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Windows 10 Explorer Windows Close Randomly

I have a user who is experiencing an odd issue. When he is working on his PC, Windows Explorer windows randomly close. When they close the following is observed on the system:

- No Excessive CPU Activity before, during, or after the window closes
- No Excessive RAM Utilization before, during, or after the window closes
- Slight Spike in Network Activity during and after the window closes
- No Error Messages or Alarm Sounds before, during, or after the window closes

Not sure what is causing this, but I have tried a few fixes already including:
- Change explorer settings so that each window opened opens in a new process
- Running all windows updates

Edward Pamias

It could be something that is not compatible with Windows 10, like software or a service. I would check event viewer to see if there is an app causing the system to crash.

Darío Rodríguez Valverde

I'd also check for malware and clean the registry.

Does it happen randomly or did you find any pattern?
Does it happen always at the same time or when the user is doing something specifically?

Darío Rodríguez Valverde

Sorry, you already said it happens randomly... My mistake.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

John

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Shaun Vermaak

Are you sure it is Windows Explorer that is crashing (file browser) and not Explorer.exe the Windows Shell?

Mitchell Milligan

ASKER

Shaun I know this is just a Windows Explorer window that is crashing because it is only that single window and not the entire explorer.exe shell that is closing. Malware scans come back clean from multiple quality anti-virus engines (Bit Defender, Kaspersky, Trend Micro). I will give the SFC /SCANNOW a try next and see if that works.

Shaun Vermaak

Thank you, wanted to make sure because it is confusing to the end users and they might have communicated it incorrectly to you :)

aravind anche

Any errors in event viewer?

Also please check the below link
https://www.cnet.com/forums/discussions/windows-10-file-explorer-closes-randomly/

Mitchell Milligan

ASKER

Event viewer is clean and I will not be able to implement the recommendations in that link because we use GPO's to deploy endpoint software and use the Microsoft Sign-In Service to facilitate Microsoft Cloud Services Sign-In.

Shaun Vermaak

Running all windows updates

From Windows Update or SCCM/WSUS etc.? Please make sure all patches are installed because might not be approved via deployment tool

Mitchell Milligan

ASKER

From Windows Update. We do not use SCCM/WSUS, they are direct stream from Windows Update.

Ramin

Type the following commands at the CMD prompt:

dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

hit Enter.

John

DISM is no longer reliable in Windows 10. If DISM is from a build prior to the current one, you have to rebuild the DISM store from Microsoft Techbench.

It turns out to be easier and faster to do a Repair Install as noted earlier.

Ramin

Create a restore point,

The DISM or System Update Readiness tool may help you to fix some Windows corruption errors.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/947821/fix-windows-update-errors-by-using-the-dism-or-system-update-readiness-tool

aravind anche

Check the link below
http://winaero.com/blog/fix-file-explorer-reopens-after-you-close-it-in-windows-10/

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/e97da3d3-6201-4b32-96f2-bcb7099a37e9/windows-81-file-explorer-unexpectedly-closes-when-on-a-network-drive?forum=w8itpronetworking

Mitchell Milligan

ASKER

I think John is on the right track with this one and that I will be looking at doing a refresh install. I was hoping to avoid having to do that because it de-activates windows and Microsoft Office so I have to dig through and find which license to link it back to, but the SFC /SCANNOW did not resolve anything and said no errors were found. DISM will not work as well like John said, because it will be from a previous build, so seems like only option may be to do a refresh install. I will try the refresh and report back on if that resolves the issue. Thanks again all for your contributions so far. Feel free to keep contributing fresh ideas as it may be a day or two before the user will be able to part with their PC for the time it will take for the refresh.

John

Repair Install, provided you Keep Everything, does not deactivate Windows or Office. I have done these and everything comes back just the way you left it. New with Windows 10.

SOLUTION

John

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Mitchell Milligan

ASKER

Ended up re-imaging the system. The built in Windows 10 Refresh PC option removed all programs including Microsoft Office when it ran, so since I had to re-install all applications anyways I chose to do a full re-image from an ISO after using the Windows Refresh PC. I did indeed select the option that said "Keep my Files and Settings" but alas it still removed all programs.

The comment about Windows and Office not becoming deactivated was partially correct, while Windows was not de-activated, Office WAS completely uninstalled, even while selecting "Keep my Files and Settings" option along with every other application on my computer, so that comment at least in this case did not work as indicated.

John

Thank you for the update.

Mitchell Milligan

ASKER

No problem, thanks for the help! It was appreciated!