Recently Start11 has started updating to the latest v2 version, despit the fact that I've disabled auto-update in settings. This causes the program to ask me for an updated license key, which I do not have, and so I'm forced to uninstall the program en reinstall v1 for which I have a license key.
But even though I've reinstalled v1 several times now, it always auto-updates to v2 whatever I do. The option to disable this in settings doesn't do anything.
So this is either a an astonishingly annoying bug with the software, or a really scummy way to make me pay for a v2 license. Which is it?
Do you use any third party updaters say from IoBit?
I ask as if you have turned off autoupdate checks then Start11 itself should not check for updates and even if it did you would not get prompts for versions you cannot use. v1 and v2 are different products and should not see each others updates.
The ObjectDesktop launcher would, but wouldn't try to install automatically and a standalone copy of Start11 wouldn't have that installed either.
But it sounds a bit similar to this https://forums.stardock.com/533687 where IoBit are automatically installing what it thinks (incorrectly) are newer versions of software. If this is the case please do contact them as they are very much in error. I would also personally suggest against the use of such tools as they are prone to such unwanted behaviour.
So in short, it is probably neither of your options, but a third party.
I made a support ticket about this exact issue, my V1 was somehow automatically changed to V2 yesterday (after rebooting I was prompted for a V2 license key, the V2 files themselves were downloaded on 1/9/2024). I never clicked to update or visited the stardock site to download an update.
I noticed that a new system service for Start11 was installed seemingly automatically on 1/9/2024 just after noon for me - OP, can you check for something similar? (Windows event viewer > Windows logs > System > An 'information' level event referencing 'Start11Srv.exe" being installed) - This happened at 12:01:01 PM for me, which leads me to believe a possible system service/autoupdate function was running at a specific time.
My SasLog file showed a change from version 1.5.5 to 2.1.1.0. I don't use any kind of update management software, and I also declined the V2 when it asked me a while back.
We do not have silent updating in Start11. The update checker automatically prompts the user about updates but that's all. It will not install anything behind your back.
An install would replace the service, so all that is telling you is the software has been installed.
Are these copies purchased from Stardock directly or via Steam?
Are you 100% certain you do not have a tool from iobit installed as we had a report of that forcing updates on Fences after an update to that changed it to force updates on third party software. You may have installed it a long time ago and forgotten you even had it.
I can't speak for them but I definitely don't have any updating software installed (aside from Windows Update which I doubt would do anything with Start11), mine is start11 v1 standalone (not through Steam). I'm aware what the service details imply (that it won't help other than to show when it happened) but I'm bringing it up to see if they also have it, and if so whether or not it happens on any sort of interval or not. In my case the download occurred on 1/9 (the initial download of all of the V2 files according to the file modification dates), and I was never notified or prompted about any changes until I rebooted yesterday and saw it asking for a license.
So I'm not sure if V1 was continuing to run for those ~4 days in the background and V2 wasn't initialized until the reboot, or if it got switched to V2 but didn't prompt for a license until the reboot or what. But it seemed to be working as usual from 1/9->1/13 for me.Here's what my SasLog showed with respect to the first instance of V2.1.1.0 (the prior line referenced Version 1.5.5.0 on 2024-12-20, which I'm assuming might have been when I last rebooted prior)[2025-01-09T12:01:01] Info : Initialize: Product ID '2674', Product Name 'Start11', Version '2.1.1.0', Company Name 'Stardock', Process Name 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Stardock\Start11\Start11Config.exe'.
Edit: I've since uninstalled V2 and re-installed V1 and will try and see if it happens again. I have the check for updates disabled in the settings, and I have Nodesoft Folder Monitor watching the Start11 folders for changes
Ok, I actually changed my system time to tomorrow (January 15 to 11:59 AM) and about a minute later, Start11v2-setup.exe was running according to Task manager. I got hundreds of notifications about the folder watcher finding tons of new Start11 files being created/modified (relating to V2 presumably).
