Windows Update KB4579311 causing explorer to crash repeatedly when logging in.

Anonymous
2020-10-17T08:34:55+00:00

Hi, I've been having an issue with Windows Update KB4579311. When it gets installed it causes the Explorer to crash repeatedly until it eventually logs me in, at which point I can use it as normal. BUT, the crashing increases time it takes to log in and load everything up. It's very annoying.

What I mean by crash is that the start bar flickers on and off, over and over and over. The desktop is black the mouse curser is visible. when you press ctrl alt del that screen stops flickering, when you return back to the desktop, flicker ahoy! you can see in the task manager that the explorer is stopping and starting over and over. You cant manually end the process becuase it's starting and stopping so fast that by the time you click the end process button it's already restarted and the instance of the explorer you tried to end no longer exists.

Uninstalling KB4579311 stops the issue but when it installs it's self again the issue returns.

I'm getting tired of repeating the same steps over and over to use my computer as intended.

This is shown in the event viewer:

Faulting application name: explorer.exe, version: 10.0.19041.546, time stamp: 0x89ce2e55

Faulting module name: ucrtbase.dll, version: 10.0.19041.546, time stamp: 0x43cbc11d

Exception code: 0xc0000409

Fault offset: 0x000000000007287e

Faulting process ID: 0x21e8

Faulting application start time: 0x01d6a45d9c54ed23

Faulting application path: C:\Windows\explorer.exe

Faulting module path: C:\Windows\System32\ucrtbase.dll

Report ID: 0fa45953-9e3f-4a5f-bafc-ee4c5229c9ca

Faulting package full name:

Faulting package-relative application ID:

What I'm looking for is a fix. Not a workaround.

Thanks

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Windows update

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  1. John DeV 170.1K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2020-10-17T09:47:34+00:00

    Hello SmellyFox,

    I'm John an Independent Advisor and a Microsoft user like you. I'll be happy to assist you today. I understand you have a problem with explorer crash after installing KB4579311.

    It would be best to temporary pause updates until a fix is release about the issue. You can pause updates up to 35 days by clicking "Pause updates" multiple times

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/man...

    or to prevent the KB4579311 update from being reinstalled by Windows Update, use the “Show or Hide Updates” troubleshooter to hide the update. Window Update won’t install hidden updates.

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/318392...

    I would also recommend to send comments and suggestions about the issue through Feedback Hub App. Hopefully Microsoft will notice this and release a fix soon.

    Kindly let me know if this helps or if you have any further concerns.

    Sincerely

    John DeV

    Independent Advisor

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-11-03T03:13:43+00:00

    I also had this issue and although uninstalling KB4579311 worked I found that disabling the "Storage Service" service also stopped explorer from repeatedly crashing after logging in (I forgot where I found this suggestion, but thanks to that person). Not a complete fix, but it might help if you'd like to not keep pausing updates.

    Instructions:

    1. Open services.msc. With explorer repeatedly crashing you might have to do this by opening Task Manager from Ctrl+Alt+Del, clicking the Services tab, right clicking one of the items and click Open Services.
      • Alternatively, I did it by rebooting into Safe Mode. Ctrl+Alt+Del, press the power icon, hold Shift and click restart. Then click Troubleshoot > Advanced Settings >Startup Options. Once you've rebooted into Safe Mode, you can press Start and type "services".
    2. Scroll to "Storage Service" and right click > Properties.
    3. In Startup Type select Disabled. I tried Manual but Windows started the service at startup anyway.

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-01-06T15:41:54+00:00

    Hello all.

    I believe I have found the real fix for this issue. I was battling with the same problem with KB4579311 as all of you.

    The solution for me turned out to be uninstalling all the Xbox Game Pass games downloaded from Microsoft Store.

    My Xbox Game Pass subscription had ended, but I still had some games installed. After uninstalling all of them my PC starts up without any problems now.

    I believe the problem is related to Microsoft Store trying to update games after your Xbox Game Pass subscription has ended.

    (This is why disabling Storage Service also fixes the issue)

    Microsoft Store didn't show the games I had installed anymore, so I had to scroll through my Start Menu and uninstall them from there.

    Hope this helps!

    • Jimmy

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-12-11T17:52:40+00:00

    I have the same crashes. The patch that is causing it is another one by now. I found out, that I could prevent the crashes by disabling the Microsoft Storageservice during startup. However the Storageservice is needed by Windows for Microsoft Storeapps (xBox Game Pass) and Windows Updates. So permanently disabling it is not a good idea.

    Here is my current workaround:

    1. Create a Windows Task that is triggered by user login:

    Program to start: Powershell.exe

    Arguments:

    -command "Set-Service -Name 'StorSvc' -StartupType Manual"

    Execute with highest privileges (aka as Admin)

    1. Create a Shortcut on your desktop:

    The target program is:

    powershell.exe -command "Set-Service -Name 'StorSvc' -StartupType Disabled ; Stop-Computer"

    (one line)

    Name it like "Shutdown" coz that is what it will do.

    Once you created the shortcut open it's properties and make it be executed "as Admin"

    What this will do: You click the shortcut. It will disable the Storageservice (StorSvc) and shutdown your computer.

    When you start the computer it will enable the StorSvc.

    If you don't understand my instruction then it's not for you. It's for ppl that are at least a little tech savvy. I don't belong to Microsoft in anyway and what I wrote could download a virus right?

    I'm just an annoyed user...

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-11-06T19:11:04+00:00

    Has there been a fix for this? My computer keeps automatically installing this update and in turn I have to keep manually removing it. But I think now it is permanently installed, and the explorer will simply crash for 5 minutes every time I turn on my computer

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