Windows Explorer shuts down automatically when running appwiz.cpl

[accordeoniste]

The message "Windows Explorer has stopped working" appeared on my notebook computer screen after I restarted Windows and opened Control Panel / Programs and Features. WE then shut down and restarted. The message usually didn't appear when I subsequently opened P & F or ran appwiz.cpl. It has, however, appeared randomly at other times, such as shortly after opening and closing Control Panel / Programs and Features.

I tried the following:

* ran Process Explorer and determined that one program, igfxpers.exe from Intel, was the culprit. Disabled the program and restarted Windows. The first time there was no error. After the second restart, the error message again appeared.

* ran appwiz.cpl in Safe Mode. The error message appeared.

* running a diagnostic test on my computer's hard disk. No errors were reported.

* replacing msutb.dll in c:\windows\system32 after seeing the dll file referred to in a report.wer file, that in turn was referred to in the event viewer. This didn't work because I was unable to write the replacement file to the system32 folder.

The next two times I saw the error message, different "fault module" names were given. The last time it was msi.dll.

One thing I haven't done was to update my computer's display adapter. However, when I ran the "update driver software" tool in Device Manager, it reported that the driver is up to date.

If there's anything else I can do that would lead to a solution, I'd appreciate any suggestions. A .txt file is attached with the WER report generated after the first error message this morning.

 

[Vuxy]

Hello Accordeonsite,

I have a few steps for you, which hopefully should resolve your issue that you're experiencing.

Run System File Checker - http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html
Scan your compute for Malware - https://www.malwarebytes.org/

Please download and run the Hotfix listed on this page: Windows Explorer crashes and then restarts when you access a third-party Control Panel item on a computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2

Thank you,
VinnyBuxton

 

[accordeoniste]

Hello VinnyBuxton,

Thanks for your suggestions. I ran the system file checker several times during the last week or so. The first time I ran it it found corruption in many files in the Windows folder. All the errors were fixed. After that, every time I ran sfc it reported no integrity violations.

I ran malware scans using malwarebytes, AdwCleaner and Advanced System Care. The malware that was found was removed. It had no effect on the Windows Explorer error.

I tried running the hotfix you recommended. Strangely, when I ran it a message appeared, stating that the update isn't applicable to my computer. My OS is Win 7 Prof x64 SP1. That's the designation of the hotfix in the MS KB97433 article, although it doesn't list Win 7 Prof SP1 in the "applies to" section of the article.

 

[Vuxy]

Hello Accordeonsite,

Sorry to hear the instructions didn't work. Can you upload the logs of Malwarebytes?
Navigate to: C:\ProgramData\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes Anti-Malware\Logs and upload the logs to here, which have todays date on them.

I wouldn't recommend programs such as Advanced System Care.

Can you perform Clean Boot Mode and see if the issue still occurs? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ation-conflicts-performing-clean-startup.html

Thank you,
VinnyBuxton

 

[accordeoniste]

Hello VinnyBuxton,

Attached are the logs from the last three times I ran Malwarebytes on my system.

As there are about thirty services and more than twenty startup programs selected when I run msconfig, I'd rather not spend the time necessary to perform a clean startup. It may be that a painstaking approach is necessary for solving this problem. It would help if I know more about the difference between Safe Mode and Clean Boot mode, since I also had this problem while running the computer in Safe Mode.

You said you don't recommend Advanced System Care. Would you mind telling me why? I've had doubts about the effectiveness of this program and if I understand why it's not as effective as Malwarebytes, I may not renew my subscription to it. It does offer an anti-virus program and other system maintenance tools, though.

 

[Layback Bear]

Vinny is off line at the present.
I would like to leave my opinion on A.S.C.

Reading many threads on this and other forums I have found that A.S.C. by ORbit has caused many members to do a Clean Install just to get their computer back to working order.
Just removing A.S.C. does not solve the problem because it doesn't fixed the problems left behind by A.S.C. The problems don't seem to be the same on every computer. No one as far as I know can find and fix the problems left behind. They vary from computer to computer.
A.S.C. likes to call home to China is my understanding. Therefore in my opinion all password must be changed i.e., Banks, Credit Cards ect.

I know of no one on this forum that gives good reviews about A.S.C.
I consider A.S.C. malware, spyware and a infection.

This is my opinion.
Please wait for Vinny to reply to you thread.

 

[accordeoniste]

Thanks, Layback Bear for your opinion of ASC.

