Device Manager error - Microsoft Management Console has stopped working

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Community.

Before we proceed, we require more information to assist you better.

1. Are you getting this error message only when you try to open Device Manager or other programs as well?
2. Since when you are facing this issue?
3. Did you make any changes to the computer prior to the issue?

I suggest you to check if the issue still persist in the Safe Mode environment.

Method 1: Safe Mode.

To use a Safe Boot option, follow these steps: 

1. Restart your computer and start pressing the F8 key on your keyboard. On a computer that is configured for booting to multiple operating systems, you can press the F8 key when the Boot Menu appears. 
2. Select an option to “Safe mode with networking” using the arrow keys on the keyboard when the Windows Advanced Options menu appears, and then press ENTER. 

Reply us with this information to assist you further.

Thank you.

Also, can you do the following:

Windows Key + S > type problem reports then click on "View all problem reports Control panel"

Can you right-click on a few of the "Microsoft Management Console" "Stopped working" errors > View technical details

What are the details of the errors?

hi thanks for replying.

i only found the error message using Device Manager, and it seemed to be a new issue - not one i'd seen before - and i didn't explicitly make any changes to the pc immediately before the error occurred (there possibly may have been automatic updates i'm not aware of)

i'm not sure if safe boot and clean boot have the same effect, but i did a clean boot and that didn't help - the error persisted. i also ran an SFC scan (no problems found) and created a new user without success.

so i didn't try a safe boot, but i think i may have found the issue: i stopped my antivirus (Avast) and the error went away - and came back when i restarted it - so i guess i should be talking to Avast or looking for a new antivirus ? 

hi auggy thanks for replying.

there's two errors in the problem report - both summarised as 'Stopped working' and 'Report sent'.

the details are:

Description
Faulting Application Path: C:\Windows\System32\mmc.exe

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: mmc.exe
Application Version: 10.0.10240.16384
Application Timestamp: 559f3976
Fault Module Name: devmgr.dll
Fault Module Version: 10.0.10240.16384
Fault Module Timestamp: 559f38a4
Exception Code: c00000fd
Exception Offset: 000000000000b5b6
OS Version: 10.0.10240.2.0.0.256.48
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: ea5b
Additional Information 2: ea5b130a0d808705803ddba8a2f0a7d5
Additional Information 3: 8346
Additional Information 4: 83469ce12723cba9f877452209132938

Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: b69f22e9f6a8496fea4c5996ba614782 (120282289171)

and

Description
Faulting Application Path: C:\Windows\System32\mmc.exe

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: mmc.exe
Application Version: 10.0.10240.16384
Application Timestamp: 559f3976
Fault Module Name: devmgr.dll
Fault Module Version: 10.0.10240.16384
Fault Module Timestamp: 559f38a4
Exception Code: c00000fd
Exception Offset: 000000000000b5b6
OS Version: 10.0.10240.2.0.0.256.48
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: ea5b
Additional Information 2: ea5b130a0d808705803ddba8a2f0a7d5
Additional Information 3: 8346
Additional Information 4: 83469ce12723cba9f877452209132938

Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: b69f22e9f6a8496fea4c5996ba614782 (120282289171)

The error references the devmgr.dll (Device Manager MMC Snapin):

Fault Module Name: devmgr.dll
Fault Module Version: 10.0.10240.16384

However another, possibly third party, module may actually be causing the crash.

Can you download and run the following application (AppCrashView):

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/app_crash_view.html

Click on one of the recent mmc.exe errors.

