Windows Explorer in Windows 7 keeps crashing and restarting

Anonymous
2009-11-26T02:42:50+00:00

It happens at random times...but conveniently after a Windows update. I'll be looking up a file...or trying to delete a file, then all of a sudden, i see the little progress bar thing and it's closing Explorer, then that goes away and another one shows up saying "Restarting Windows Explorer"...I've ran a few virus scans in case it's a virus...but I don't think that's the case.

Oh and I noticed that a lot of the problems reported were from people that upgraded to Windows 7...my laptop is a new computer that came pre-loaded with Windows 7.

Anyone else in my shoes? Does anyone know if Microsoft is working on this issue?

*original title - Windows Explorer in Windows 7 keeps crashing...then trying to restart...anyone else have that problem? Anyone know if Microsoft is working on an update or something to fix it?*

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2010-01-15T17:15:30+00:00

Just in case you haven't fixed this issue yet. I had the exact same problem and found a pretty fast and painless solution. I can't tell you why it was happening, but the fix worked. And it didn't involve disabling my video card drivers (make NO sense, doing this would pretty much make your video card useless...not an option for me when I bought a $600 video card).

Navigate to this folder (assuming your Windows is installed on your C:\ drive):

C:\Windows <- Inside this folder you should find the file "explorer.exe". Select that and press "CTRL+C" (this will copy the file, do NOT cut, just copy).

Then paste the copied file into:

C:\Windows\System32

And like magic, no more explorer crashing :). Hope that helps!

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Anonymous
2009-11-27T01:08:13+00:00

Hi SonyBoy_Fusion,Welcome to Microsoft Windows 7 Answers Forum! 

Method 1

Please check whether you face the same issue while working in the safe mode.

Step 1 Safe Mode

  1. Restart your computer.
  2. When the computer starts you will see your computer's hardware being listed. When you see this information start to gently tap the F8 key on your keyboard repeatedly until you are presented with the Windows 7 Advanced Boot Options screen.
  3. Using the arrow keys, select the Safe Mode option you want.
  4. Then press the enter key on your keyboard to boot into Windows 7 Safe Mode.
  5. When Windows starts you will be at a typical logon screen. Logon to your computer and Windows 7 will enter Safe mode.
  6. Do whatever tasks you require, and when you are done, reboot to go back into normal mode.

Steps 2. Clean Boot

If the issue existed in Safe Mode perform Clean Boot troubleshooting to find the root cause of  the issue:

Clean Boot Troubleshooting:

  1. Click Start, type msconfig in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.

   User Account Control permission.

   If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the

   password, Or click Continue.

  1. On the General tab, click Selective Startup.
  2. Under Selective Startup, click to clear the Load Startup items check box.
  3. Click the Services tab, click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, and then click Disable All.
  4. Click OK.
  5. When you are prompted, click Restart.
  6. After the computer starts, check whether the problem is resolved.

If the issue is resolved check which third party is causing the problem, referring the link given below:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

  1. Also you need to uninstall and reinstall the problem software on your computer.

Reset the computer to start as usual  

  1. After you have finished troubleshooting, follow these steps to reset the computer to start as usual:

Click Start, type msconfig.exe in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER. 

  1. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type your password, or click Continue. On the General tab, click the Normal Startup option, and then click OK.  
  2. When you are prompted to restart the computer, click Restart.

**Method 2.**I would also recommend you to run online Virus Scan to remove any infections, if present.

Follow the link below to run the free online scan:

http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/default.htm

The following thread discusses about removing viruses and malware online:

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistasecurity/thread/ba80504b-61f1-4d71-960f-b561798b7b42

Hope it helps. 

Thanks and Regards:

**Shekhar S - Microsoft Support.**Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-08-30T01:34:00+00:00

    /\ yea im having the problem all of a sudden too! I think mine started the same time yours did. It doesnt do it in safe mode tho. I did a virus scan and it did nothing. It wont even let me install updates :\

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-08-25T22:16:09+00:00

    I started having the same problem and have ran through a majority of supposed fixes suggested on the internet. As of right now (3 days of the crash loop) I have managed to atleast get another account made without the problem in it. My mouse dexterity has not been enough to create an admin account but have managed to make a standard account in the 3 secs of so i have to dig my my into control panel.  One additional problem i have developed since the start of this is I have lost internet on my broken log on and additionally now have a un verified copy on windows.

    For the Record I have tried the following to fix my main account

    1. Logged into safe mode still have crash loop
    2. Deleted all files in /sytem32 that have a date of win the problem started
    3. Removed anything in registry that points to something that does exist
    4. Have disabled shellex reference in the registry via sysinternal suite from MS
    5. Have reset my libraries (they where pointing to a location that does not exist)
    6. Ran malwarebytes full scan
    7. Ran AVG full scan

    Now that I got a someone stable account I am going to try and see if I can work the mouse fast enough to get another admin account at that point I can copy stuff over delete the old one and rename the new, but I am also tempted to just try and figure out the cause of this problem.

    Any other suggestion I am willing to try might be able to atleast figure out a better way to fix this problem when it happens to others.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-07-27T17:53:22+00:00

    I have tried the Clean Boot but the problem still happens.  I can reliably recreate the problem by trying to empty my trash.  Below is the Application Error in the event log.

    Faulting application name: Explorer.EXE, version: 6.1.7600.16450, time stamp: 0x4aeba271

    Faulting module name: ntdll.dll, version: 6.1.7600.16559, time stamp: 0x4ba9b21e

    Exception code: 0xc0000374

    Fault offset: 0x000c2913

    Faulting process id: 0xc64

    Faulting application start time: 0x01cb2db313b2dcf4

    Faulting application path: C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE

    Faulting module path: C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll

    Report Id: 5dfcb875-99a6-11df-a05b-e5250595d15c

    Any suggestions on how to fix this would be appreciated.

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