Repeated Daily Crashes of Desktop Window Manager in Reliability Monitor When Using Pen

Hello RJ81,

Thanks for posting your concern here on Microsoft Community.

Normally, if the device crashes, it could be a software and driver issue. Please give these troubleshooting steps a try to isolate the issue on your device.

1. **Run Surface Diagnostic Toolkit and check for Windows Update.**Restart the Surface after installing updates. Updates have fixes to common problems, or issues. 

2. Update drivers and firmware

Check what is the current OS Build of your Windows version by typing winveron the search barnear the Windows logo.

Go to **Download driver and firmware for Surface,**choose (your Surface model) then click Download.

Choose the .msi file that matches your current OS Build and click Next.

After downloading, run and install the .msi then Restart. 

3. Run System File Checker in Windows 10.

4. Perform a Memory diagnostic. From Search, type Memory Diagnostic and run the Windows Memory Diagnostic program. Check Windows stops responding on Surface for more info.

In any event, if the issue persists after performing the above mentioned, I would highly recommend that you reset the Surface using a USB Recovery Image. You must have at least 16GB/32GB of USB Flash drive and it must be formatted to FAT32 prior to downloading the Recovery Image. 

Note: This removes all the files and apps on your device. You will need to back up your data and reinstall the desktop apps or run updates after the completion.

To download the Recovery Image:

1. Visit the page at http://www.surface.com/support/warranty-service-and-recovery/downloadablerecoveryimage
2. Sign in with your Microsoft Account (this is the email address we asked you for at the start of the call)
3. From the list of Surface devices available, select the device that you need a recovery image for

Please note that while you will only be presented with devices that are currently registered on your account, you will also be presented with the option to get an image for a different type of device. If you try to use this option, you will be prompted to enter the serial number for that device 4. Download the recovery image using the button on the page 5. When the download bar pops up at the bottom of your screen, save the file in a location you will be able to find it.

 Format USB Drive:

1. Insert your USB drive into the USB port of your PC.
2. From the desktop, open File Explorer
3. Tap and hold or right-click on the USB drive and choose Format
4. Select FAT32 as the file system and enter a Volume label to name the USB drive, such as RECOVERY, and then tap or click Start
5. Tap or click OK to erase the contents of the USB drive
6. Tap or click OK when the format is complete

Create a recovery drive:

1. On your Surface or PC, open recovery image that you downloaded by double-clicking it
2. At the top of the window tap on Extract and then Extract all. Select the USB drive you formatted earlier for the location and click Extract.

Perform USB recovery image:

1. Turn the Surface off by pressing the power button
2. Insert the USB recovery drive into the USB port
3. Press and hold the volume-down (-) rocker
4. Press and release the power button
5. When the Surface logo appears, release the volume-down (-) rocker
6. When prompted, choose your language options and keyboard layout
7. Select Troubleshoot
8. Select System Image Recovery. Recovering this PC. If prompted for BitLocker Key, tap Skip this Drive.
9. If prompted, select Repartition the drives

Hope this helps.

Kind regards,

StevenK

I have tried all the steps recommended: Running Surface Diagnostics, Windows Updates, Re-installing Surface Drivers and Firmware, running SFC and running Memory Diagnostics. None give me issues and I am up to date. 

Is there anyway I can be connected with a Surface or Windows engineer to provide more logs/telemetry instead?

I have even tried reinstalling Windows. I got the exact same dwm crash upon using my pen on the screen. I suppose I can wait a few more days to see if it reoccurs. But I find it notable I got the exact same error code as before doing a clean installation of Windows

Source

Desktop Window Manager

Summary

Stopped working

Date

‎11/‎26/‎2020 3:42 PM

Status

Report sent

Description

Faulting Application Path: C:\Windows\System32\dwm.exe

Problem signature

Problem Event Name: BEX64

Application Name: dwm.exe

Application Version: 10.0.19041.508

Application Timestamp: cd97c98b

Fault Module Name: HeatCore.dll

Fault Module Version: 0.0.0.0

Fault Module Timestamp: c6130bfa

Exception Offset: 0000000000035afd

Exception Code: c0000409

Exception Data: 0000000000000002

OS Version: 10.0.19042.2.0.0.768.101

Locale ID: 1033

Additional Information 1: b111

Additional Information 2: b111fda7573a1e10441015376b653053

Additional Information 3: 02f1

Additional Information 4: 02f1489b0e3ef25dd4a9c89674c90c7c

Extra information about the problem

Bucket ID: 0329fc9be08ddbf2c3f9318478ced3bf (1439236000953848767)

I've been having the same exact problem lately. I've had my SP7 for a while and used the pen frequently in the past without issue. I haven't been using the pen much lately so I can't point to a certain date it began, but I know it's been popping up a lot over the last week or so. It's probably been a good month since I've used my pen. I would think this would be related to one of the newer Windows updates. 

