Windows Explorer constantly crashing (folders with images in them)

[JoshGoodman]

I'm in desperate need of help! Windows explorer crashes with the error message "Windows Explorer has stopped working" whenever I click on a folder that has a RAW image file (.CR2) or a TIFF/PSD image file. It then shuts down and restarts. It only happens with these large image files, not video, audio, or pdf files.

I'm running Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium. My computer did two lengthy Windows updates over the last week when I did system restarts, so maybe that has something to do with it?

I spent the whole day yesterday trying different suggestions I found on the web and nothing has worked. Here's some of the things that I've tried that have been unsuccessful:

- Selected "Always show icons, never thumbnails" in "Folder options / View".
- Scanned my computer with Malwarebytes. Same problem after the scan/cleanup.
- Tried do a System Restore on 6 different restore points and none of them could complete the Restore successfully.
- Tried to do a System Restore on the same restore points in safe mode and it still couldn't do it.
- Ran SFC/ scan, still does the same thing afterwards.
- Updated my video card driver.
- Tried different image codec packs.
- Uninstalled all image codec packs.
- Some selective startup or clean boot stuff through "msconfig" that didn't help.
- Plus a few other things that I can't even remember (it was a late night!)

I'd be so grateful if anybody can help me figure out this issue. I need to use Photoshop and work with these images for my line of work so I'm kind of at a standstill until I get this resolved. Doing a full reinstall is something I really don't want to have to do!!

Thanks so much,
Josh

 

[FliGi7]

This sounds like a codec pack issue. When explorer tries to thumbnail them it crashes because the codec pack has corrupted the thumbnailing process. Some codec packs can hang around and cause issues even after you think you've uninstalled them. Which codec packs did/do you have installed?

 

[Bumpkin]

If this only happens on only one folder, it might contain corrupt file.

Try running disk check, start CMD and enter chkdsk /f it will run at the next boot.

 

[JoshGoodman]

Bumpkin, this happens on any folder on any drive that has .CR2, PSD, or TIFF image files. I'll try chkdsk on next restart.

FliGi7, the codecs I saw in the "Programs and Features" (add/remove) options in the control panel were the Microsoft Raw Codec, CamStudio Lossless Codec, and Xvid Mpeg-4 Video Codec. They've been installed on my computer from the beginning (about 2 years) and haven't given me a problem before. I have since uninstalled the Microsoft RAW Codec and it still is happening. I also tried the FastPictureViewer Codec yesterday and when it didn't help, I uninstalled it.

So the only two that I currently see are the CamStudio Lossless Codec, and Xvid Mpeg-4 Video Codec.

Any suggestions?

 

[FliGi7]

Were there any viruses detected when you ran the antivirus cleanup?

 

[JoshGoodman]

FliGi7 - yes it did detect some things. I ran a whole system check three times and here's what it found:

First Time:
Files Detected: 1
C:\Users\Josh Goodman\AppData\Local\Temp\0.2108347544370789 (Trojan.Agent.EXPD1) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Second Time:
Files Detected: 6
C:\System Volume Information\SystemRestore\FRStaging\stuff\Replay.Media.Catcher.v4.0.5\kg.exe (Packer.ModifiedUPX) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\System Volume Information\SystemRestore\FRStaging\Users\Josh Goodman\AppData\Roaming\Thinstall\Photodex Presenter\1000000500002i\hh.exe (Rootkit.Dropper) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\System Volume Information\SystemRestore\FRStaging\Users\Josh Goodman\AppData\Roaming\Thinstall\Photodex Presenter\1000000b00002i\rundll32.exe (Rootkit.Dropper) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\System Volume Information\SystemRestore\FRStaging\Users\Josh Goodman\AppData\Roaming\Thinstall\Photodex Presenter\4000001500003i\ScsiAccess.exe (Rootkit.Dropper) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\System Volume Information\SystemRestore\FRStaging\Users\Josh Goodman\AppData\Roaming\Thinstall\Photodex Presenter\4000001900003i\dla.exe (Rootkit.Dropper) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\System Volume Information\SystemRestore\FRStaging\Users\Josh Goodman\AppData\Roaming\Thinstall\Photodex Presenter\400000c7f00002i\pxplay.exe (Rootkit.Dropper) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Third Time:
Files Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Also, I have Avast antivirus running on my computer at all times and it didn't detect any viruses or suspicious activity in the last month.

 

[pink]

I have the same problem as JG and using ShellExView by Nirsoft I was able to isolate it to the Microsoft PhotoMetaHandler.dll associated with the system .... not the same dll associated with thumbnails. I disable it and the images do not crash explorer, I enable it and they still don't crash explorer until I reboot. Then after a reboot any time I enter a folder with a jpeg and explorer crashes again. I disable the DLL again through ShellExView and I can explore images and open them again.

It is specific to my profile and it happened just shortly after an upgrade last week. Another user on the same computer does not have the same problem.

Now I am just trying to figure out how to fix the dll with out a full software upgrade. There has got to be a shell command that will repair them but I haven't found it yet.