I think this might be a problem on my end (and possibly OP's due to the timing, I would recommend them to look into their setup)
The location Task manager gave for Start11v2-setup was in a temp folder referencing "WinGet"
I must have used that at some point for something and for whatever reason it's decided to manage Start11 (although I definitely did NOT ever install Start11 through WinGet)I don't know if this is something Stardock has any control over or how WinGet even works but I'd recommend looking into it to see if you can do something or possibly differentiate/separate the Start11 versions through that. "winget list" in my terminal says Start11 version 2.1.1.0 is being managed by winget and I have no idea why, I'm assuming that if WinGet is installed and running, it takes control over packages it has the ability to update and does it automatically?
As a workaround, I re-installed V1 again, and ran this command to hopefully stop Start11 from being updated through WinGet:'winget pin add Start11'
Hi Neil,
I don't use any third party updaters, and my copy was purchased directly from Stardock. And when I was forced to uninstall Start 11 v2 in order to reinstall v1, I downloaded it from the link that was provided to my by Startdock in the same email as the licence key.
This is the link I recieved and used: https://store.stardock.com/download/5788/15100110
And on each occasion, after installing v1 from this link and applying my v1 licence code, Start 11 would work as normal for a few hours or until I rebooted my computer, and then suddenly v2 would be automatically installed and I would get a new prompt about licence key for v2.
I tried reinstalling multiple times, and even deleted all my settings in order to try and "reapply" the setting where I could turn off the auto-update, but it still updated to v2 every time.
If this is not intended behaviour from Stardock, then I'm quite baffled by how this is happening. Any ideas?
Have you ever used any "Windows 11 debloat" tools or something similar, used any custom managed/altered Windows 11 install method (through Rufus or something) or any type of powershell scripts/installers?
Open Windows Task Scheduler, go to the Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows > PowerShell > ScheduledJobs
Do you see anything in there? In my case, Win-Debloat-Tools which I must have used years ago added automatic updates for one or more package managers, with the following command:'powershell.exe -NoLogo -NonInteractive -WindowStyle Hidden -Command "Import-Module PSScheduledJob; $jobDef = [Microsoft.PowerShell.ScheduledJob.ScheduledJobDefinition]::LoadFromStore('Winget Daily Upgrade', 'C:\Users\Me\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\PowerShell\ScheduledJobs'); $jobDef.Run()"'
I see conflicting information about whether or not WinGet is installed/active on Windows by default, but apparently it might be depending on the version.
I haven't used any such tools on this computer. I checked the Task Scheduler, and I don't even have the "PowerShell"-folder inside Library->Microsoft->Windows.
The computer I'm currently on is my work-computer, so I haven't done as much "customization" on it as I normally would. Start11 v1 was basically the only adjustment I made through a third party application.
I am at a loss to explain it. All I can say is we do not offer silent updating so it is not Start11 doing it and v1 should never prompt for a v2 version as they have separate app IDs.
Does your IT department manage it as they may have something trying to update things to the 'latest' version without thinking about licensing implications.
In my case the updates were happening as a hidden background process without my knowledge. I was almost certain this wasn't the case until I saw it happening via Task Manager. WinGet is a first party package manager which is likely installed by default (it is closely related to and comes with the Microsoft "Desktop App Installer"), and even if the specific method/task which might be automating updates is different it could still be happening.
While WinGet is just one possibility, it might be the most likely in terms of one which might be happening without user intervention given it's low level connection to Windows itself & the fact that this just started happening for both of us recently. Type 'winget --info' into a terminal or command prompt - does it show useful output? If it's installed it should show a list of directories it's using, including for logging, if so open the Logs folder and check to see what's happening.
What Neil said is also important, it could be some form of managed updates involving that or some other package manager, which might be more difficult to figure out or control if group policies are involved.
Lastly, what I said about file timestamps and the Event Viewer logs still stands. Event Viewer should at the very least show the date/time at which the Start11 V2 service gets activated along with it's installation (although it might be difficult to find given the sheer number of entries) - this can be used as a pointer to find out when the updates happen, which made it obvious in my case a scheduled task was likely involved which could be easily pinned down.
One more note: Start11 V2 appears to have been first added to the Winget repository 8 days ago which directly corresponds to when the download first occurred for me on January 9th, I'm not sure when it first started for you but you also imply that it's a very recent occurrence.
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