# Windows Explorer crashes



## skeet23 (Oct 10, 2010)

Hey

So I recently upgraded to Windows 8, and windows explorer keeps crashing. This did happen before the upgrade, but appears to have gotten more annoying now.

Some times I have noticed it happening: While watching a video and then returning to desktop, it has closed. While copying files (often!). And then every now and again inbetween.

Please let me know what other details you need, its really frustrating and help would be appreciated,


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

One somewhat drastic option you have is to backup your personal data, installation files, & product keys to external storage, and reinstall Windows 8 using the "Custom" option, and let Windows 8 reformat the hard drive & reinstall onto a fresh partition. Opt to 'keep nothing' from the previous system. It sounds like a leftover from your troubled Windows 7 installation has migrated to your Windows 8 installation.
_______________

Otherwise, it's the usual troubleshooting steps.
1) Research your installed software's compatibility.
2) Run extensive malware scans. (a few from bootable media, if possible - such as Windows Defender Offline, AVG Rescue CD, Avira Rescue CD)
3) Check in Event Viewer for items listed just before & just after problem events.
4) Run diagnostics on your system hardware (especially hard drive & memory).
5) Make sure all available Windows Updates have installed successfully. (This does not include optional updates).
6) Check on your manufacturer's support website for any listed "known issues" with your PC. Especially watch for updates to the Bios, driver updates, and updates to any manufacturer-provided applets for power management, networking, etc.
7) Look the the Control Panel's Action Center for any listed issues.

Regarding software compatibility: if you have any third-party file utilities that concern compression, specialized file extension handling, etc -- temporarily uninstall these & see if the issues resolve. Research at the support website for your antivirus product, too -- as updates can often resolve incompatibilities that crop up. 

Best of luck
. . . Gary


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

late note: I assumed that by "Windows Explorer" you meant "File Explorer" (its new name in Windows 8).


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## skeet23 (Oct 10, 2010)

Hey I checked the event viewer and I think these are the ones relating to my issues, if this at all helps to get a solution that doesnt inlclude re-installing the OS. There are 2 events a few seconds appart, both are below.

*************************

- System 

- Provider 

[ Name] Windows Error Reporting 

- EventID 1001 

[ Qualifiers] 0 

Level 4 

Task 0 

Keywords 0x80000000000000 

- TimeCreated 

[ SystemTime] 2013-02-23T17:52:59.000000000Z 

EventRecordID 11172 

Channel Application 

Computer Rita-PC 

Security 


- EventData 


0 
APPCRASH 
Not available 
0 
explorer.exe 
6.2.9200.16384 
50107dbc 
ntdll.dll 
6.2.9200.16384 
5010acd2 
c000071f 
000000000011802b 


C:\Users\Rita\AppData\Local\Temp\WER8481.tmp.appcompat.txt C:\Users\Rita\AppData\Local\Temp\WER84A2.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml C:\Users\Rita\AppData\Local\Temp\WER853F.tmp.hdmp C:\Users\Rita\AppData\Local\Temp\WER9D0E.tmp.dmp 
C:\Users\Rita\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportQueue\AppCrash_explorer.exe_fe3ad58ed5d241e83a73fc9a33e938887cbd84_cab_4241b594 

0 
d41276c4-7de1-11e2-be66-446d579ee9a8 
4 

*********************

- System 

- Provider 

[ Name] Windows Error Reporting 

- EventID 1001 

[ Qualifiers] 0 

Level 4 

Task 0 

Keywords 0x80000000000000 

- TimeCreated 

[ SystemTime] 2013-02-23T17:53:01.000000000Z 

EventRecordID 11174 

Channel Application 

Computer Rita-PC 

Security 


- EventData 

72303212 
4 
APPCRASH 
Not available 
0 
explorer.exe 
6.2.9200.16384 
50107dbc 
ntdll.dll 
6.2.9200.16384 
5010acd2 
c000071f 
000000000011802b 


C:\Users\Rita\AppData\Local\Temp\WER8481.tmp.appcompat.txt C:\Users\Rita\AppData\Local\Temp\WER84A2.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml C:\Users\Rita\AppData\Local\Temp\WER853F.tmp.hdmp C:\Users\Rita\AppData\Local\Temp\WER9D0E.tmp.dmp 
C:\Users\Rita\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\AppCrash_explorer.exe_fe3ad58ed5d241e83a73fc9a33e938887cbd84_4241bfc5 

0 
d41276c4-7de1-11e2-be66-446d579ee9a8 
0 
60953495a7376025d982963c2a359dfb


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

The techs in our TSF BSOD ("blue screen of death") have a lot of experience with dump analysis - though usually they are inspecting blue screens (Windows OS crashes) rather than a program crash (which is what you are experiencing). Should we make no headway here, you could try some steps on their forum, and then see if you want to attach the dump files there or not.

In the meantime:
There are a few "known issues" that can cause explorer.exe crashes in Windows 8:
1) Some file-extension programs (programs that specialize in opening various forms of files - viewers and players, mainly).
2) Some third-party codecs. First try uninstalling, & check to see if the issues are resolved. Should you need a quick way to get Windows-8 compatible codecs (since DVD movie playback codecs were not included "in the box" for Windows-8), you can simply download and install the free version of VLC Media Player.
3) Some interface software (those that change the "look" and "menus" of Windows 8). The most well-known are Stardoc products (such as Start8) and Classic Shell. If you have such a product, try uninstalling it & see if that keeps explorer from crashing. You can later try installing a more recent, updated version of your interface product later, if desired.

And do try some of the other items in the list from my first post: malware scans, hardware diagnostics, Windows Updates, Control Panel's Problem Center, and your manufacturer's support site. At your manufacturer site, you'll be looking for updated drivers and Bios updates.

Best of luck
. . . Gary


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