It's not a crash because you can kind of still use it. The taskbar and stuff are all there, but it won't let you open anything. This usually happens after my computer is locked. The screen resolution goes down and you can't open any explorer windows. You can still use the Start Menu, taskbar, and everything else.
It requires a restart. I can't just restart explorer.
Discuss.
Why can't you restart explorer.exe? If you can open up the task manager then you can stop and start explorer.exe.
It's always been like that? Is it something specific your doing when it happens? Have you already done the usual? Run SFC, checkdisk, startup repair? I don't see in your specs if you run 32 or 64.
It's 32 bit. I usually happens when I unlock, wakeup, or exit a game (though the last one very very rarely). I just have it not sleeping or locking anymore.
Well here is a screen of what explorer looks like when I try and open it from the taskbar. I can get to things, but i have to use a jump list. However that doesn't work with My Computer.
EDIT
So it seems i can go to a folder via a jump list or from within a program. I can "folder up" but I can't "folder down" and go into folders.
I was beginning to think that it was something I installed, but it looks like it's not just me that's seeing this-- Google results show that there are others like us with this problem. I am on x64 so this may not be only affecting x86.
Anyone figured out what is causing this?
Since you get resolution problems after exiting games etc, my suspicions point to your display driver.
I would recommend to download the Windows Update drivers instead of using the vista versions of display drivers if you're doing so.
Hello everyone maybe a little late this one but I had the same crashes with my new (Windows 7 64bits)! and I had this also with my (windows vista 64bits)!... I had this problem for half year!!!
Both where 64bits
!!.....
I went from windows vista to windows 7(clean install) the explorer crash problem was solved in the beginning but later it crasht again and guess what! (Firefox whas installed!)... one crash after another ..
I just figured out that maybe the compatibility of firefox ×86 and windows 64bits explorer don't get along with each other it can make windows explorer crash.... this is what I think..
I read about this in a other forum somewhere.
After a half year... deleting firefox in my new OS windows 764 bits and it fixt my issue.
I trusted firefox with my life!!
But now I use IE8 and for now the problem is gone!
I see in the specification that you are also working with the 64bits system!
Well, this is an option maybe for others.
Greetings, from DutchLady:)
I'm having regular crashes as well.
The crashes could be as simple as opening a Windows Explorer window. Sometimes, it would take more and wait for me to close or move the window before it crashes.
The crashes would first consist of an error dialog message box. Then another one saying that Explorer is restarting. Taskbar disappears, windows disappear, then taskbar reappears minus the windows.
Often times, it does not happen right away. It only happens after I've used some applications for a while, like playing games or browsing the web. The crashes can occur while these other applications are running, although fortunately, none are terminated prematurely when it does.
I am using 64-bit Windows 7, running Firefox, playing games and so forth. I'll try it with Firefox uninstalled, and see if that doesn't fix it. I use sleep regularly, although I also shut down or restart at least once a week, which seems to solve the problem for a short while.
From the point of view of an end user and legitimate paying customer, I find these regular crashes to be frustrating and unacceptable.
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