Windows Explorer crashes, no message, then everything crashes randomly

[NC595]

Hey guys, I'm going on my 10th hour of trouble shooting here.

Started my PC this morning, went and opened Steam, then windows explorer crashed without a message (Task bar disappeared) and locked up my whole PC for about 5 seconds before the BSOD. Rebooted to install "WhoCrashed" to read the minidump. During this process, I went through about 6 other crashes of the same nature. It doesn't seem to be dependent on load, however, because it'll happen just sitting idle on the desktop too.

On the most recent crash, I noticed that around the same time explorer crashed, my Razer keyboard and mouse both died out, leaving me no control.

I just got a new graphics card (NVIDEA Geforce GTX 960 4GB) 2 weeks ago and it was all fine up until now, so I'm not sure if it's related. We put in a Coolermaster CPU cooler at the same time, new thermal paste, etc. and all temperatures are normal (about 90 degrees F, same as always). None of my temps are off from what they've been for the last 2 years, and I don't think I've ever had a BSOD on this custom PC.

Updated NVIDEA drivers from safe mode, started looking into Motherboard updates, but not applying any because I can't even tell what I have already. Everything is fine and dandy in safe mode.

So, please, for the love of all things holy, someone help me out here... I'm good with PC's but I'm at my witt's end here. Attached you should find the proper log and an image from Speccy. Had to take it with my phone because the PC was in the process of crashing by the time I got it loaded (Information also posted in my profile)

 

[Hacb]

the dump point to wininit.exe, the windows startup process, the crash was caused by the termination of a critical system thread or process which means that somehowwinint.exe was terminated and crashed your computer, all we have to do now is work out why and how the process was terminated, if it didn't happen untill you installed the graphics card it could be thaat it is doing something that is affecting wininit.exe

 

[NC595]

the dump point to wininit.exe, the windows startup process, the crash was caused by the termination of a critical system thread or process which means that somehowwinint.exe was terminated and crashed your computer, all we have to do now is work out why and how the process was terminated, if it didn't happen untill you installed the graphics card it could be thaat it is doing something that is affecting wininit.exe

Thanks for checking my thread!

This one's got me concerned because this thing has NEVER BSOD'd before. What are some things the card could be doing? Maybe some settings or presets? It doesn't look like the processor though? Because we put in that CPU cooler too which required us to redo thermal paste, etc.

I had 2 "minor crashes" with the card before hand that I forgot to mention. I was playing Batman Arkham Origins both times when the "Nvidea display driver stopped working". Basically it just quit the game with an error and black screened for about 3 seconds. At this point, there was no blue screen. Now here we are, 2 weeks after that and this is happening. Is it possible it's just a bum driver update from Nvidea?

Thanks for all the help. I'm pretty good with computers but this is pretty much where my knowledge stops!

 

[NC595]

"all we have to do now is work out why and how the process was terminated"

Is that information in the system event log?

 

[Callender]

WhoCrashed isn't much use except for crashes caused by drivers. For Explorer crashes check the tutorial here:

http://www.sevenforums.com/crash-lo...bleshooting-explorer-exe-crashing-issues.html

If you want to enable Explorer crash dumps see Step 5 but be aware that Windows Error Reporting service needs to be enabled.

I'd be inclined to skip steps 2,3 and 4 for now.

 

[NC595]

I'll definitely look into that after work today. The only concern is even though I know the signs of windows explorer crashing, it never throws an actual error message about it before the blue screen.

Also I believe error reporting is turned on but I'll have to check. I'll take a look as soon as i can. Thanks!

 

[NC595]

Alright, a few updates...

I was working in Safe Mode, looking through some stuff and now I'm blue screening from safe mode too, which was not happening yesterday. Looking at the minidumps soon, just trying to figure out some of the stuff you guys said to try.

I looked in my driver manager and found this before I touched anything. Looks like I have some drivers missing. Not sure when that happened or if it even matters, it just jumped out at me. Don't mind the background, that's an ASUS zip folder for the USB 3.0 driver update (I just downloaded them all from ASUS just in case I need to try reinstalling or something.

 

[NC595]

I had this thing so messed up I couldn't even boot... I think I got it back with a system repair disk... now I can't get safe mode without a blue screen though and, apparently, my system restore points were all wiped.

I got into windows, logged on, and everything seemed normal for a little while, then I got several error messages saying "ASUS_____ could not be accessed", various titles and gibberish, but before I could read or get a pic of them, I got a blue screen

based on that, I'm leaning toward my Motherboard being the root of all evil here in some way...

 

[derekimo]

This should help with the not booting problem,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219533-troubleshooting-windows-7-failure-boot.html

All your recent string of BSOD's are F4's

BugCheck F4, {3, fffffa800e237b10, fffffa800e237df0, fffff800039cce20}

----- ETW minidump data unavailable-----
Probably caused by : wininit.exe

Followup: MachineOwner

I would check your cables and test your HDD's.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/313457-seatools-dos-windows-how-use.html

WD Support / Downloads / Other Products / Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for Windows

You have a lot going on in your reports but I would start there.

Your chipset drivers should fix a couple things.

Try getting rid of GeForce Experience and AI Suite, both know to cause problems and are shown in your error reports.

 

[NC595]

Can't stand either one of those programs so I will try that. I was trying to use a windows disk to repair but the main HDD doesn't show up in every section, only a few for recovery tools BUT Windows 7 shows up in the boot manager at start up, so I know it's there... It's weird as hell. I'm gonna see if I can get it to boot today and try that. I'm at the end of my rope here.

The other thing is, I know I need to use F8 for advanced boot options, but that brings me to my BIOS and asus control screen rather than windows related things... Any way to changs that?