I'd describe ASC as a moderately benign presence on my computer. ASC doesn't appear to have done any harm. It has even found malware that slowed down my computer, and removed it. The computer is working fine other than the Windows Explorer automatic shutdown problem I've been having. However, ASC didn't detect the malware that caused my web browsers' proxy server to activate on its own, preventing me from having access to the World Wide Web. It's possible, though, that I didn't update the ASC database then before checking for malware.

I did have big problems until last week, such as not being able to install several Windows updates including a service pack update. What's more, Windows Installer wouldn't work so I couldn't install or uninstall software. If ASC had something to do with those problems, I have no way of knowing that. I no longer have those problems since I ran the Windows Repair program from Tweaking.com, and then did a repair installation of Windows. If you have any more specific information about how ASC has caused problems, I'd appreciate if you'd share it with me.

 

[Layback Bear]

Well I'm not going to search down a bunch of websites and threads. Believe me or not.
It was a warning from my memory.
Their is a good chance that shifting to a proxy server was done by A.S.C. to call home.
I can't prove it. Just my thoughts because I don't trust A.S.C.
Of course you can do as you please it's your computer.
Just trying to give a little friendly advice.

I will wait for Vinny to post.

 

[Vuxy]

Hello Accordeonsite,

I agree with Layback Bear about Advanced System Care, it's like AVG Pc Tune Up. Their purpose is to clean your computer and make it run smooth, but I believe it damages stuff behind the scenes.

Having looked at the Malwarebytes logs, it picks up a-lot of POP.Optional pieces of malware. They usually come into your system when you download programs off the Internet and you don't un-check the optional offers, which you should do.

I would recommend: Unchecky - Keeps your checkboxes clear

Have you ever felt, while installing software, that the installer tries to push additional unwanted programs at all cost? Ever missed a checkbox, and spent hours afterwards removing adware? Ever opened your browser after an installation, only to find out that you have a new homepage, a new search engine, or even a new browser?
Unchecky aims to keep potentially unwanted programs out of your computer.

Please can you run the following programs:
https://toolslib.net/downloads/viewdownload/1-adwcleaner/
Junkware Removal Tool Download
https://www.malwarebytes.org/antirootkit/
HitmanPro 3 - SurfRight

Instructions for running Hitman Pro:
After opening Hitman Pro, select next. Click 'no, I only want to perform a one-time scan to check this computer' and select next. It will then scan your computer. After it's finished scanning, click next and click activate free licence, which is a free-trial of it for 30 days.

Are you able to post screenshots of the programs that you have installed on your computer and which browser(s) do you have on your computer?

Thank you,
VinnyBuxton

 

[accordeoniste]

Hello VinnyBuxton,

Like I told Layback Bear, I haven't determined that Advanced System Care has caused any damage to my system. Can you tell me how it causes damage? What results have you had with it, or do you know how it damaged someone else's system? I can't decide whether to continue using the program without evidence one way or the other.

I ran both AdwCleaner and HitmanPro after you recommended them. AdwCleaner found infected browser preference files and a roboot64.exe malware file and removed those. HitmanPro found several PUPs and Cookies and deleted the PUPs. The related log files are attached for you to review. However, I'm doubtful that the Explorer crashing problem is due to malware.

When reviewing my system and application logs using the Event Viewer, I found error events indicating disk controller errors. These were directly associated with the Windows Explorer crashes. I ran SeaTools for DOS and no disk errors were reported. I then rebooted the system and Explorer crashed when I ran appwiz.cpl, but no controller error was reported. I'll investigate the controller error report further.

 

[Vuxy]

Hello Accordeonsite,

Feel free to keep Advanced System Care on your computer - we just offer you support here at Seven Forums and we give you recommendations to keep your compute safe/working properly.

Please download this program from Kaspersky and run it: TDSSkiller
Can you run Malwarebytes again and see if it picks up anything on your system?

I do request that you try to perform Clean Boot Mode, even though you previously didn't want to.

Please follow this guide, written by Gerry Conrell.

Please upload and share with everyone fresh copies of your System and Application logs from your Event Viewer.

To access the System log select Start, Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Event Viewer, from the list in the left side of the window select Windows Logs and System. Place the cursor on System, select Action from the Menu and Save All Events as (the default evtx file type) and give the file a name. Do the same for the Applications log. Do not provide filtered files.

