Programs, software and apps keep crashing after 2021 updates Windows 10

Anonymous
2021-03-15T11:25:10+00:00

Hi there,

I am coming to you because i really don't know what else to try and it is becoming frustrating really.

Since early 2021 Windows Updates on both my desktop and laptop, January, February and the most recent now in March, i always had issues with programs crashing, not responding or closing after being opened.

On my desktop the most affected were Spotify and Razer software (all and any), when trying to run them it crashes with a not responding and close program issue.

On my laptop it has reach a really frustrating point where i can't open most of the programs, and even explorer/windows base executables such as notepad, regedit, services, explorer menus when right click on them, event viewer...even attempting to fix i can't because every window closes once i try to open and do something, it just crashes and shuts, no error message, nothing...it just closes after opening.

I've been looking around the internet for reported problems like this and solutions, the few i found were more related to MS Store apps than general programs/software or even windows executables.

I've ran a DISM (DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /Restorehealth) and SFC (sfc /scannow) scans through command prompt and manage to get the CBS.log and dism.log uploaded to my drive in order to see them on my desktop as in the laptop is impossible to run.

There are plenty of errors but some that caught my attention were these and similar to these that happen often:

2021-03-15 09:11:09, Info                  CSI    000008b3 Warning: HKCU violation: HKCU keys are not serviceable. Create them at runtime if you need them. Failing key is \REGISTRY\USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\Hangs\ with security descriptor  and SDDL hash 0x0000000000000000.

2021-03-15 09:11:09, Info                  CSI    000008db Warning: Overlap: Registry value collision found under key \REGISTRY\USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\Hangs\ for Disable, only one component should set this value

Tried fixing registry permissions, but having broken registry keys without being able to open regedit it's no go.

Checked file system permissions and ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES are allow on all read & execute, list folder contents and read.

I don't see this as a hardware problem because these are two different systems - desktop and laptop - and i had no issues until 2021 windows updates and security updates.

Both systems are running the 20H2 version on Win 10 Pro x64 system and the subsequent updates from the end of January/early February 2021 started the issues described.

The obvious solution may look simple which is format and install from scratch but really don't want to go through that again...but more and more seems i will have to do that.

Any and all help, tips, advice is welcomed.

Thank you very much and looking forward for your replies and support.

Best regards,

AM

==========//==========

UPDATE:

February Win 10 update KB4601319 - causes crashes described on my desktop, unistalling this KB update fixes the problem.

March Win 10 update KB5000802 - causes the crashes described on both desktop and laptop, unistalling this KB update fixes the problem.

Windows 10 Version 20H2 (OS Build 19042.867) is conflictive with the issues described above and below.

Windows 10 Version 20H2 (OS Build 19042.746) is stable and working fine.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Windows update

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  1. Anonymous
    2021-03-26T12:14:23+00:00

    Hi,

    Thanks for the advice, creating n new user works for me, now how can I resolve the issue for my main user?

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-06-04T00:31:15+00:00

    Sounds like I have the same issue. I isolated my problem down to ASUS GPU Tweak II's "Monitor" widget window. GPU Tweak II by itself does not cause the problem just this specific "Monitor" mode which apparently is monitoring in a way that is incompatible with lots of applications' stability.

    I encountered immediate crashing of applications (but not limited to):

    • VS Code
    • Notepad
    • Windows Terminal
    • Windows Event Viewer
    • Application installer wizards
    • Microsoft Sticky Notes
    • Microsoft To Do
    • Microsoft Edge

    For what it is worth, I have ASUS GPU Tweak II v2.1.6.0 installed.

    UPDATE:

    Like others, updating to a newer version seems to fix the issue, in my case v2.3.3.0.

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-05-30T14:02:56+00:00

    Hello, 

    I have been having the exact same issues. I've unsinstalled windows update several time and I was struggling to prevent my computer to download the updates since more or less 2 months. 

    After several researchs on the web I end up finding this : 

    https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?122898-GPU-tweak-II-with-KB4601319-security-update-issue

    I do not know if you guys have asus tweak installed but it was my case. I had not much hope but I was on the point to re-install my os from scratch so I decided to give it a try. I've uninstalled asus tweak then re-installed windows updates. Surprisingly, everything seems to work fine for now. 

