Start11 bug: on Zephyrus G14 w/ igpu & dgpu, bug when dgpu is invoked or graphics settings change

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I'm using Start11 (v2.56) on a fresh Windows 11 install (25H2 build 26200.7462) on a Zephyrus G14, which has an AMD 890M iGPU and an nVidia 5070Ti Laptop dGPU. Any time the laptop invokes a graphics change, Start11 freaks out: a File Explorer icon cyclically flashes on the taskbar and then immediately disappears, and this flash repeats approximately once every second. If I alt-tab and hold, about once every second the alt-tab area starts expanding in sync with the File Explorer icon on the taskbar, and then contracts immediately before the icon even appears in the alt-tab space because the taskbar icon is already gone. If the taskbar is set to auto-hide, any maximized windows are resized so that there's an empty space where the taskbar would be if it was visible, and windows cannot be maximized to fill that space anymore even though the taskbar is still hidden. All of this continues forever until Explorer is restarted.

Examples of what triggers this:
1. When the laptop boots, it defaults to using the iGPU. If you start a program that invokes the nVidia dGPU -- e.g. a game, or 3DMark -- the problem happens.
2. If you change the screen refresh rate in G-Helper, the problem happens.
3. If you change to Eco mode (which disables the nVidia dGPU) in G-Helper, the problem happens.
4. If you disconnect from power and the laptop's settings mandate Eco mode (i.e. disabling the dGPU) on battery, then the problem happens.

After Explorer is restarted, if a graphics change happens again, the whole thing starts over. This only happens when the taskbar is aligned left or right, not bottom. [Edit: It also only happens when taskbar auto-hide is enabled. If the problem is happening, disabling and reenabling auto-hide also seems to fix the problem, until you invoke the dGPU again and the problem starts over. Edit2: No, that solution only fixes the phantom File Explorer icon flashing, not the window maximization bug. As soon as you maximize another window, it maximizes incorrectly and then the flashing icon returns.]

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Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. I believe there was something like this reported long time ago. If I remember correctly, this issue should be resolve if you set Windows to use specific GPU, for example your Nvidia dGPU instead of your iGPU, on specific application, such as Start11.

Here two options steps available online

Method 1 — Windows 11 Graphics Settings (Preferred Way)

  1. Open Settings
    Press Windows + I to open the Settings app.

  2. Go to Graphics Settings
    Navigate to: System → Display → Graphics

    (You can also search “Graphics settings” in the Windows search bar.)

  3. Add the App You Want to Configure

    • Click Browse under “Add an app”.

    • Choose Desktop app (or Microsoft Store app) and select the .exe of the program.

  4. Set GPU Preference

    • Once added, click the app entry → Options

    • Choose:

      • Let Windows decide (default)

      • Power saving → Typically uses the iGPU

      • High performance → Uses your NVIDIA GPU

    • Click Save.

This forces Windows to run that specific application with the dedicated GPU rather than the integrated one.

Method 2 — NVIDIA Control Panel (Legacy)

You can also try setting preferences in NVIDIA’s own software:

  1. Open NVIDIA Control Panel
    Right-click the desktop → NVIDIA Control Panel.

  2. Go to Manage 3D Settings

    • Select the Program Settings tab.

    • Choose the app from the list (or add it).

    • Under Preferred graphics processor, choose:

      • High-performance NVIDIA processor

    • Apply changes.

Note: I did not test these steps out since I don't have the same hardware. Do try it out and report back.

Thank you,
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Hi Basj,

Unfortunately those steps had no effect at all. I tried adding Start11.exe, Start11_64.exe, and Start11Srv.exe (the second and third are what I see running in Task Manager) both in Windows settings and in nVidia Control Panel. I tried setting them to run on the iGPU and then on the dGPU. Nothing makes a difference. Windows Settings warns that the setting will only matter if the software supports it. Does this software support it? Note that even when I set them to run on the dGPU and reboot, nVidia says nothing is running on the dGPU, which makes me think the settings are making no difference at all in the background.

I wondered if Start11 was conflicting with G-Helper, but no: When I reboot without G-Helper and then change the refresh rate in Windows, the problem happens.

I'm not sure the problem is actually related to the dGPU at all. When I set the laptop to Eco (which disables the dGPU) and then reboot with only the iGPU working, and then change the refresh rate, the problem still happens. This indicates that even if the graphics assignment instructions you provided did make a difference in the background, it wouldn't solve the problem I'm seeing.

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Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

I believe Start11 does support all GPU, since if it does not support any GPU, we will see lot more report from others on this same issue.

Please try Clean boot, refer here: https://support.stardock.com/space/SHC/1334935592/Start11+Clean+Boot. Try that and report back.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant