on three of my five 28" monitors.   My background picture and task bar icons are all normal but no desktop icons etc.  I find and go through every website I can find on missing Windows 10 icons.  I am not in tablet mode (set for only desktop mode) all options not to hide even in tablet mode which I am not in. 

Tried to save a file to desktop - no go.   In the view mode show desktop icons is checked (can not uncheck since thought to uncheck and recheck). 

Tried resorting icons different way,, enable desktop items from settings, Fiddled with the turn off start full screen stuff... 

Shut down, restarted, and rebooted many times to see if normal well laid out desktop would come back. No.

Then I did the least likely thing I though - disconnect a monitor.  Actually was easier to plug in a 6th monitor!

Low and behold - The fences boxes came back on the proper monitors where they are suppose to be but empty - no icons!   And of course no icons I had laid out on screens not within fences.

Can not create anything on desktop.... then I went to "configure fences" and get "can not find executable file"

OK now what?  I have close to 100? icons organized in different fences - I really don't want to have to redo from scratch.

In case I reboot am saving this note to my Desktop directory - shows up there via Explorer but of course not on desktop. 

Look in the fences directory which is in the x86 windows directory.  There is no application file in the root that looks like a fences.exe just a fences.exe.config!

Try to open a few other files... no go. In the program/x86 Fences directory it installed two new files per date stamp lua5.dll and uninstall.exe (I really don't want to uninstall if there is any hope of saving my layouts)

Tried to again "Update to Version 3.09) but won't start download.  Reloaded update page in Chrome tried again...won't download.

Tried in Firefox lets try free trial and hopefully have my registration code... huh? won't download even when try the if doesn't open button....

Didn't indicate it had downloaded, said opening but never did but found it in the download directory.

No, don't want Groupy whatever that is already wasted two hours just trying to get icons back....

Yikes, another dead end. After installing says the uninstall executable file cannot be written out because its already in use.....

I go to task manager and don't find any uninstall file loaded, not in background or processes just "Setup Application" which assume is not the uninstall it claims is in use.

Ok, save this file and reboot and try again. Did total shutdown and restart.  Back to blank screens with just normal background and no fences.

Try install update again but as before won't download at least doesn't show in lower left with options after download or when doing so.. just shows source of cachefly.net???

Check downloads directory nothing there other than the trial previously downloaded.  Try the trial download again and same issue "The uninstall executable file could not be written out".

I have serious business work to do and about 100 e-mails to catch up on.  

Well not willing to give up, when exit says there is a sharing violation while accessing lua5.1.dll.  

Now over 2 hours wasted I see by Googling other have had this issue... oh gosh run purge_fences.bat?   Someone tried revo but it would not uninstall. A video what went into the registry but ended too soon.

Tried uninstall.exe in Fences program file. "Invalid start mode archive fllename"

No purge_fences.bat I can find.

Another uninstall folder. Has various files xml and dat etc dated today but none look useful. 

Try regular Windows Application un installer. Error Windows can not find fences.exe (this is when trying uninstall!) Popup then says BsSndRpt64.exe is in use and can not be deleted! Click ignore to continue and delete on reboot.  OK rebooting.

I don't believe this.. same thing for now 30 files have to click ignore and still clicking. But trying to quickly move curser to delete missed it and canceled out.  ... this is getting silly.  I don't have a recent restore point - may have to redo c drive from backup?

Reboot

I make nightly image backups.  Wonder if I can delete and restore from prior night the fences directory or will something be screwed up in the registry?

Have nothing to lose at this point and need my normal computer back with or without fences!

Lets try just replacing the missing fences.exe file.... ok try rebooting.

WORKED!  all back except am on a trial version and can't find my Ver 3 upgrade code just 2013 code for ver 2.  Doing e-mail lookup only found Ver 2 code so e-mailed support. 

Why did fences.exe go away when tried to upgrade to 3.09 is the issue it seems that caused this whole mess.  This should not be this complicated or maybe I am just dumb since it took me about 3 hours to find the solution!