How do I prevent Windows 8 File Explorer from regularly crashing (about every 10 Minutes)?

Windows 8 File Explorer is crashing constantly, about every 10 minutes. How do I find the source of the problem?

It is very difficult to work with that. It happens in the background, when I'm not even using it. It restarts itself, but sometimes it takes the task bar with it, and takes 1m+ to restart. I have all Windows updates.

I'm not sure if it's relevant, but I have quite a few Explorer extensions, like TortoiseGit, SkyDrive, DropBox, etc.

Found this in the event log. I opened the dialog, and clicked "Event Log Online Help", but it only took me to a 404 error at technet.microsoft.com.

http://pastie.org/6466388

The event mentioned Action Center. I opened it and it said to update my graphics driver, which I already did, and said 3+ items are starting at startup, which I'm ok with right now since the computer is so new and so fast.

I disabled EVERY non-Microsoft extension with ShelExView and it STILL locks up/crashes!

Update: Even after Windows update, and disabling most every extension (including Dropbox, Skydrive, Google), it still locks up.

Chloe

Posted 2013-03-12T23:47:14.487

Reputation: 4 502

What have you tried already? Does it do it when it's just sitting idle, or only when you use it? Does it do it when you disable all those Explorer extensions? Anything in the Event Log? – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 – 2013-03-12T23:49:49.833

I haven't tried anything yet, except update windows. Yes, it happens when sitting idle in background. I'm using the computer, but not File Explorer. I don't know how to disable Explorer extensions. There is no option to 'disable' right-click menu for Dropbox. I will check Event Log. Ok added event log to question. – Chloe – 2013-03-12T23:57:05.453

2ShellExView might help - you can use it to easily enable/disable extensions. – Karan – 2013-03-13T03:42:59.883

generate explorer dumps, zip and upload the dumps: http://superuser.com/questions/549219/explorer-exe-shutdown-when-copy-or-cut-files-and-folders#comment667110_549219

– magicandre1981 – 2013-03-13T05:14:00.557

Wow 265 extensions, 53 non-Microsoft. – Chloe – 2013-03-14T08:43:38.437

I set the registry using the .reg file, but it has not locked up yet. Only hung, twice, and won't close. So I have 3 Explorers around, 1 to use. Still waiting... – Chloe – 2013-03-14T20:17:38.943

When I use the registry setting, Explorer would only hang. Before removing it, I checked the registry and saw there was already a setting and folder of C:\Windows\Temp\AtherosAppDump. I looked in that folder and there were already dumps. Here is the last one: https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=68A30C2CBB4255F7%21121&authkey=%21AHt-oJ4Cf4YgcoE

– Chloe – 2013-03-19T00:32:54.753

I disabled EVERY non-Microsoft extension with ShelExView and it STILL locks up! – Chloe – 2013-03-20T20:44:43.030

Try running sfc /scannow.

– harrymc – 2013-03-21T05:52:26.607

After following @harrymc advise, also try starting up your PC in Safe Mode, then disabling every IE extension and see if it still locks up. – Lizz – 2013-03-23T18:20:10.970

@Chloe have you generated the dumps so that I can look what crashes your Explorer? – magicandre1981 – 2013-03-24T06:22:06.417

@magicandre1981 See comment http://superuser.com/questions/564975/how-do-i-prevent-windows-8-file-explorer-from-regularly-crashing-about-every-10/571077?noredirect=1#comment693967_564975 . Your registry file would not create a dump in C:\Localdumps, but I did find a dump file elsewhere.

– Chloe – 2013-03-25T19:50:47.933

@harrymc I ran that before for another problem, but I ran it again: Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations. – Chloe – 2013-03-25T20:23:25.147

@cloe ok, I overlooked this. You must add the @ before my name that I get a notification. I posted the answer. – magicandre1981 – 2013-03-25T20:38:15.670

Answers

From what I can see from the dump, is that DropboxExt64_17.dll causes the crash.

STACK_TEXT:  
00000000`0e620000 00000000`00000000 : ntdll!RtlReportCriticalFailure+0x89
00000000`0e95a1b0 00000000`00000000 : ntdll!RtlpLogHeapFailure+0xa4
00000000`00000060 00000000`00000000 : ntdll! ?? ::FNODOBFM::`string'+0x1fddb
00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : ntdll!RtlAllocateHeap+0xfa
00000000`0cc4dc48  00000000`6530cb87 msvcr90!malloc+0x5b
00000000`0cc4dc78  00000000`651fc0b4 msvcp90!std::basic_string<unsigned short,std::char_traits<unsigned short>,std::allocator<unsigned short> >::assign+0x90
00000000`0cc4dc80  00000000`0ea0ae38
00000000`0cc4dcb8  00000000`651ffafb msvcp90!std::basic_string<unsigned short,std::char_traits<unsigned short>,std::allocator<unsigned short> >::basic_string<unsigned short,std::char_traits<unsigned short>,std::allocator<unsigned short> >+0x27
00000000`0cc4dce0  00000000`0dc2e1e0
00000000`0cc4dce8  000007ff`2fcdd9ee DropboxExt64_17+0xd9ee
00000000`0cc4dd10  00000000`00000000
00000000`0cc4dd18  000007ff`2fcdd9a4 DropboxExt64_17+0xd9a4
00000000`0cc4dd20  00000000`0ea0ae38

    Loaded symbol image file: DropboxExt64.17.dll
    Image path: C:\Users\Chloe\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox\bin\DropboxExt64.17.dll
    Image name: DropboxExt64.17.dll
    Timestamp:        Thu Oct 04 23:42:34 2012

Report this to the dropbox team so that they can fix it. In the meantime, use ShellExView to disable the Dropbox-ShellExtensions.

