Explorer keeps crashing and restarts after restarting the explorer.exe (Pre-Release 22621.3880.66.4)

[RedDragonTix]

This happens when trying to restart explorer, and it just keeps crashing and restarts over and over, keeps flashing!

happens on Pre-Release 22621.3880.66.4!

restarting the PC fixed and it works but ExplorerPatcher doesn't work anymore, trying to restart explorer.exe again, it keeps crashing and restarts!

even reinstalling with the stable release doesn't work, not even upgrading to latest pre-release version, so I cannot even reinstall explorerpatcher

it also happens even with ep uninstalled!

OS: Windows 11 LTSC IoT 24H2

[RedDragonTix]

somehow I've managed to update EP and it works, but it's still a problem with restarting explorer

so I have to restart PC in order to make changes working

[Amrsatrio]

What's your Windows build number? "Windows 11 LTSC IoT 24H2" is not complete.

[RedDragonTix]

What's your Windows build number? "Windows 11 LTSC IoT 24H2" is not complete.

26100.1457

[Amrsatrio]

Are you using any other tweak software like Windhawk, StartAllBack, TranslucentTB, Wallpaper Engine, or such?

[foreachthing]

I can't even download it:

Bitdefender blocks it.
Windows 11, 22H2, 22621.4112

[Amrsatrio]

@foreachthing Read the warning section in the Releases page. You clearly did not read it.

I'll put this here for your convenience.

Warning

You are downloading a file flagged as malware by Microsoft. We believe that this false flag indicates Microsoft's hatred against this software, not because this contains a virus or such.

Please include the following files and folders in your antivirus' exclusion list to prevent issues due to antivirus detections:

• C:\Program Files\ExplorerPatcher
• %APPDATA%\ExplorerPatcher
• C:\Windows\dxgi.dll
• C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy
• C:\Windows\SystemApps\ShellExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy

For Defender, you can run the following script in PowerShell as an administrator:

Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath "C:\Program Files\ExplorerPatcher"
Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath "$env:APPDATA\ExplorerPatcher"
Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath "C:\Windows\dxgi.dll"
Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath "C:\Windows\SystemApps\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy"
Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath "C:\Windows\SystemApps\ShellExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy"

If you are downloading from this page, please temporarily disable real-time protection or save to a folder excluded from antivirus scans.

Issues related to antivirus detections will be closed immediately. Discuss about this in #3228.

[S2GB47]

Having similar issue with latest version of EP
After selecting update whole screen became white, restarting PC reverted to win 11 default taskbar.
I downloaded 22621.3880.66.4 setup and ran it and now it is working again.
I am on Win 11 Pro 23H2 22631.4037

Edit: Sorry my issue is with 22621.3880.66.5

[pyrates999]

If using windows 10 taskbar, open up EP Properties application, go to taskbar, and set taskbar style to Windows 10 (ExplorerPatcher), not Windows 10. We no longer offer more support on the stock Windows 10 taskbar.

[RedDragonTix]

Are you using any other tweak software like Windhawk, StartAllBack, TranslucentTB, Wallpaper Engine, or such?

I'm using Windhawk so I tried to turn it off and then restart explorer
and same thing

[pyrates999]

Are you using any other tweak software like Windhawk, StartAllBack, TranslucentTB, Wallpaper Engine, or such?

I'm using Windhawk so I tried to turn it off and then restart explorer and same thing

how did you turn off windhawk? Did you just disable the mods it was using? Try uninstalling windhawk and rebooting.

[RedDragonTix]

Are you using any other tweak software like Windhawk, StartAllBack, TranslucentTB, Wallpaper Engine, or such?

I'm using Windhawk so I tried to turn it off and then restart explorer and same thing

how did you turn off windhawk? Did you just disable the mods it was using? Try uninstalling windhawk and rebooting.

I just right click on the tray and exit

[pyrates999]

That doesn't disable it I don't think. Do a proper uninstall of windhawk, reboot, and then try. It might be one of the mods that is causing it.

[RedDragonTix]

That doesn't disable it I don't think. Do a proper uninstall of windhawk, reboot, and then try. It might be one of the mods that is causing it.

even if I uninstalled Windhawk and rebooted the computer, same thing happens when I restart explorer
so it's not windhawk's fault right?

[pyrates999]

did you actually do that just now?

[RedDragonTix]

did you actually do that just now?

yes

[pyrates999]

with EP installed, when it happens again:

1. open up windows event viewer or computer management
2. go to Event Viewer and go to Windows Logs -> Application
3. copy and paste the log of explorer.exe crashing here

[RedDragonTix]

with EP installed, when it happens again:

1. open up windows event viewer or computer management

2. go to Event Viewer and go to Windows Logs -> Application

3. copy and paste the log of explorer.exe crashing here

that's a lot of explorer crashing logs so I will post only one:

Faulting application name: Explorer.EXE, version: 10.0.26100.1301, time stamp: 0x570046f0 Faulting module name: ucrtbase.dll, version: 10.0.26100.863, time stamp: 0xa51207be Exception code: 0xc0000409 Fault offset: 0x00000000000a514e Faulting process id: 0x20CC Faulting application start time: 0x1DB045CE638E89E Faulting application path: C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE Faulting module path: C:\WINDOWS\System32\ucrtbase.dll Report Id: e63e880d-3784-4c4e-8515-ea21d22cc2d8 Faulting package full name: Faulting package-relative application ID:

[RedDragonTix]

with EP installed, when it happens again:

1. open up windows event viewer or computer management

2. go to Event Viewer and go to Windows Logs -> Application

3. copy and paste the log of explorer.exe crashing here

that's a lot of explorer crashing logs so I will post only one:

Faulting application name: Explorer.EXE, version: 10.0.26100.1301, time stamp: 0x570046f0 Faulting module name: ucrtbase.dll, version: 10.0.26100.863, time stamp: 0xa51207be Exception code: 0xc0000409 Fault offset: 0x00000000000a514e Faulting process id: 0x20CC Faulting application start time: 0x1DB045CE638E89E Faulting application path: C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE Faulting module path: C:\WINDOWS\System32\ucrtbase.dll Report Id: e63e880d-3784-4c4e-8515-ea21d22cc2d8 Faulting package full name: Faulting package-relative application ID:

the logs are the same except the IDs are different

[pyrates999]

if you enabled the option register as shell extension, disable it by opening up the EP properties application, go to File Explorer, and untick Register as shell extension.

Here's why: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/wiki/Using-ExplorerPatcher-as-shell-extension

[RedDragonTix]

if you enabled the option register as shell extension, disable it by opening up the EP properties application, go to File Explorer, and untick Register as shell extension.

Here's why: https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher/wiki/Using-ExplorerPatcher-as-shell-extension

but it's disabled already

[pyrates999]

Try uninstalling bitdefender and see if explorer is still crashing.

[RedDragonTix]

Try uninstalling bitdefender and see if explorer is still crashing.

I don't have it installed

[pyrates999]

does explorer keep crashing after you uninstall EP?

[RedDragonTix]

does explorer keep crashing after you uninstall EP?

yes, it keeps crashing after uninstall it, and then restart explorer

[Amrsatrio]

Try with both Windhawk and EP uninstalled. If it still crashes, I'm afraid that a clean install may be needed.

[S2GB47]

If using windows 10 taskbar, open up EP Properties application, go to taskbar, and set taskbar style to Windows 10 (ExplorerPatcher), not Windows 10. We no longer offer more support on the stock Windows 10 taskbar.

Thank you that worked

[RedDragonTix]

I found out the cause of this, it was Retrobar's fault!