Windows Explorer/Task Bar Automatically Quitting

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For the past couple of days, as well as twice today, when I click on the Start button at times, my taskbar freezes, then my screen flickers as if my Windows desktop quitted and re-launched itself. It turns out Windows Explorer is automatically quitting when this happens.

It is flagging issues in Reliability Monitor when this happens. Here’s what it is flagging:

Source
Windows Explorer

Summary
Stopped responding and was closed

Date
‎3/‎5/‎2017 1:12 AM

Status
Report sent

Description
A problem caused this program to stop interacting with Windows.
Faulting Application Path: C:Windowsexplorer.exe

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: AppHangB1
Application Name: explorer.exe
Application Version: 10.0.14393.479
Application Timestamp: 58258a90
Hang Signature: 5c8b
Hang Type: 134218249
OS Version: 10.0.14393.2.0.0.256.48
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Hang Signature 1: 5c8b525238ae0947f0854870b6e67729
Additional Hang Signature 2: a491
Additional Hang Signature 3: a491db3ffe8c8397fadcba9099b160c6
Additional Hang Signature 4: 5c8b
Additional Hang Signature 5: 5c8b525238ae0947f0854870b6e67729
Additional Hang Signature 6: a491
Additional Hang Signature 7: a491db3ffe8c8397fadcba9099b160c6

Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: aa79975773bf5de3ff2eac2bcf7c077a (129293922251)

Source
Windows Explorer

Summary
Stopped responding and was closed

Date
‎3/‎4/‎2017 6:28 PM

Status
Report sent

Description
A problem caused this program to stop interacting with Windows.
Faulting Application Path: C:Windowsexplorer.exe

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: AppHangB1
Application Name: explorer.exe
Application Version: 10.0.14393.479
Application Timestamp: 58258a90
Hang Signature: 5c8b
Hang Type: 134218249
OS Version: 10.0.14393.2.0.0.256.48
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Hang Signature 1: 5c8b525238ae0947f0854870b6e67729
Additional Hang Signature 2: a491
Additional Hang Signature 3: a491db3ffe8c8397fadcba9099b160c6
Additional Hang Signature 4: 5c8b
Additional Hang Signature 5: 5c8b525238ae0947f0854870b6e67729
Additional Hang Signature 6: a491
Additional Hang Signature 7: a491db3ffe8c8397fadcba9099b160c6

Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: aa79975773bf5de3ff2eac2bcf7c077a (129293922251)

Does someone happen to know what would cause this? Usually after it happens, I have to restart Windows to restore some of my background programs, which is beginning to get annoying.

Thanks!

Nathan Parker

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Replies

Does the same occur in Safe Mode or a clean boot ?

Have you downloaded anything recently that could cause a conflict – as you mention back ground programs.

Which antivirus program are you using ?

All 3rd party programs including your AV program will be isolated in Safe Mode and if explore.exe doesn’t crash in Safe Mode then you will need to look to those.

explore.exe crashing could be a side effect of something else hanging of which http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/what_is_hang.html may give you more info on.

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Great info. I haven’t tried Safe Mode yet. How do I boot Windows into Safe Mode? Been years since I’ve done it.

No new programs recently that would cause an issue. I actually removed some programs that used to run in the background, as well as disable some startup programs for non-essential stuff.

Here’s what’s typically running in the background:
OneDrive and OneDrive for Business Sync Client (I really only use OneDrive for Business, so if I could dable OneDrive’s personal sync client, that’d be OK)
Techsmith Snagit (I use this every day multiple times a day)
The Bluetooth Devices Icon is sitting in my Notification Area
CrashPlan (Online Backup)
Webroot (My Antivirus Software)
ShareConnect by Citrix (my remote access software)
Gyration MotionTools (driver for my Gyration Air Mouse)
Adobe Creative Cloud
ZipScript (a utility part of Lifeway’s WORDsearch; I may disable it since it’s been a little buggy)

My antivirus program is Webroot (the edition one purchases at Best Buy). I had Windows Defender set to limited periodic scanning, but when I rebooted today, I noticed it has been turned off. I wonder if Defender and Webroot were possibly conflicting.

On that utility, should I download both the 32 Bit and 64 Bit editions and run the reports and see what comes back?

Nathan Parker

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On the program I uninstalled, I did email the developer to ask what residue it left behind in terms of folders and registry keys to ensure I totally clean it out.

You didn’t mention which program it was.

On that utility, should I download both the 32 Bit and 64 Bit editions and run the reports and see what comes back?

I doubt MS would install a 32-bit version of Win 10 on their top-end Surface Book. As a result, you only need the 64-bit version of WhatIsHang, as you’re trying to find out what’s causing explorer.exe to hang. (You only need the 32-bit version if it’s a 32-bit program that’s hanging.)

If you log in with an account in the Administrators group then remember to right-click on the WhatIsHang executable and choose Run as administrator.

Hope this helps…

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It looks like you would need to download both versions as it individually checks 32 and 64 bit programs which I thought unusual in that it isn’t system specific.

If you just used Windows to uninstall those programs then there could be residue left which may have some effect depending upon the type of programs they were.

Did explorer start crashing immediately after uninstalling any particular program ?

The easiest way to boot into Safe Mode would be to go Start – type msconfig and press enter, then under the Boot tab check the box for Safe boot and then Network to give you Safe Mode with Networking – Apply – OK

However, on one of my Win 10 laptops I’m unable to access msconfig in Safe Mode to uncheck those boxes and have to use a bcdedit command to cancel that mode.

The standard way to access Safe Mode in Win 10 is to go Start – Settings – Recovery and under Advanced start-up – Restart now

Select Troubleshoot – Advanced options – Startup Setting – Restart – then press F4 or F5

I’m not familiar with Webroot or periodical scans with WD but when a 3rd party AV program has its own firewall then it will disable WD.