Similar issues. I'll go to use my pen, touch the screen, the screen will go black (but I'm pretty sure the screen is still technically 'on' as I think last time I could still see a bit of the backlight glow), for a few seconds, flicker, and then come back to what I was doing. It finally occurred to me to check the Event Viewer to grab info. Seems like similar details:

These errors showed within seconds of eachother, this is the first:

Fault bucket , type 0

Event Name: BEX64

Response: Not available

Cab Id: 0

Problem signature:

P1: dwm.exe

P2: 10.0.19041.508

P3: cd97c98b

P4: HeatCore.dll

P5: 0.0.0.0

P6: c6130bfa

P7: 0000000000035afd

P8: c0000409

P9: 0000000000000002

P10: 

Attached files:

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFA5A.tmp.mdmp

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFAD8.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFAE9.tmp.xml

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFAF8.tmp.csv

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFB28.tmp.txt

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportQueue\AppCrash_dwm.exe_61834f26acb3207736bd28e17e9162b8f68ba9_0a9ac62d_cab_4e7fee89-bcd2-4f07-a697-02a15bf13b1b\memory.hdmp

These files may be available here:

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportQueue\AppCrash_dwm.exe_61834f26acb3207736bd28e17e9162b8f68ba9_0a9ac62d_cab_4e7fee89-bcd2-4f07-a697-02a15bf13b1b

Analysis symbol: 

Rechecking for solution: 0

Report Id: b6e1ed8f-e5b3-4bbb-9488-0aa7e37f6b37

Report Status: 4

Hashed bucket: 

Cab Guid: 0

This is the next one after that one:

Fault bucket 1439236000953848767, type 5

Event Name: BEX64

Response: Not available

Cab Id: 0

Problem signature:

P1: dwm.exe

P2: 10.0.19041.508

P3: cd97c98b

P4: HeatCore.dll

P5: 0.0.0.0

P6: c6130bfa

P7: 0000000000035afd

P8: c0000409

P9: 0000000000000002

P10: 

Attached files:

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFA5A.tmp.mdmp

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFAD8.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFAE9.tmp.xml

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFAF8.tmp.csv

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFB28.tmp.txt

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportQueue\AppCrash_dwm.exe_61834f26acb3207736bd28e17e9162b8f68ba9_0a9ac62d_cab_4e7fee89-bcd2-4f07-a697-02a15bf13b1b\memory.hdmp

These files may be available here:

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\AppCrash_dwm.exe_61834f26acb3207736bd28e17e9162b8f68ba9_0a9ac62d_4e7fee89-bcd2-4f07-a697-02a15bf13b1b

Analysis symbol: 

Rechecking for solution: 0

Report Id: b6e1ed8f-e5b3-4bbb-9488-0aa7e37f6b37

Report Status: 268435456

Hashed bucket: 0329fc9be08ddbf2c3f9318478ced3bf

Cab Guid: 0

This is the next and final one:

Fault bucket 1439236000953848767, type 5

Event Name: BEX64

Response: Not available

Cab Id: 0

Problem signature:

P1: dwm.exe

P2: 10.0.19041.508

P3: cd97c98b

P4: HeatCore.dll

P5: 0.0.0.0

P6: c6130bfa

P7: 0000000000035afd

P8: c0000409

P9: 0000000000000002

P10: 

Attached files:

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERF0D4.tmp.mdmp

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERF1DF.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERF1F0.tmp.xml

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERF1FD.tmp.csv

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERF21E.tmp.txt

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportQueue\AppCrash_dwm.exe_61834f26acb3207736bd28e17e9162b8f68ba9_0a9ac62d_cab_3767d09c-5b6c-4966-8889-dfbc6cddef77\memory.hdmp

These files may be available here:

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\AppCrash_dwm.exe_61834f26acb3207736bd28e17e9162b8f68ba9_0a9ac62d_3767d09c-5b6c-4966-8889-dfbc6cddef77

Analysis symbol: 

Rechecking for solution: 0

Report Id: 18daead7-4ad5-4612-8762-b37127b9001f

Report Status: 268435456

Hashed bucket: 0329fc9be08ddbf2c3f9318478ced3bf

Cab Guid: 0

I've been having the same exact problem lately. I've had my SP7 for a while and used the pen frequently in the past without issue. I haven't been using the pen much lately so I can't point to a certain date it began, but I know it's been popping up a lot over the last week or so. It's probably been a good month since I've used my pen. I would think this would be related to one of the newer Windows updates. 