Thank you,
VinnyBuxton

 

[accordeoniste]

Hello VinnyBuxton,

I appreciate the advice you offered, but the support you offered hasn't helped to solve the problem with Windows Explorer crashing. You made suggestions but haven't offered anything concrete as far as evidence that performing this or that procedure will lead to a solution. I don't have time to run every anti-malware and diagnostic program you recommend. Nor do I have time to troubleshoot by performing the clean boot procedure. What I need is to narrow this down to the solution based upon what you or I or someone else knows. As far as posting the system and application logs, I described what I saw in the logs that appear relevant to this problem. If you want to see something more specific I'll copy and paste the logs in a forum posting or submit the entire log entries. Keep in mind that the problem hasn't disabled my computer system, so I don't classify it as urgent. Because of the controller error messages, I thought there might be a problem with my hard disk, but the SeaTools for DOS program reported no errors, so I'm no longer so concerned about that. If any of the errors were reported because of malware, there's no evidence of it yet even if most if not all of the malware was removed after running the programs you recommended. If, as a result of running those programs, I no longer have the Windows Explorer problem, I'll promptly let you know.

 

[Layback Bear]

Well I guess you told us.
Have a nice day accordeoniste.

 

[carwiz]

There is no single fix for Explorer crashing since it can be caused by so many errant shells or user added programs. There's only a couple that are caused by Windows and your symptoms aren't related. The only way to find the cause is a tedious one. Since the problem occurs in Safe Mode too, I suspect it's a shell extension causing the problem. Follow the steps in this Troubleshooter. Concentrate on Item 1 until completed.

 

[accordeoniste]

There is no single fix for Explorer crashing since it can be caused by so many errant shells or user added programs. There's only a couple that are caused by Windows and your symptoms aren't related. The only way to find the cause is a tedious one. Since the problem occurs in Safe Mode too, I suspect it's a shell extension causing the problem. Follow the steps in this Troubleshooter. Concentrate on Item 1 until completed.

Thanks, Carwiz, for your helpful suggestion.

I've been testing shell extensions by disabling them in ShellExView prior to restarting Windows. I haven't tested all the non-Microsoft extensions. So far, though, I've discovered that when several extensions are enabled, Windows Explorer crashes. I tested one program when logged in as a different user after restarting twice. Each time Windows Explorer crashed. When I logged in as a different user in Safe Mode, Explorer didn't crash. There are only three extensions out of fifteen tested that haven't caused Explorer to crash in Standard Mode when enabled.

Given these results, I wonder if there's a way I can determine why twelve of the extensions tested cause Explorer to crash. Most if not all of these programs are useful so I'd prefer to have them running on start-up, if it can be done without causing Explorer to crash. Do you have any ideas about that you can share?

 

[carwiz]

I don't know what software you have installed that loaded the extensions but since it may be related to a user, it could be how the software was installed. In other words, if the software was installed under a single user or if the DLL for the extension is in a user restricted folder. This is just a shot in the dark but you might review the extensions added around the time the problem started.

Did you run the System File Checker (SFC) command noted in Item 2 of the Tutorial? This will make sure no system files are corrupt. You can run it with /verifyonly instead of /scannow to just report any errors. But if there are errors, they need to be fixed.

 

[accordeoniste]

Hi Carwiz,

Most of the software I installed was installed in Program Files folders. I don't see how they can be specific to a user.

I ran the sfc command several times. The first time it found corrupted system files and fixed them. Every time after that it reported no integrity violations. It's unlikely that the result would be different if I run the command again, since no big changes have taken place on my system since I ran a repair installation two weeks ago. I've run malware and antivirus programs several times since then.

I modified my system's registry with the WER_Explorer.reg Captain Jack Sparrow recommended. The next time Explorer crashed a .dmp file was produced. Where can I upload this file for review by Windows 7 Forums? I have the Windows SDK debugging tools but I haven't used them yet, so I can use an objective review of the .dmp file by an experienced Windows user.

 

[carwiz]

Normally, BSODs and dumps are handled in the BSOD forum but to keep the continuity of this thread you can post it here. Just follow the same posting instructions as instructed here: http://www.sevenforums.com/bsod-help-support/96879-blue-screen-death-bsod-posting-instructions.html

Forgot to mention:
If the dump was written to "C:\localdumps" you'll have to divert from the BSOD instructions since it assumes the normal Windows dump location.

 

[accordeoniste]

The dump file is attached in .zip format.

 

[carwiz]

Explorer is crashing due to MSI.DLL accessing an invalid address. This is a Microsoft installer module. The module appears to current.

1. Run the SFC as previous instructed. Post the contents of the command window.

2. Uninstall the IObit Uninstaller software through Programs and Features then reboot.