Start11 doesn't start at startup and high-cpu Explorer process

from Stardock.net Forums

Hello, since a couple of weeks I am experiencing a rather annoying issue with my PC running Windows 11 23H2, with February 2024 patches.

At boot time, Start11 doesn't not show. Instead, the Explorer is consuming constantly about 15% of CPU time, and looking deeper in the process details it appears all the consumed CPU time is eaten by a thread hooked to a Start10_64.dll entry point. As said, it seems this happens since the installation of the latest Microsoft patches, and it happens both with the latest Start11 non-beta version, as well as with the latest beta version (2.06.3) which I am currently running.

Matter of fact, by killing and restarting the Explorer process normally it starts also Start11 and the system behaves as it should (that is, CPU is not consumed, Explorer process is at its typical CPU usage, i.e. 0.5 to 2%)

I am attaching a couple of screen snapshots showing the reported issue.

Thanks!

everything else
82,302 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Are you able to install 2.0.6.4 and use windbg to break into explorer and create a dmp file?

Or use process explorer there to get a full stack for the thread.

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Reply #2 from Stardock.net Forums Top

I am already with 2.0.6.4. I can't reboot the PC right now, but I can surely extract the thread's full stack with ProcExp and eventually the dump, depending if I have windbg installed or not.

I'll let you know later.

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Reply #3 from Stardock.net Forums Top

OK, here is the full stack:

ntoskrnl.exe!KeSynchronizeExecution+0x7f36
ntoskrnl.exe!KeLowerIrql+0x1a15
ntoskrnl.exe!KeLowerIrql+0x3bf7
ntoskrnl.exe!KeWaitForSingleObject+0x256
ntoskrnl.exe!KeSetTimer+0x11fe
ntoskrnl.exe!KiCheckForKernelApcDelivery+0x366
ntoskrnl.exe!KeSynchronizeExecution+0x479c
win32u.dll!NtGdiAlphaBlend+0x14
gdi32full.dll!GdiAlphaBlend+0xd4
MSIMG32.dll!AlphaBlend+0x13d
Curtains64.dll!NBString2+0x9bc6
Curtains64.dll!DrawSkinGroupy+0xd3be
Curtains64.dll!Ordinal28+0x78a1
Curtains64.dll!PaintStart+0x33a
Start10_64.dll!RepaintTask+0xc9dd9
Start10_64.dll!RepaintTask+0x95df0
Start10_64.dll!RepaintTask+0xa2203
Start10_64.dll!RepaintTask+0x94cc3
Start10_64.dll!RepaintTask+0x94b6f
Start10_64.dll!RepaintTask+0x268fa
Start10_64.dll!Ex2+0x9d31
Start10_64.dll!SetWB1+0x82c1a
KERNEL32.DLL!BaseThreadInitThunk+0x1d
ntdll.dll!RtlUserThreadStart+0x28

I have to add that the behavior is erratic: this time, for instance, after a while the initialization went through and Start11 loaded correctly. Most of the times indeed it gets stuck as described. Maybe is there a runningrace condition with Curtains and/or other software?

If I get again in boot situation as described in this thread, I will provide another stack dump.

Thanks!

Edit: fixed. Also, looking at the stack, it may be well Curtains which has an issue. I am using Curtains 1.19.1, for the record.

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. But, Curtains is not compatible with Windows 11.

Thank you.
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

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Reply #5 from Stardock.net Forums Top

Wow, seriously? I updated to Windows 11 in-place and I didn't notice that Curtains was not among the supported software. Indeed, I was also wondering why is started to draw the title-bar of almost every window transparent, notwithstanding the chosen theme. Now I understand why.

Is there any plan to have Curtains compatible with Windows 11, or has to be considered now a dead-end product? I've never found myself very comfortable with WindowBlinds 11, it didn't play very well with universal apps and it seems over-complicated to me to the point I've uninstalled it. Maybe I should reconsider it after what you've reported.

Thanks!

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

No recent activity seen on Curtain so far this year.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #7 from Stardock.net Forums Top

Quoting basj, reply 4

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. But, Curtains is not compatible with Windows 11.

BTW: if it is not compatible, why Object Desktop insists in listing it among the available applications? To be honest, I've just removed Curtains, rebooted and Object Desktop still thinks it is installed (it has the Open button instead of Install), and on the Object Desktop Insider section I am even offered to install version 1.20 beta.

Thanks again.

Edit: to remain on-topic, removing Curtains seems to have cured the Start11 issue, thanks again for the tip.

Edit 2: after having exited and restarted Object Desktop, it has finally removed any hints of Curtains from the applications catalog. Maybe it needed a second start to cleanup the apps' status.