Taskbar not loading all the items it should

On one of my Windows 11 machines recently started not loading all the items or shortcuts it should be loading at Start Up on the Taskbar. I have to restart the machine to get those shortcuts restored. When the shortcuts are not visible there seems to be invisible place holders for them on the taskbar. The taskbar only shows the Search glass and the MS store shortcut until I reboot. Any idea how to fix this?

Thanks

Do you have any 3rd party apps loading that might affect desktop appearance / theme?

The first thing that I can think of is a third party customizing app is causing it. If you are using any such app try looking to see if there are any updates for it or try disabling it.

allan said:

Do you have any 3rd party apps loading that might affect desktop appearance / theme?

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I have Start11 on all my Win 11 machines and have been running that since the day I got this machine about 2 years ago.

Attached please see that I ran SFC /scannow successfully and it said it repaired files.

I then tried to run DISM /OnLine /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and it stalled at 62.3% for over an hour. So I closed it. Why wouldn't DISM /OnLine /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth run to completion? Is there another DISM command I should try?

Not sure what to try next. I was going to run CHKDSK / Repair next but was hoping DISM /OnLine /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth would complete first.

Winuser said:

The first thing that I can think of is a third party customizing app is causing it. If you are using any such app try looking to see if there are any updates for it or try disabling it.

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I keep it up to date but I will check. Not sure I can disable it but don't like how my machine looks without it.

HDL said:

I keep it up to date but I will check. Not sure I can disable it but don't like how my machine looks without it.

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I know what you're saying. I use StartAllBack and I hate it when I have to disable it because it conflicts with a new Canary build. The good thing is that it doesn't take the owner of StartAllBack long to correct the problem.

HDL said:

I have Start11 on all my Win 11 machines and have been running that since the day I got this machine about 2 years ago.

Attached please see that I ran SFC /scannow successfully and it said it repaired files.

I then tried to run DISM /OnLine /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and it stalled at 62.3% for over an hour. So I closed it. Why wouldn't DISM /OnLine /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth run to completion? Is there another DISM command I should try?

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Nothing will run to completion if you terminate it.

Rollback_Jockey said:

Nothing will run to completion if you terminate it.

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Are you saying I should leave it run as long as it takes?

I searched the Internet and it seems many have the same problem and it doesn't appear to get past that stall no matter how long one waits. I'm just not understanding what they want me to do to try and correct it. Not sure the subject of this thread has any relationship to the DISM command and I don't want to make things worse.

HDL said:

Are you saying I should leave it run as long as it takes?

I searched the Internet and it seems many have the same problem and it doesn't appear to get past that stall no matter how long one waits. I'm just not understanding what they want me to do to try and correct it. Not sure the subject of this thread has any relationship to the DISM command and I don't want to make things worse.

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NOt forever no but give it a reasonable go. DISM commands wont cause any further issues but will usually fix what errors there are.

I am going to let it run over night. If it hasn't completed by then, approximately 18 hours from time I started it again, I don't think it ever will.

HDL said:

I am going to let it run over night. If it hasn't completed by then, approximately 18 hours from time I started it again, I don't think it ever will.

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Agreed

Could you uninstall and reinstall Start11? It's one reason I don't use one of these programs as this does happen sometimes. I've actually got used to the standard Windows 11 menu and just pin things I want regularly on the taskbar or start menu.

HDL said:

I am going to let it run over night. If it hasn't completed by then, approximately 18 hours from time I started it again, I don't think it ever will.

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Maybe checking in Task Manager would show if it's running or stalled.

Winuser said:

Maybe checking in Task Manager would show if it's running or stalled.

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Thank you, I can check that out.

Hazel123 said:

Could you uninstall and reinstall Start11? It's one reason I don't use one of these programs as this does happen sometimes. I've actually got used to the standard Windows 11 menu and just pin things I want regularly on the taskbar or start menu.

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I suppose I could but I'd have to do a lot of searching in order to find the correct key and the program to reinstall it. Start11 is not as technically helpful as it was when it first came out. So, I'd be guessing where and what to do to complete that process. Another thing is, the problem in the opening post is NOT repeatable. It may boot correctly 9 out of 10 times so, even if I did that, I couldn't be sure it did any good. Thanks for the suggestion.

HDL said:

Thank you, I can check that out.

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I guess I'm not sure what I'm seeing. The attachment is what I found, as far as anything referring to DISM, and I don't think it is running but am not sure.

HDL said:

I guess I'm not sure what I'm seeing. The attachment is what I found, as far as anything referring to DISM, and I don't think it is running but am not sure.View attachment 89979

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I think the 0%s are saying it just sitting there doing nothing.

Winuser said:

I think the 0%s are saying it just sitting there doing nothing.

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That's what I thought also. I did let it try to run all night and it stayed the same, so I closed it.

Well another Win 11 Pro machine just did the same thing as far as not displaying the Taskbar shortcuts. It has to be a conflict between Start11 and a recent Windows update, I would think. Start11 updated about 2 weeks ago. I tried my best to contact them, they only use forums for the kind of support I need, and I had no luck reaching even that. Their site runs you around in circles. They used to be great with supplying support but it seems that isn't the case anymore.

I did just manage to find my way to Start11's forum. It seems at least one other person is having the same problem. He posted the question today, I subscribed to the thread, so hopefully soon I may have an answer.