Similar issues. I'll go to use my pen, touch the screen, the screen will go black (but I'm pretty sure the screen is still technically 'on' as I think last time I could still see a bit of the backlight glow), for a few seconds, flicker, and then come back to what I was doing. It finally occurred to me to check the Event Viewer to grab info. Seems like similar details:

These errors showed within seconds of eachother, this is the first:

Fault bucket , type 0

Event Name: BEX64

Response: Not available

Cab Id: 0

Problem signature:

P1: dwm.exe

P2: 10.0.19041.508

P3: cd97c98b

P4: HeatCore.dll

P5: 0.0.0.0

P6: c6130bfa

P7: 0000000000035afd

P8: c0000409

P9: 0000000000000002

P10: 

Attached files:

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFA5A.tmp.mdmp

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFAD8.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFAE9.tmp.xml

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFAF8.tmp.csv

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFB28.tmp.txt

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportQueue\AppCrash_dwm.exe_61834f26acb3207736bd28e17e9162b8f68ba9_0a9ac62d_cab_4e7fee89-bcd2-4f07-a697-02a15bf13b1b\memory.hdmp

These files may be available here:

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportQueue\AppCrash_dwm.exe_61834f26acb3207736bd28e17e9162b8f68ba9_0a9ac62d_cab_4e7fee89-bcd2-4f07-a697-02a15bf13b1b

Analysis symbol: 

Rechecking for solution: 0

Report Id: b6e1ed8f-e5b3-4bbb-9488-0aa7e37f6b37

Report Status: 4

Hashed bucket: 

Cab Guid: 0

This is the next one after that one:

Fault bucket 1439236000953848767, type 5

Event Name: BEX64

Response: Not available

Cab Id: 0

Problem signature:

P1: dwm.exe

P2: 10.0.19041.508

P3: cd97c98b

P4: HeatCore.dll

P5: 0.0.0.0

P6: c6130bfa

P7: 0000000000035afd

P8: c0000409

P9: 0000000000000002

P10: 

Attached files:

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFA5A.tmp.mdmp

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFAD8.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFAE9.tmp.xml

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFAF8.tmp.csv

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERFB28.tmp.txt

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportQueue\AppCrash_dwm.exe_61834f26acb3207736bd28e17e9162b8f68ba9_0a9ac62d_cab_4e7fee89-bcd2-4f07-a697-02a15bf13b1b\memory.hdmp

These files may be available here:

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\AppCrash_dwm.exe_61834f26acb3207736bd28e17e9162b8f68ba9_0a9ac62d_4e7fee89-bcd2-4f07-a697-02a15bf13b1b

Analysis symbol: 

Rechecking for solution: 0

Report Id: b6e1ed8f-e5b3-4bbb-9488-0aa7e37f6b37

Report Status: 268435456

Hashed bucket: 0329fc9be08ddbf2c3f9318478ced3bf

Cab Guid: 0

This is the next and final one:

Fault bucket 1439236000953848767, type 5

Event Name: BEX64

Response: Not available

Cab Id: 0

Problem signature:

P1: dwm.exe

P2: 10.0.19041.508

P3: cd97c98b

P4: HeatCore.dll

P5: 0.0.0.0

P6: c6130bfa

P7: 0000000000035afd

P8: c0000409

P9: 0000000000000002

P10: 

Attached files:

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERF0D4.tmp.mdmp

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERF1DF.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERF1F0.tmp.xml

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERF1FD.tmp.csv

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERF21E.tmp.txt

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportQueue\AppCrash_dwm.exe_61834f26acb3207736bd28e17e9162b8f68ba9_0a9ac62d_cab_3767d09c-5b6c-4966-8889-dfbc6cddef77\memory.hdmp

These files may be available here:

\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\AppCrash_dwm.exe_61834f26acb3207736bd28e17e9162b8f68ba9_0a9ac62d_3767d09c-5b6c-4966-8889-dfbc6cddef77

Analysis symbol: 

Rechecking for solution: 0

Report Id: 18daead7-4ad5-4612-8762-b37127b9001f

Report Status: 268435456

Hashed bucket: 0329fc9be08ddbf2c3f9318478ced3bf

Cab Guid: 0

Thanks for sharing!

Do you use a second screen / undock throughout the day by any chance? Do you tend to leave your device on sleep throughout the day? I want to confirm if these might be some situations where it increases the likelihood of it happening.