Thanks for all the help, guys, I really appreciate it so far

 

[NC595]

SeaTools pulled this up twice in a row... not the answer I was hoping for, but is it possible this is the root of all evil?

I have another 2TB drive in there anyway (one I meant to set up in RAID in case this ever happened, but never got around to it...)

I just don't know my windows key if I have to reinstall to the other drive. It still shows the right quantity of my Data on the drive, so I think I can pull from it. Guess we'll see

 

[derekimo]

Yeah, that's not good. Hang on before you start doing anything, I'll get some experts over here.

 

[gregrocker]

If Seatools flunks your drive more than once then I'd replace it. Then I'd do a Clean Reinstall Windows 7 which compiles everything that works best in tens of thousands of installs we've directly helped with here. You'll get and keep a perfect install to the exact extent you stick with the tools and methods given, just as have 1.5 million others without a single complaint.

If the data is readable using Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console then it shows here How To Recover Windows 7 8 Product Key From Unbootable Drive.

Otherwise what I'd do at this point is Clean Install Windows 10 Technical Preview
which plans to grant free copies to all those running the Technical Preview when it is released next month. It is a worthy successor to Windows 7 which I've been using exclusively since October with only minor beta buggyness.

As to the earlier discussion, Be sure to always tick the box for Automatic hardware updating. Double check to Enable hardware auto-updating via Windows Update (Step 3).

Then install all Important and Optional Updates with reboots until there are no more offered.

Without an SP2 Windows 7 is too heavily patched to not install all Updates. Without any of them except Bing you don't really have Windows 7.

 

[NC595]

If Seatools flunks your drive more than once then I'd replace it. Then I'd do a Clean Reinstall Windows 7 which compiles everything that works best in tens of thousands of installs we've directly helped with here. You'll get and keep a perfect install to the exact extent you stick with the tools and methods given, just as have 1.5 million others without a single complaint.

If the data is readable using Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console then it shows here How To Recover Windows 7 8 Product Key From Unbootable Drive.

Otherwise what I'd do at this point is Clean Install Windows 10 Technical Preview
which plans to grant free copies to all those running the Technical Preview when it is released next month. It is a worthy successor to Windows 7 which I've been using exclusively since October with only minor beta buggyness.

As to the earlier discussion, Be sure to always tick the box for Automatic hardware updating. Double check to Enable hardware auto-updating via Windows Update (Step 3).

Then install all Important and Optional Updates with reboots until there are no more offered.

Without an SP2 Windows 7 is too heavily patched to not install all Updates. Without any of them except Bing you don't really have Windows 7.

Great info! Thanks!

So, Right now, I have my lap top HDD plugged into my PC and I'm trying to pull files from the damaged drive, just as a precaution. Most of it looks to be in tact in that I've been making flawless copies of some of my more important things. My biggest concern right now, actually, is my Steam games. I don't know if I had cloud backup on for all my games, so I'm a bit concerned.

I was browsing folders when the drive disappeared and the PC said it was no longer attached. gonna restart and see if that'll help me, but I'm going to give your suggested methods a shot too.

I'm actually thinking about getting a SSD today and doing a clean OS install on it, then using my other WD 2 TB for storage, and find another 2 TB to set up to mirror it in case something like this happens again.

Again, thanks a lot to all of you who have given me advice, it means a lot right now!

 

[ICIT2LOL]

As the others have already said mate and I think you should check out all the hardware see Constant Stop Errors - 0xF4 on new build - Windows 7 - Microsoft Community If you want you can also follow this

SLOT CLEANING

Now as for the slots toclean them use a strip of old credit card (or any card thin enough some arebetter than others ) about 1/2 inch wide nip the corners off one end - preferably round them off hold a piece of thin lint free cloth over theend dab on some form of alcohol - isopropyl alcohol (what we swab the skin withbefore an injection) is good and GENTLYswipe along the slots.

This can also be done for the GPU slot/s andalso the contacts of the sticks or cards - not the stick but some lint freecloth of course. See my pic for the sick but please be very gentle doing it ifyou are in any doubt - please ask before doing it but I use this all the timeand have yet to damage anything

 

[NC595]

Thanks a lot!

So, yesterday, i took the opportunity to step up my game a little. I got an SSD and put that windows 10 preview on it that gregrocker told me about. Using the SSD for my OS and a few key programs, then my extra 2tb drive for storage. I'll figure out what to do with this drive if I can recover some of my stuff from it. I'd like to set up a RAID to get it all backed up, but I'll do that once my drive is ready.

So I realize I kinda side-stepped the problem, but windows 10 preview works great. I did, however get this message when I first installed it and when I shut down for the night. Neither occurrence crashed the machine though. It was kinda just there, I hit ok, and went along my way. Is this error consistent with the problem I was having with the crashes earlier, or is this just a bug in the Win10 preview?

And no, it hasn't happened since that first shut down

 

[gregrocker]

I think it is normal beta buggyness. I've been getting that at Shutdown for awhile too with no performance problems noted. I also get a periodic crash. Out of a dozen different builds I've been through I also had to roll back twice. This is to be expected with a preview/beta.

You can always google the error text to find out how others have solved a problem. But again since this is still a preview it is expected to have rough edges for awhile longer. You can help MS smooth it out by opening and participating in the Insider Hub App in Start Menu. This should also be where to find out how to upgrade TP to RTM at no cost as recently promised by MS.

 

[NC595]

Yeah, I was planning on putting in some feedback soon. Between setting up all my stuff and having the bad HDD plugged in and trying to pull some stuff, I haven't really played with features like Cortana yet.

Thanks for the help! I don't know if I'd say we "solved" this one, but we certainly made my PC experience better because of it... hahaha