Hi, pNovo has an update on June 2022 and the question should have been fixed. 
Could you download the newer version from 
http://pfind.org/software/pNovo/index.html and try the search again?

I am having a similar issue, I setup parameters in pNovo Search 3.1.3 and once I 
click Search the buttons turns grey and the program seems to freeze (result files 
remain at 0 kb and I have tried running it several times overnight and it remains 
frozen). I have recently applied for a new license, as I thought it could be time-
sensitive, but even then it still doesn't work.

Is the activation code anyhow time-sensitive?

I've figured out that when I am trying to run pNovo3.exe from command line, I am 
getting an error that the license has expired, despite getting fresh activation 
code moments ago.

Hello, I have noticed that sometimes (or always, it is unpredictable and maybe 
system version/dataset-dependent?) pNovo get stuck. There are a pPredictAA.exe 
processes running, one per defined thread, using all allowed processor power, but 
nothing seem to happen. What may be the cause of this?