Windows Update KB4579311 causing explorer to crash repeatedly when logging in.

I would add that this only happens on the first login after start/restart. After about 6 minutes it proceeds to load as normal and I am able to logoff and back on any number of times without seeing this same fault. Only the first login after a reboot triggers this. Anyone else confirm this? Waiting on the fix.

I also had this issue and although uninstalling KB4579311 worked I found that disabling the "Storage Service" service also stopped explorer from repeatedly crashing after logging in (I forgot where I found this suggestion, but thanks to that person). Not a complete fix, but it might help if you'd like to not keep pausing updates.

Instructions:

1. Open services.msc. With explorer repeatedly crashing you might have to do this by opening Task Manager from Ctrl+Alt+Del, clicking the Services tab, right clicking one of the items and click Open Services.
   • Alternatively, I did it by rebooting into Safe Mode. Ctrl+Alt+Del, press the power icon, hold Shift and click restart. Then click Troubleshoot > Advanced Settings >Startup Options. Once you've rebooted into Safe Mode, you can press Start and type "services".
2. Scroll to "Storage Service" and right click > Properties.
3. In Startup Type select Disabled. I tried Manual but Windows started the service at startup anyway.

I also had this issue and although uninstalling KB4579311 worked I found that disabling the "Storage Service" service also stopped explorer from repeatedly crashing after logging in (I forgot where I found this suggestion, but thanks to that person). Not a complete fix, but it might help if you'd like to not keep pausing updates.

Instructions:

1. Open services.msc. With explorer repeatedly crashing you might have to do this by opening Task Manager from Ctrl+Alt+Del, clicking the Services tab, right clicking one of the items and click Open Services.
   • Alternatively, I did it by rebooting into Safe Mode. Ctrl+Alt+Del, press the power icon, hold Shift and click restart. Then click Troubleshoot > Advanced Settings >Startup Options. Once you've rebooted into Safe Mode, you can press Start and type "services".
2. Scroll to "Storage Service" and right click > Properties.
3. In Startup Type select Disabled. I tried Manual but Windows started the service at startup anyway.

@Frestlay thanks for the suggestion on disabling Storage Service via services console - this does appear to prevent the problem on my machine from occurring at every restart. Are there any known issues with keeping this disabled?

I would ideally like to uninstall the KB but as others have found, it appears to be "baked in" to the OS and impossible to remove. I am starting to wonder if I shouldn't just do a clean install, but I'd really like to avoid the hassle!

@Frestlay thanks for the suggestion on disabling Storage Service via services console - this does appear to prevent the problem on my machine from occurring at every restart. Are there any known issues with keeping this disabled?

I would ideally like to uninstall the KB but as others have found, it appears to be "baked in" to the OS and impossible to remove. I am starting to wonder if I shouldn't just do a clean install, but I'd really like to avoid the hassle!

Main issue I've found is that disabling Storage Service will prevent updates to Microsoft Store apps. I'd still consider disabling this service a workaround until Microsoft can fix this issue.

For help uninstalling the update:

TL;DR  Hold and keep holding the "shift" key and select restart. On the following screen select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options>Uninstall Updates>Uninstall latest quality update. This will revert the problem update and return your computer back to normal behavior.

Not sure if anyone mentioned this yet but if so then apologies for the duplication. For those that do encounter this issue, the easiest way I found to revert the update is to hold and keep holding the "shift" key while selecting restart. This will bring up a set of options, if you then select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options and choose Uninstall Updates then you'll be presented with two more options. In this case, I keep using the "Uninstall latest quality update" option which is fairly quick and gets your computer back to its normal behavior before the update. I then pause all updates to prevent the update from being applied again until a fix is released. Hope this helps someone. 

Has there been a fix for this? My computer keeps automatically installing this update and in turn I have to keep manually removing it. But I think now it is permanently installed, and the explorer will simply crash for 5 minutes every time I turn on my computer

Same exact problem. Same as what others are saying I discovered that disabling the Storage Service worked as a workaround through trial and error. Another fix that people stated is removing the BannerStore key in regedit which had mixed results for me. Typically if I did it it would still crash for some amount of time before becoming usable but when starting in safe mode I noticed it didn't happen so I went from there and did a little binary search on my services until I narrowed it down the the Storage Service. I actually don't even have the KB4579311 installed at all. The last updates I "took" (read had foisted upon me by M$) were Security Update for Adobe Flash Player, Security Update for Microsoft Windows (KB4577671) and Update for Microsoft Windows (KB4578974). I guess I'll try removing those and see where it gets me, but if I'm not able to tell M$ that I don't want those updates permanently that too seems like a workaround.

For help uninstalling the update:

TL;DR  Hold and keep holding the "shift" key and select restart. On the following screen select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options>Uninstall Updates>Uninstall latest quality update. This will revert the problem update and return your computer back to normal behavior. 

Thanks a lot for this suggestion - I wish it worked but I still get an error that the update cannot be uninstalled.

I bit the bullet today and reinstalled Windows, plus turned off automatic updates. I did a clean install from an .iso and the issue is gone. Major PITA to have to do it - I certainly hope Microsoft gets a fix out for this soon.

Thanks so much @Frestlay! After spending hours reinstalling different versions of Nvidia drivers and disabling 3rd party apps, this resolved my issue. I'm hoping Microsoft takes responsibility and comes up with a fix, but I'm keeping that service disabled and updates paused until they do.

Hi I have tried the Windows Clean Reinstall, Even after that the issue appears, 

I believe ur facing the same following issues:

1. Clicking start menu immediately closes the start window a flickering kind of action.

2. Right click on desktop will not show the context menus

3. Cannot right click on task bar to open task manger.

All these errors does not occur while u hold Ctrl+Alt button and perfomr those action.

I infact tried stopping the Storage Service as suggested but does no favour.

One more question is yours a Dell make laptop?

Mine is Dell G7 i7-8750h.

Please let me know if were able to fix the problem..

Thanks

Kaushal