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…How do I boot Windows into Safe Mode?…

Click the Win10 logo (“Start button”), click the “Power” button, press and hold down the “Shift” key on your keyboard, then click “Restart”. A “Choose an option” will be displayed; click “Troubleshoot” then click “Advanced options” then click “Startup Settings” then click “Restart”.

Immediately after the PC has restarted and before Win10 starts a further “Startup Settings” screen will display with a list of startup options. Normally you would press F4 for Safe Mode, F5 for Safe Mode with Networking, or (maybe) F6 for Safe Mode with Command Prompt.

The above might sound a bit tedious, but it is really a very easy and quick way to access Safe Mode w/ Win10.

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Sounds good. I’ll try both Safe Mode when I have a free moment, as well as I’ll run that other utility, and report back. I’ll grab both 32 and 64 editions.

The freezes occasionally happened on my machine, but they have happened more this past week. Then again, Microsoft did do some form of update to my PC this week too.

On the program I uninstalled, I did email the developer to ask what residue it left behind in terms of folders ands registry keys to ensure I totally clean it out.

Nathan Parker

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It was WeatherBug. I used to work for WeatherBug as an IT consultant. Now the parent company has sold the WeatherBug brand, so I no longer need to keep WeatherBug running on my PC (it was hit and miss with the data feed anyway). I’m still consulting for WeatherBug’s former parent company though.

The WhatIsHang site said something about the 64 bit version only checks 64 Bit programs and requires the 32 Bit version to check 32 Bit programs. Is this correct or would the 64 do both in one swoop?

Good catch on Run as Admin. Will definitely don. Might be later this week before I can test. Have a fully loaded week this week. Good news is my PC didn’t hang today, so we’ll see how it goes. When it was happening in the past, it was mostly occasional. It’d just be nice to know what is causing it so I know what’s going on.

Nathan Parker

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The WhatIsHang site said something about the 64 bit version only checks 64 Bit programs and requires the 32 Bit version to check 32 Bit programs. Is this correct or would the 64 do both in one swoop?

If you’re using a 64-bit version of Win 10 then explorer.exe is itself 64-bit… so you need the 64-bit version of WhatIsHang. If, however, you were using a 32-bit version of MS Office and, for example, Word was hanging then you would need the 32-bit version of WhatIsHang to check out winword.exe, even though the OS is 64-bit.

There’s nothing to stop you downloading both versions, of course. (I keep both versions, if available, of all NirSoft tools on my ‘Utilities’ USB thumbdrive.)

Hope this helps…

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Are you up-to-date with cumulative updates for Win10?

Often Explorer crashes/hangs are caused by a problem with a context menu item. Have you added anything recently which added to you context menus?

--Joe

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Yes. I am up to date with all updates. I don’t recall adding anything to my context menus of late. Usually it happens when I either summon the start menu or are playing videos in Chrome.

Nathan Parker

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Another hang happened today just now. Reliability Monitor report is below. I downloaded What is Hang (both editions). How can I use it to tell what caused the hang? Thanks!

Source
Windows Explorer

Summary
Stopped responding and was closed

Date
‎3/‎7/‎2017 3:40 PM

Status
Report sent

Description
A problem caused this program to stop interacting with Windows.
Faulting Application Path: C:Windowsexplorer.exe

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: AppHangB1
Application Name: explorer.exe
Application Version: 10.0.14393.479
Application Timestamp: 58258a90
Hang Signature: 5c8b
Hang Type: 134218249
OS Version: 10.0.14393.2.0.0.256.48
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Hang Signature 1: 5c8b525238ae0947f0854870b6e67729
Additional Hang Signature 2: a491
Additional Hang Signature 3: a491db3ffe8c8397fadcba9099b160c6
Additional Hang Signature 4: 5c8b
Additional Hang Signature 5: 5c8b525238ae0947f0854870b6e67729
Additional Hang Signature 6: a491
Additional Hang Signature 7: a491db3ffe8c8397fadcba9099b160c6

Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: aa79975773bf5de3ff2eac2bcf7c077a (129293922251)

Nathan Parker

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I downloaded What is Hang (both editions). How can I use it to tell what caused the hang?

Right-click on the 64-bit version of WhatIsHang, choose Run as administrator then, when it opens, click on Automatically Get Report in the Options menu.

Minimize WhatIsHang to the taskbar and just leave it running.

Hope this helps…

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Can you post what it has reported ?

As Rick has used it before, he should be able to interpret for you.

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Can you post what it has reported ?

As Rick has used it before, he should be able to interpret for you.

Do I just launch the app and see what it says? How do I view reports in it?

Nathan Parker

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Have you read through the download article ?

I’ve just downloaded and Saved the 32 bit version and run it as an admin after unpacking the .zip but it didn’t report anything for me because I don’t have any hangs or crashes – but have you tried Safe Mode yet ?

Do what you normally do in that mode to see if it will replicate but with it being intermittent, you may have to run in this mode for a little while.

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Have you read through the download article ?

I’ve just downloaded and Saved the 32 bit version and run it as an admin after unpacking the .zip but it didn’t report anything for me because I don’t have any hangs or crashes – but have you tried Safe Mode yet ?

Do what you normally do in that mode to see if it will replicate but with it being intermittent, you may have to run in this mode for a little while.

Good info. Haven’t had the chance to try Safe Mode yet. Will do when I have a moment. It’s been non-stop work for me lately.

Nathan Parker

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Got it. Will do and report back when I have an issue.

Nathan Parker

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I haven’t had a chance to run more tests with this lately. Good news is so far, it hasn’t been happening in a while. Watch now that I said it it happens again. Will keep testing though and once I can determine more info and it does happen again, I will report back.

Nathan Parker

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