    Hope that helps some of you.

    God bless you and thank you. I was so close to losing my mind then i saw this comment. I had this issue few months ago but when i uninstalled KB4601319 update it got fixed. Until today. I had the same issue but this time i didnt have that update so i tried to uninstalled other windows updates, didnt fix it. But thank god i saw this fix. I uninstalled GPU Tweak II and got fixed it right away. You made me happy thank you again.

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  4. Anonymous
    2021-04-23T07:51:17+00:00

    Hi all,

    Just tried unistalling my ASUS GPU Tweak II and install the 2.3.0.3 version, updated windows to the most recent release and indeed seems to be working fine.

    It did left me wonder how a GPU software could be so conflictive with a windows update - was it an ASUS problem that they worked around Microsoft and made it work or was and is a faulty update that somehow makes it so conflictive? Because funny enough, on my case, ASUS software was never the problem but other software such as Spotify, Razer, some gaming launchers, and even Windows related executables such as regedit, msconfig, etc.

    Would love to see feedback on this from Microsoft and even ASUS - i will share this thread on ASUS forums as well and post the link here once approved.

    Thank you all for participating in the discussion and hope others with issues like ours get their help in solving it.

    Thanks,

    AM

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  5. Anonymous
    2021-03-15T12:19:16+00:00

    Hi Admn86 -

    I'm Jerico T., one of the Independent Advisor and a fellow Windows 10 user like you. I understand that you're having some issues right now, let us sort things out.

    Please try the troubleshooting methods below and check if any of the resolves fixes the issue.

    Method 1: Create a new user profile

    • We will try to create new user profile to check if the issue happens on all windows users on your computer or just isolated on the current profile that you're using.
    1. Open the command prompt with elevated access (Administrator Access)
    2. Type the below command and hit enter every after command.

    net user "account name" /add

    (change the "account name" to any name that you preferred)

    net localgroup administrators "account name" /add

    (change the "account name" with the name that you put in the first command)

    1. Close the command prompt and switch to the new user.

    Check if the same issue occurs on the new user profile.

    Method 2: Perform Clean Boot

    • This process will eliminate 3rd party application running in the background of your computer along with services that are not needed to run windows. If there's any conflicting 3rd party application that causes the issue on your computer, this process will stop it.
    1. Open the run box by pressing the Windows Key + R and type msconfig
    2. System Configuration Utility box will open and by default you are on general tab.
    3. On the General tab, click the selective startup and make sure that load system service and load startup items both have checked mark.
    4. Click on services tab
    5. Put a check mark on Hide All Microsoft Services > This is a very important part as if you miss to click on this, computer might not boot properly or permanently and will end up on clean installation.
    6. Once Hide all Microsoft Services have checked mark on it, click on Disable All
    7. Click on the Startup Tab and click open task manager. This will open another window which contains all your startup applications on the administrator account.
    8. Disable all application that you're not using. You can simply just click on them and select disable.
    9. Click OK , Apply and close the configuration utility.
    10. Restart your computer and check if the issue still persist.

    Method 3: System Restore

    • System restore is where it will take your computer settings back to an earlier point in time where everything is working fine.
    1. Open the run box by pressing Windows Key + R and type rstrui.exe then press enter.
    2. System restore windows will open. Normally it will suggest a restore point(Sometimes it doesn't), if it does, select the 2nd option to select more restore points.
    3. Select your desired restore point date and time.
    4. Once selected, hit next and finish.

    Windows will restart itself to start system restore. System restore might take some time to complete and it is very important that system restore must not be interrupted during restore process as it might damaged the operating system. System restore will take at least 20 minutes or more depending on the content of the computer and the changes on the settings that was done prior to the date selected. System restore will also removed application , updates and drivers installed prior to the date selected.

    DISCLAIMER:

    System Restore is a recovery tool for Windows that allows you to reverse certain kinds of changes made to the operating system. System Restore is used to return important Windows files and settings—like drivers, registry keys, system files, installed programs, and more—back to previous versions and settings. Being said all applications and changes made prior to the date selected will be removed and needs to be re-installed if its needed.

    If the methods above did not work, please don't hesitate to reach back.

    Hope this help. Have a good day.

    Thank you.

    Jerico T.

    Independent Advisor

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