Windows 10: File Explorer from taskbar not responding/crashing

Question

Purchased new PC with Windows 10 about a month ago. Did not have any problems until few days ago: File Explorer shortcut on the taskbar is not responding-- after clicking the icon, it will just not open the window at all. after 5 seconds or so the screen blinks once as if it crashes then nothing happens.

Opening File Explorer from Windows button opens fine without any problems.

Here is what I have tried but did NOT fix:

• Unpinned from taskbar, then repinned after opening through Windows button did not work.

• Control Panel, searched/opened File Explorer and opened File Explorer Options. At the top of window, I changed Open File Explorer to: This PC (from quick access.)

• cleaning with ccleaner

• maintenance with Glary Utilities

• updating Windows

• restarting computer

• open Registry Editor In the left pane, Navigate through HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE to reach the following key path SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Approved Now in the right pane, locate the entry named {289AF617-1CC3-42A6-926C-E6A863F0E3BA} Double click this entry to Modify Set the Value data to 0 and click OK button to save your changes Restart the machine to get rid to Windows explorer crashes due to DLNA shell extension

Nothing worked so far, I'd appreciate your advice.

Answer 1

Update the drivers with your PC manufacturer driver update utility (for me Dell). It updated 5 drivers and the BIOS that the MS update utility did not update. This fixed it for me 24 hours so far.

Answer 2

you can only make a shortcut that stacks, if you right click and create shortcut.

if you decide to make a shortcut point to a different path by editing the properites, it loses its ability to stack somehow.

for instance:

1. %windir%\explorer.exe c:\

if i edited that in properties and changed it to a different folder it would lose the stacking property.

i need to physically right click in windows and create shortcut to the new path, and not in the same folder as the existing one:

new path:

2. %windir%\explorer.exe c:\

make shortcut in here: %AppData%\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar

drag that shortcut to taskbar and pin it