Can you copy and paste the information that appears in the lower window that has loaded modules.

thanks auggy, here's one of the mmc.exe crash reports:

Version=1
EventType=APPCRASH
EventTime=130891130115860217
ReportType=2
Consent=1
UploadTime=130891130116410612
ReportIdentifier=5072f852-70bd-11e5-9be3-acfdce2694ad
IntegratorReportIdentifier=b879c611-0372-4da0-b67f-a71363298dc5
NsAppName=mmc.exe
Response.BucketId=b69f22e9f6a8496fea4c5996ba614782
Response.BucketTable=4
Response.LegacyBucketId=120282289171
Response.type=4
Sig[0].Name=Application Name
Sig[0].Value=mmc.exe
Sig[1].Name=Application Version
Sig[1].Value=10.0.10240.16384
Sig[2].Name=Application Timestamp
Sig[2].Value=559f3976
Sig[3].Name=Fault Module Name
Sig[3].Value=devmgr.dll
Sig[4].Name=Fault Module Version
Sig[4].Value=10.0.10240.16384
Sig[5].Name=Fault Module Timestamp
Sig[5].Value=559f38a4
Sig[6].Name=Exception Code
Sig[6].Value=c00000fd
Sig[7].Name=Exception Offset
Sig[7].Value=000000000000b5b6
DynamicSig[1].Name=OS Version
DynamicSig[1].Value=10.0.10240.2.0.0.256.48
DynamicSig[2].Name=Locale ID
DynamicSig[2].Value=1033
DynamicSig[22].Name=Additional Information 1
DynamicSig[22].Value=ea5b
DynamicSig[23].Name=Additional Information 2
DynamicSig[23].Value=ea5b130a0d808705803ddba8a2f0a7d5
DynamicSig[24].Name=Additional Information 3
DynamicSig[24].Value=8346
DynamicSig[25].Name=Additional Information 4
DynamicSig[25].Value=83469ce12723cba9f877452209132938
UI[2]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmc.exe
UI[3]=Microsoft Management Console has stopped working
UI[4]=Windows can check online for a solution to the problem.
UI[5]=Check online for a solution and close the program
UI[6]=Check online for a solution later and close the program
UI[7]=Close the program
LoadedModule[0]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmc.exe
LoadedModule[1]=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll
LoadedModule[2]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\KERNEL32.DLL
LoadedModule[3]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\KERNELBASE.dll
LoadedModule[4]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\GDI32.dll
LoadedModule[5]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\USER32.dll
LoadedModule[6]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\msvcrt.dll
LoadedModule[7]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\ole32.dll
LoadedModule[8]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\combase.dll
LoadedModule[9]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\RPCRT4.dll
LoadedModule[10]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\MFC42u.dll
LoadedModule[11]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\sechost.dll
LoadedModule[12]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHLWAPI.dll
LoadedModule[13]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmcbase.DLL
LoadedModule[14]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\UxTheme.dll
LoadedModule[15]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\DUser.dll
LoadedModule[16]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\OLEAUT32.dll
LoadedModule[17]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHCORE.DLL
LoadedModule[18]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\ODBC32.dll
LoadedModule[19]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\ADVAPI32.dll
LoadedModule[20]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\DPAPI.dll
LoadedModule[21]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\CRYPTBASE.dll
LoadedModule[22]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\bcryptPrimitives.dll
LoadedModule[23]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\IMM32.DLL
LoadedModule[24]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\MSCTF.dll
LoadedModule[25]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\DUI70.dll
LoadedModule[26]=C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_6.0.10240.16384_none_f41f7b285750ef43\Comctl32.dll
LoadedModule[27]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll
LoadedModule[28]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\windows.storage.dll
LoadedModule[29]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\kernel.appcore.dll
LoadedModule[30]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\powrprof.dll
LoadedModule[31]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\profapi.dll
LoadedModule[32]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\urlmon.dll
LoadedModule[33]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\iertutil.dll
LoadedModule[34]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\clbcatq.dll
LoadedModule[35]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmcndmgr.dll
LoadedModule[36]=C:\Windows\System32\msxml6.dll
LoadedModule[37]=C:\Windows\System32\bcrypt.dll
LoadedModule[38]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\apphelp.dll
LoadedModule[39]=C:\WINDOWS\System32\devmgr.dll
LoadedModule[40]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\SETUPAPI.dll
LoadedModule[41]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\CFGMGR32.dll
LoadedModule[42]=C:\WINDOWS\System32\newdev.dll
LoadedModule[43]=C:\WINDOWS\System32\VERSION.dll
LoadedModule[44]=C:\WINDOWS\System32\wevtapi.dll
LoadedModule[45]=C:\WINDOWS\System32\devrtl.DLL
LoadedModule[46]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\dwmapi.dll
LoadedModule[47]=C:\Windows\System32\oleacc.dll
LoadedModule[48]=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\cryptsp.dll
LoadedModule[49]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\rsaenh.dll
LoadedModule[50]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\propsys.dll
LoadedModule[51]=C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_5.82.10240.16384_none_0212ec7eba871e86\COMCTL32.dll
LoadedModule[52]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\mlang.dll
LoadedModule[53]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\dataexchange.dll
LoadedModule[54]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\dcomp.dll
LoadedModule[55]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\d2d1.dll
LoadedModule[56]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\d3d11.dll
LoadedModule[57]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\dxgi.dll
LoadedModule[58]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\twinapi.appcore.dll
LoadedModule[59]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\USERENV.dll
LoadedModule[60]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\xmllite.dll
LoadedModule[61]=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\atlthunk.dll
LoadedModule[62]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\dmocx.dll
LoadedModule[63]=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\sxs.dll
LoadedModule[64]=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\edputil.dll
LoadedModule[65]=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\wintypes.dll
LoadedModule[66]=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\policymanager.dll
LoadedModule[67]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\msvcp110_win.dll
LoadedModule[68]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\COMDLG32.dll
LoadedModule[69]=C:\WINDOWS\system32\DEVOBJ.dll
State[0].Key=Transport.DoneStage1
State[0].Value=1
FriendlyEventName=Stopped working
ConsentKey=APPCRASH
AppName=Microsoft Management Console
AppPath=C:\WINDOWS\system32\mmc.exe
NsPartner=windows
NsGroup=windows8
ApplicationIdentity=7246F51A50450F1DDE82CB3A1DBC0589

