Solved Explorer Malfunctions when Eject CD/DVD

[BobT36]

Windows Explorer Malfunctions when Eject CD/DVD

I've just done a clean install of Windows 7, installed all my drivers, devices & programs. Now I find whenever I put in a CD/DVD, eject it, then put it back in again (or sometimes just after ejecting & closing an empty drive), it doesn't load and then my Windows Explorer malfunctions.

This means most of my processes stop working correctly, (IE still stays open in the background, I have to manually refresh folders to see changes, file handles staying open, most other things don't work), the PC also gets stuck at the logoff screen and never transitions to "shutting down". Attempting to kill explorer.exe doesn't work either.

Attached pic of what it looks like when reinserting the same disk, on the second time it just doesn't load. Seems to do it with nearly any disk. It's not the drive either as it's doing it with both drives.

I did a clean install on a separate partition (completely fresh, with literally no drivers or anything installed) and I couldn't reproduce the behaviour, so it's definitely not anything hardware / BIOS related. It must be a software / driver issue.

I know the Intel Rapid Storage drivers, and the Marvel SATA controller ones tinker with CD drive stuff. Tried uninstalling and reinstalling these but still the same, I don't think it completely uninstalls the iRST ones though anyway. I also tried switching the controller back to the standard Windows AHCI one but no joy. SFC /Scannow and even a Repair Reinstall didn't change anything either.

Using a Gigabyte X79-UD3 mobo with Intel I7 3960x processor, have Windows on an SSD in AHCI mode. Let me know if need any more info.

I'm thinking of backing up my current instance and then doing another fresh install and testing it after each batch and trying to narrow it down. Takes a long time getting everything reinstalled again though, bah. Anyone ever seen anything like this?


SOLUTION:
Hello visitors from the future. If you're having this problem and have Trusteer Rapport installed, run the Safe Uninstall Tool from here: http://www.trusteer.com/en/support/uninstall-troubleshooting

 

[Megahertz07]

Is there any yellow alerts on Device manager?
Did you check the ODD cables to see if they are well attached?

Run a system file check. Open a CMD window and type:
sfc /scannow

 

[BobT36]

Done all those unfortunately, no problems there.

I even moved my optical drives from the Marvel SATA ports back to the standard SATA ones, and that was a no go either.

Like said whenever I close the disc drive the 2nd time, Explorer doesn't exactly freeze, but stops auto refreshing and then it won't log off. Really weird.

 

[SIW2]

Explorer freezes may be due to defective cdrom drive. Replacing it with a new one has solved similar problems for me in the past.

 

[BobT36]

Explorer freezes may be due to defective cdrom drive. Replacing it with a new one has solved similar problems for me in the past.

Unfortunately it doesn't freeze, it just doesn't refresh itself properly (such as if I make a or delete a folder or something, I have to manually hit F5 to see the change), and then doesn't log off (gets stuck on Logging off screen, and never transitions to shutting down). Other apps and services stop working properly too or don't close successfully.

Also this happens with both drives so it definitely isn't hardware, I'm sure it has to be a driver or software issue, something like the intel management engine or iRST or Marvel controller drivers. The hard part will be working out which.

 

[Megahertz07]

The fist time you put a disk on the ODD it works normally. The problem is only on the second time, right?
Is your AVirus working properly?

 

[BobT36]

I think so, I'll try uninstalling it in a bit.

I'm testing installations from a fresh win install now on a different drive. So far most basic drivers haven't affected it.. Doing updates now, then the last of the drivers, then AV and DVD burning software. If I still can't reproduce it I'll clone my current install to that drive and start uninstalling things instead, tear down rather than build up.

If I STILL can't reproduce it then I'll have to start over from scratch on my standard drive (argh), and be VERY vigilant as I go, testing it after each batch of installs.

On my standard install it does it quite easily. Put disk in, take disk out, put it back in and bam, it ballses up.

I wonder if it is something to do with autoplay, as the standard functionality is after you put a disc in and it loads, Windows very quickly transitions through the icon you see in the OP attachment and then loads the correct icon / disk type and pops up autoplay. The first time autoplay box pops up fine, but the second it seems to get stuck before it gets to that point

Any idea how to reset / fix autoplay? I ran the standard CD/DVD fix it, but no joy there.

