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Zacchino asked on

Windows 7 64bit Ultimate - Explorer.exe Freeze (AppCrash) Constantly

Alright, Windows 64bit Ultimate Edition here, clean install.

I had this issue on and on (Explorer.exe AppCrash), BTW what is Microsoft doing on this one ? You've got plenty of reports about this issue in this thread, and if you make a search on Google aswell, so it's a GLOBAL issue. Not showstopper bug, but making Windows 7's "stable" reputation at worth.

It happens when :
1. You copy / paste a simple file or a folder
2. rename a file
3. save a file with a text editor
4. randomly

Note : I'm an poweruser so please , don't reply telling me to "perform a clean boot" or simplistic answers like such.

My configuration is very basic :
ATI Radeon 2600 Graphics
Intel QuadCore CPU
Seagate HDDs
Intel ICH7 (975x) Chipset
JMicron JMB36x Controllers

Heres my question : according to all my searches, this issue is specially concerning x64 versions of Windows 7. And no, it's not hardware related, because I had the same issue on 2 different (fresh & clean) PCs.

Are you going to address this issue once for all ? Please let me know when you do so.

Edit (an Event Log example concerning this issue):
The program explorer.exe version 6.1.7600.16404 stopped interacting with Windows and was closed. To see if more information about the problem is available, check the problem history in the Action Center control panel.
Process ID: 7f0
Start Time: 01caa2dfe0fa30d5
Termination Time: 32
Application Path: C:\Windows\explorer.exe
Report Id: 07c07159-0edb-11df-a142-001e8c7e0499

0000: 43 00 72 00 6F 00 73 00 C.r.o.s.
0008: 73 00 2D 00 74 00 68 00 s.-.t.h.
0010: 72 00 65 00 61 00 64 00 r.e.a.d.
0018: 00 00 44 00 65 00 61 00 ..D.e.a.
0020: 64 00 6C 00 6F 00 63 00 d.l.o.c.
0028: 6B 00 00 00 00 00 k.....

Thank you !

Found this helpful 10

Answer

eRwIn jOnEs replied on

Hi Zacchino ,

It is always recommended that you take a backup of the Registry before editing any of the values because any improper editing can cause strange behaviour and at worst could even corrupt your operating system completely, requiring you to re-install Windows.

We encourage you to try out the registry changes, but only if you know what you are doing and if you do it with care.

The cause of this particular Windows Explorer crash is related to the SQM Client, which is part of the Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP). Under the default setting, where MachineThrottling is enabled in the registry, any calls to WinSqmStartSession in ntdll.dll file will cause Explorer to crash, or Windows Installer installation to fail.

So instead of waiting for a hotfix or an update from Microsoft, just remove and delete the MachineThrottling registry entry from system registry. The MachineThrottling registry entry is located inside the following registry key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SQMClient\Windows\DisabledSessions

*NOTE* If you do not know what you are doing within the registry, stop and do not proceed. Ask someone for help that knows what they are doing and can recover your registry if a failure occurs.

To make it easy you can just create your own little batch file with the following command;

reg delete HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SQMClient\Windows\DisabledSessions /v MachineThrottling /f

At this point you can close the registry and right-click on your file or icon and you should be good to go.

If that does no good then I think you are only left with clean boot as Explorer.exe crashes are generally upshots of third party application conflicts and clean boot is the only solution that I can think of.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

Erwin

I am not 62; I am 16 with 46 years of experience..Think Positive..Think Differnet

All Replies (30)

Found this helpful 1

Zacchino replied on

First, let me thank you Erwin for your detailed answer, it's a breathe of fresh air into this internet jungle !
Also I'd like to thank you for your reactivity. It just feels like home (yeah, beside that freeze issue - Windows7 x64 is a very snappy, reactive OS)

It's weird but I have to admit I really start to enjoy pummeling into the registry since quite a time (especially when I know what I'm doing). I'll definitely try this little candy out and keep you posted about its effect on my (our?) issue...

I re read my previous message and I thought I could add a little more humanism to this geeky forum post I started (and please, accept my appologies if you did misunderstand it with a "cold" comportment !).

Oh, and again, thank you for your precious, valuable time. May you be rewarded in exchange with health, happiness and wisedom ! (amen ^^).

- Zacchino

Found this helpful 1

Zacchino replied on

IT WORKED !

After 2 days of stress tests, my Windows 7 Explorer.exe doesn't freeze anymore thanks to this beautiful (and simple) registry modification ! Thank you so much M. Ewin Jones for your support !

I've cross-post this solution in some of the most popular forums to shout out the good news, I really hope this'll help everyone in the same situation :

- English forums :

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/fr-FR/win7fr/thread/2bb56236-2522-4918-93cc-1a00847291fa

http://windows7forums.com/windows-7-support/36701-windows-7-32bit-64-bit-freeze-explorer-exe-freezing-issue-working-solution.html#post136508

http://www.w7forums.com/windows-7-32bit-64-bit-freeze-explorer-exe-freezing-issue-working-solution-t4287.html#post28517

- French Forums :

http://www.forum-seven.com/forum/topic4347.html

http://www.infos-du-net.com/forum/2042-53-windows-32bit-64bit-freeze-fige-explorer-solution#t8195

http://www.commentcamarche.net/forum/affich-16612067-windows-7-freeze-gele-fige-la-solution

Thanks again !
- Z.