I don't see a problematic third party module in that list.

There are modules related to the graphics so if you have not already make sure the graphics driver is at the latest version.

If the issue persists I would highly recommend to capture a user-mode dump of the crash which has the potential to pinpoint the exact cause.

You can configure Windows to create user-mode dumps. Create a System Restore Point first.

If you copy and paste the following in Notepad and save as a .reg file (save with the .reg extension and give it any name such as dump.reg) then right-click the .reg file and select "Merge" to add to the registry, a .dmp file at the time mmc.exe crashes should be created in the C:\CrashDumps folder:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\LocalDumps\mmc.exe]
"DumpFolder"=hex(2):43,00,3a,00,5c,00,43,00,72,00,61,00,73,00,68,00,44,00,75,\
00,6d,00,70,00,73,00,00,00


After mmc.exe crashes, can you then make the .dmp file available (provide link) via a public folder on OneDrive (SkyDrive) or similar site.

Here's a couple of links on using OneDrive (SkyDrive):

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ca/skydrive/add-photos-files-faq

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ca/onedrive/share-file-folder

More info on collecting user-mode dumps:
msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library···85).aspx

Hi auggy,

Are you still working on this?

I have the same problem on a Surface running 64 bit Windows 8.1 Pro.

The device manager is

• slow to start
• and crashes on "scan for hardware changes" (none made):
  MMC has stopped working ...

Faulting application name: mmc.exe, version: 6.3.9600.17415, time stamp: 0x54504e26
Faulting module name: devmgr.dll, version: 6.3.9600.17415, time stamp: 0x54504b46
Exception code: 0xc00000fd
Fault offset: 0x000000000000f9d6
Faulting process id: 0x179c
Faulting application start time: 0x01d120cf263d41e8
Faulting application path: C:\Windows\system32\mmc.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\System32\devmgr.dll

sfc /scannow reported some errors, which were fixed with DISM. I then run Windows Update (which required a reboot).

Note that the problem also occurs in Safe Mode.