Yesterday NextStart crashed on me,... or more like stopped responding. I got this log from event viewer:

(The program Nextstart.exe version 23.7.0.968 stopped interacting with Windows and was closed. To see if more information about the problem is available, check the problem history in the Security and Maintenance control panel.)

I had to open task manager and end task on Nextstart and restart explorer to reopen Nextstart.
Then I got this message today:

(Faulting application name: Nextstart.exe, version: 23.7.0.968, time stamp: 0x64cc7213
Faulting module name: combase.dll, version: 10.0.22621.2215, time stamp: 0x91091130
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x001497d1
Faulting process id: 0x0x21D0
Faulting application start time: 0x0x1D9D9100FD25CC8
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Winstep\Nextstart.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\System32\combase.dll
Report Id: 2e9ef7f1-90ce-4d7c-b78e-f0f3c2ea278b
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:)

And now when I click on system tray icon on my nextstart taskbar nothing happens though the system tray still opens on the windows taskbar. I uninstalled winstep extreme and all the settings plus removed the winstep folder from public documents and reinstalled winstep extreme, upgraded it to beta 23.7 (did not restore my backup settings) and still the system tray dose not open when I click on it. Any Ideas? Is there a registry entry that I also need to remove for winstep? I did not upgrade window 11 in the last week. I am on os build 22621.2215. Cheers (every day Linux looks so much better but then I think will there be a Linux versions of winstep... LOL )

Ok, not sure what the heck but nextstart stopped responding again. I had to use task manager once again to kill the process and restart explorer again. This time when I restart nextstart I got this (see pick)

No matter how many times I would reload it the nextstart taskbar would load on top of the tabbed workshelf. I finely rebooted my computer (which I tried before when system tray stopped working) this time it loaded right and now system tray is working again... So i guess windows fixed itself? LOL I guess we will see if it stops hanging now and decides to play nice it has been about a hour so far so good....

Well it hung up agin same message in event viewer as before. Same thing nextstart taskbar was frozen up and using workshelf to "Exit winstep extreme" closed workshelf but not nextstart I had to open task manager and end task on nextstart and then restart explorer. It did fire back up and system tray is still working.
Event viewer message:

(The program Nextstart.exe version 23.7.0.968 stopped interacting with Windows and was closed. To see if more information about the problem is available, check the problem history in the Security and Maintenance control panel.)

I checked the Security and Maintenance control panel and it shows the same message as above.

Linux *is* so much better. And truth be told, I don't even miss Winstep there. There are so many ways of achieving a similar work experience, custom menus excepted. (Although one can edit the apps menu to an extent.) I'd hate having to use Windblows without Winstep though, even on the few occasions that I still have to use Windows.

TOOA (Turn it Off and On Again) is a well known method that fixes most problems with computers lol

I noticed that Microsoft seems to have changed something in the latest Windows update with the taskbar and taskbar/toolbar reserve screen space functions, and I've seen it interfering with the NextSTART taskbar here too.

NextSTART temporarily hides the Windows taskbar and programmatically sets it to auto-hide too, so the area it reserves on the screen does not interfere with the areas reserved by the Winstep applications.

Seems like Microsoft in the latest update is preventing NextSTART from setting the Windows taskbar to auto-hide. This ends up creating weird stuff such as what you describe (and it seems that the Windows taskbar flickering on and off might be related to this too).

Try exiting Winstep Xtreme and manually setting the Windows taskbar to auto-hide (Windows Settings -> Personalization -> Taskbar -> expand Taskbar Behavior section -> Enable 'Automatically hide the taskbar'

As for the crash you have been experiencing, it seems related to Window's combase.dll and not to NextSTART directly. See if manually setting the Windows taskbar to auto-hide fixes the issue.

I already have it set to autohide in windows. But I think I may have figure out why it is having issues. It is a software conflict with another app. I been using a transparency app that makes my explorer windows and windows start menu have some glass transparency. It has always worked fine in the past but I noticed the app has not been getting any updates. With this build of windows something has changed and while it still makes my explorer windows transparent it no longer dose my windows start menu. The bad thing is if I disable the app or even remove it Next start system tray stops working. It has made some changes I bet in my registry that is not going good on this build of windows (another app the boffines at microslop broke LOL) I am trying to figurer out how to safely remove it but so far every time I do system tray in next start stops working. Even if I reinstall winstep extreme after removing the app it still wont work.... UGGG I over do it with customization of my windows but then again I would not have too if microslop would stop making it look like crap! Sorry but me thinks my lack of skills in figuring this one out may end up in a clean install of windows... yet again.. Never had to reinstall windows 7 or 10 but 11 this will be like the 5th time..

You're running Windows 11 22H2, right? The Winstep application can't get the systray icons under that version of Windows, Microsoft changed things again as I think you already know.

This said, for now you can use the beta of v23.7 to access the systray expansion area (where most of the systray icons are) and v23.7 also adds a systray icon that allows you to access the pop up you get when you left click the volume, net and power icons. A bit of a workaround, at least.

Yes as I said above running the beta 23.7.0.968. Anyway I am doing a clean install of windows 11, again pretty sure the transparency app is the culprit. The systray works when I click on the icon but if I shut down the transparency app it don't work if I remove the app it don't work even if I reinstall nexus ultimate clearing all my settings ect.. The transparency app is no longer supported or receiving updates well before 22h2. I also saw online others having issue with that app and removing it dose not solve there problems I think it alters the windows registry and patch's system files but not sure. It is best not to run it as its not supported any more. Since I can not find anyone that has figured out how to fully remove the changes it makes... Plus I did do DISM and SFC /scannow with no luck I am just going to do a clean install of Windows... I will update this once I get done and let you know if it fixed the issues...

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Disregard

Thanks, but when that happens it's best not to reply, either Nexter or me will notice it's spam/a scam, ban the user AND delete the posts. That way the topic also goes back down to its previous position in the topics list instead of being brought to the top.

Sorry did not mean to step on anyone's toes just hate scammer spam LOL Also did not want my previous 5 posts to get missed in this topic.