// Edit. I also see that you use google drive. This is also known to causes Explorer crashes. Disable the sync icons in google drive if disabling Dropbox doesn't fix it.

00000000`0cc4e430  00000000`00000078
00000000`0cc4e438  00000000`6530cb87 msvcr90!malloc+0x5b
00000000`0cc4e440  00000000`00000000
00000000`0cc4e460  00000000`00000000
00000000`0cc4e468  000007ff`2fbd6bbc googledrivesync64+0x6bbc
00000000`0cc4e470  00000000`0e934410
00000000`0cc4e478  000007ff`2fbf6bd1 googledrivesync64+0x26bd1
00000000`0cc4e480  00000000`0e990000
00000000`0cc4e4b0  00000000`00000004
00000000`0cc4e4b8  000007ff`2fc33257 googledrivesync64+0x63257
00000000`0cc4e4c0  00000000`00000005

    Loaded symbol image file: googledrivesync64.dll
    Image path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Drive\googledrivesync64.dll
    Image name: googledrivesync64.dll
    Timestamp:        Tue Dec 18 04:48:28 2012

You also use SkyDrive:

Loaded symbol image file: SkyDriveShell64.dll
Image path: C:\Users\Chloe\AppData\Local\Microsoft\SkyDrive\17.0.2003.1112\amd64\SkyDriveShell64.dll
Image name: SkyDriveShell64.dll
Timestamp:        Mon Nov 12 20:55:22 2012

It is not good to use so many registered tools in Explorer.

magicandre1981

Posted 2013-03-12T23:47:14.487

Reputation: 86 560

@magicandre1981 what software did you use to get this diagnosis? I am having a similar problem as the OP. – NuWin – 2016-01-21T23:08:40.600

@NuWin I use Windg.exe from the DeuggingToolsforWindows which are part of the Windows SDK. – magicandre1981 – 2016-01-22T05:12:23.760

Normally I turn off most extensions in the Explorer, as it is faster with fewer add-ons. – harrymc – 2013-03-26T09:33:53.550

Sweet! Is that hard to do? To look up the stack trace? Where do the timestamps come from? I didn't even have the computer on Thu Oct 04 23:42:34 2012. – Chloe – 2013-03-28T15:34:52.400

it requires some knowledge with WinDbg. You can get the version data with lmvm <DLLName(with.dll)) like lmvm SkyDriveShell64. – magicandre1981 – 2013-03-28T20:08:32.717

Explorer is still locking up after I disabled all Dropbox extensions. One Explorer will will just freeze, and I can't even close that window. – Chloe – 2013-04-01T01:37:06.623

@Chloe do the other suggestions. Disable sync icons in Google drive. If this doesn't fix it remove google drive. – magicandre1981 – 2013-04-01T05:59:02.537

@magicandre1981 I did disable sync icons. I will disable Google extensions. – Chloe – 2013-04-01T06:46:04.193

ok, if you still get issue, also remove Skydrive. – magicandre1981 – 2013-04-01T18:42:23.790

Ok I found the problem! Explorer was still locking up, and I found a directory that would reliably lock it up. Disabling this stopped it! SkyDriveEx Yes Context Menu Microsoft SkyDrive Shell Extension 17.0.2006.0314 Microsoft SkyDrive Microsoft Corporation No No No No No No C:\Users\Chloe\AppData\Local\Microsoft\SkyDrive\17.0.2006.0314\amd64\SkyDriveShell64.dll {CB3D0F55-BC2C-4C1A-85ED-23ED75B5106B} 3/18/2013 6:25:10 PM 3/7/2013 3:45:28 AM Yes Directory\Background, *, Directory A 261,704 No – Chloe – 2013-04-17T20:31:47.503

ok, so skydrive was the cause. You can also add skydrive as mapped network drive: http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-tips/how-to-map-skydrive-folder-as-network-drive-in-windows-8-and-rt/

– magicandre1981 – 2013-04-18T03:45:52.020

I was able to fix by resetting folder by options by going back to the default.

I followed the instructions from the video How to Open and Change Folder Options in Windows.

For some reason my directory keeps crashing when I GROUP by DATE.

Joe

Posted 2013-03-12T23:47:14.487

Reputation: 1

-3

The problem can happen with varied reasons , and your log is not pin pointing out anything specific.

If you just want to sort out the problem , try the option "Refresh My PC" (search google if you don't know what it is') . It should solve the problem as it did mine.

hope this solves your problem too.

p.s. : Your data will be lost , so please be careful .

adithya

Posted 2013-03-12T23:47:14.487

Reputation: 301

1"Reinstall Windows" can certainly fix most problems, but is a bit too violent. – harrymc – 2013-03-25T09:07:27.293

At the same time his log is not pinpointing to any specific case – adithya – 2013-03-25T09:28:45.630

1That's why he is on SuperUser. – harrymc – 2013-03-25T10:35:52.960

I used Refresh my PC once. Never again. Had to re-install all apps and re-setup email. Ain't nobody got time for that. It's only a few weeks old. And where do you get 'he' from 'Chloe'? – Chloe – 2013-03-25T19:47:02.563