Found this helpful 1

eRwIn jOnEs replied on

Hi,

Happy to see that the solution worked and thanks a load for the prayers. The posts you made in different forums referring to my answer is more than a million thanks. Thank you.

Erwin

I am not 62; I am 16 with 46 years of experience..Think Positive..Think Differnet

Found this helpful 1

Ishvara replied on

Hi, Erwin

I have similar problems as described by Zacchino. Also in Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit.
It's not funny, really. Never had any similar problems with XP, either Prof or Home.
In fact, it is bad publicity for one of MS's flaships. I cannot permit myself to see several hours of work all of a sudden 'freeze' and go to oblivion in a misty white haze. Can you?
Is this the so-called 'stability'?
So I think a hotfix for this problem is more than welcome.

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 950 @ 3.07GHz 3.07 GHz
Installed memory (RAM): 6.00 GB

I tried to find the registry key you described in your answer, bu so far I have not succeeded in finding HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft... in the registry.
I tried finding 'DisabledSessions', but again, no success.
The same for 'Machine Throttling'.

So if you would be so kind as to let me know what to do... ?

Thanks in advance.

Found this helpful 1

eRwIn jOnEs replied on

Hi,

You don't need to bother much about the location of the key. It was just an added information. Follow the path below to find the reg key mentioned in my post.

Start>Run >regedit>HKEY_CURRENT_USER>Software>Microsoft>SQMClient>Windows>DisabledSessions

To fix the issue;

*NOTE* If you do not know what you are doing within the registry, stop and do not proceed. Ask someone for help that knows what they are doing and can recover your registry if a failure occurs.

Just create your own little batch file with the following command;

reg delete HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SQMClient\Windows\DisabledSessions /v MachineThrottling /f

Erwin

I am not 62; I am 16 with 46 years of experience..Think Positive..Think Differnet

Found this helpful 1

Ishvara replied on

Dear Erwin

Thanks for your answer, but I regret to tell you my Registry Crawler cannot find the terms you mentioned (DisabledSessions, MachineThrottling)in tghe registry. For your information, I've been using this Crawler program for more than 5 years, and it has never let me down.
So, what now? Have you got any other possible solutions?
For what it is worth, I am using ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 9.1.008.000, together with its toolbar.
Can that be the culprit? Though I do not understand the jargon of the WER files (and I do not have one at this moment, perhaps later in the day, for my computer has a 'subscription' to it!), I more than once noticed a reference to one of its files.
In the Security Log files I notice this:

Code Integrity determined that the page hashes of an image file are not valid. The file could be improperly signed without page hashes or corrupt due to unauthorized modification. The invalid hashes could indicate a potential disk device error.

File Name: \Device\HarddiskVolume2\Program Files\CheckPoint\ZAForceField\Plugins\ISWSHEX.dll

Perhps that may give you a clue as to what to do?

Thanks in advance.

Found this helpful 1

eRwIn jOnEs replied on

Hi,

Not sure of why you don't find the Reg key as I have checked the same on 2 other computers and it fixes the issue.

Did you try typing in the command- Start> Run> CMD> Run as Administrator> and type the command below.

reg delete HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SQMClient\Windows\DisabledSessions /v MachineThrottling /f

Erwin

I am not 62; I am 16 with 46 years of experience..Think Positive..Think Differnet

Found this helpful 1

Ishvara replied on

No, I did not, Erwin.
But now I have. I'll let you know whether it had any success.

Do I have to start up again for it to have effect?

Edit: I may have done it the wrong way. I typed Windows Key + R and pasted that line. But rereading your answer, I did it again, and this time the right way. Here is the result: C:\Windows\system32>reg delete HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SQMClient\Windows\Disable dSessions /v MachineThrottling /f ERROR: The system was unable to find the specified registry key or value. Any more ideas?

[Update]
While I had a nice browsing session for quite some time, the moment I tried to coyp some interesting text to Notepad, the freeze started.
Sorry to say your suggestion did not help.
You'd be surprised to find out how many Win7 64-bit users are confronted with this problem...
Ít can be found in social.answer.microsoft.com
Looking forward to your next anser.

Found this helpful 1

Zacchino replied on

Ishvara,

It happens that I do have ZoneAlarm enabled aswell on my Win7x64. and I didn't have such error messages.

Concerning your error message while trying to modify your registry, it seems you have misspelled the command (instead of "DisabledSessions" all attached you wrote "Disable dSessions" with a space between the e and the d of Disabled. Here's the correct command to copy/paste :

reg delete HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SQMClient\Windows\DisabledSessions /v MachineThrottling /f

If it doesn't work, it means that the SQMClient of your installation is not present... Which is not normal, maybe it has been deactivated by default already by your PC / Laptop Manufacturer who knows.

Please let us know how it goes.
- Z

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