 

[torchwood]

Hi Bob,

if memory serves when you eject an attached device you get a notification - safe to eject .
im inclining towards this being the culprit.

Try running the System repair tool, SURT
KB947821, could take a while let it run

Roy

 

[BobT36]

SURT didn't help anything unfortunately, the log said no errors.

I also tried unplugging one drive, uninstalling them from device manager etc
but no joy.

HOWEVER I think I may have fixed it, I got frustrated and uninstalled a bunch
of stuff, and it SEEMS to be working now.

Now I'm going to restore from backup and compare what I removed, then test
one by one. It's obviously some software causing a problem. I'll report back
once I've worked out what it is.


EDIT:
Nevermind, spoke too soon.

Weird that I could take it out and back in again on both drives a few times. Now just left it a few minutes, put it back in and it did it again, argh. Hadn't even rebooted or anything.

Hmm back to the research...

Really wondering if it's something to do with autoplay failing only intermittently. I have yet to reproduce it on the new install, but have only installed basic stuff so far, still getting the windows updates on.

 

[Megahertz07]

I asked about the AV because most of them blocks auto play in USB devices and some in CD/DVDs.

 

[BobT36]

Yeah unfortunately it's not that though as that was one of the things I uninstalled. Using Norton Security for AV. Trying again on a clean install now, will back up more often this time and keep testing it as I go.

Going to take ages though as I have a lot of stuff to reinstall, argh. If have any other ideas of what could be causing / how to fix something like this then I can restore to my previous image and sort it.

 

[Megahertz07]

Had some problems with Windows update. Have mine set to Manual on services and Never check on WU page.
For Windows I only install the Security only updates.
I manually run WU to look for office updates.

Disable Windows updates and use the offline updates MS releases SP2 for Windows 7 - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[BobT36]

Yeah I'd already done that on my last install unfortunately. Always have it set to check but notify only. I installed most updates (besides telemetry etc) up to Oct 2016, then the security only patches, and the latest IECU after that, plus office / .Net ones of course.

 

[BobT36]

AHA! FOUND IT.

****ing Trusteer Rapport!

(tl;dr, if you have this problem and have Trusteer, use the Safe Uninstall tool from here: http://www.trusteer.com/en/support/uninstall-troubleshooting)

I only found this by doing the full clean installing and installing my updates, drivers and programs one by one, backing up after each batch, with System Restore on, and checking the CD drive issue each time (putting in an audio CD, taking it out, and putting it back in again multiple times to verify autoplay worked).

When I'd finished my batch of Security Tools, before doing another backup I tested the issue again, and found it was happening. Good, I'd narrowed it down to just those. Tried a System Restore first back to half-way through, leaving just MalwareBytes, SpywareBlaster, Sandboxie, Trusteer and a few small ones.

Installed all but Sandboxie and Trusteer, (testing after every single program this time), and was suspecting Sandboxie as that installs some driver, however just after I installed Trusteer, I found it happening again.

System Restored again, verified again that my drive was working fine, then installed JUST Trusteer, and boom, problem encountered. Restarted (had to force it of course due to the problem), then tried stopping the Trusteer service, problem still encountered. Restarted again then used the SafeUninstall tool for Trusteer.

Problem now no longer encountered! Woo! Now verified I can rectify it too.

So now I'm restoring from backup right back to the previous instance I had before I started this thread, where I had everything installed. Now I know I just need to run that tool, whip off Trusteer and job done, problem solved and I'll have all my stuff back.

Shame I wasted most of my Christmas holiday on this! Grr. Why it works the first time I put a disk in, but doesn't work the second I have no idea..

 

[Megahertz07]

Congratulations.

 

[BobT36]

Thanks! I've successfully restored from my backup, wiped Trusteer, and verified all's now working fine.

Since it's software used by a lot of bank customers, I'm surprised there's not more info about this issue, I wonder when it crept in. Then again how often do ya use discs nowadays..