Windows 10 (1909) 'explorer.exe' crash loop

Question

'explorer.exe' keeps crashing after I restart my PC. This does not happen when I turn it off and back on. I tried performing a clean boot, but it didn't help. Everything seems to be fine in safe mode.

I already used the system file checker tool, but it couldn't fix it.

(Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.)

Windows Explorer

Summary
Stopped working

Description
Faulting Application Path:  C:\Windows\explorer.exe

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: BEX64
Application Name:   Explorer.EXE
Application Version:    10.0.18362.1533
Application Timestamp:  326ff668
Fault Module Name:  ucrtbase.dll
Fault Module Version:   10.0.18362.1110
Fault Module Timestamp: b4cacc38
Exception Offset:   000000000006dace
Exception Code: c0000409
Exception Data: 0000000000000007
OS Version: 10.0.18363.2.0.0.256.48
Locale ID:  1033
Additional Information 1:   7185
Additional Information 2:   71850343fb1d2aba6b3b557f8a656ca9
Additional Information 3:   99b9
Additional Information 4:   99b962a1fafc024144417b07ff8a6509

Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID:  de307c4fef28270771f31854574758ec (1293404268506077420)```

Answer 1

First off you're running 1909 so go here and download the manual update tool to get you current and run it: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10%20

If this fails to fix the issue skip to the last paragraph for a potential solution. If this failed to update Windows then try the in-place upgrade method (2nd option at the above URL). Basically download and run the 2nd option then when prompted choose the Upgrade PC Now option. harrymc provided a good instruction source here: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/16397-repair-install-windows-10-place-upgrade.html

If that still fails to update then you should research doing an upgrade install from boot USB or just do a fresh install as things in Windows have to be pretty broken if both fail.

As far as the error you posted, the faulting module is ucrtbase.dll and I read that the quick launch cache may be to blame. You can try deleting all files *.automaticDestinations-ms from the following directory: %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations

Answer 2

Disabling the Storage Service in the Services app worked for me.

I was experiencing this error on every restart, explorer crashing hundreds of times causing it to take several minutes for the desktop to stabilise. Safe mode was fine, but the crashes still occurred after using System Configuration (msconfig.exe) to enable only Microsoft services and no startup programs… a process of elimination pinpointed that disabling a single Microsoft service - Storage Service - resolved the crash. I don’t personally need this service for my setup, but irritatingly Windows Store seems to require it to download or update apps. The workaround is just to start the Storage Service manually when I need it. I had tried various other suggestions that made no improvement including but not limited to:

1. UnInstalling everything third-party storage related, e.g. Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud, OneDrive, VMWare, Virtual/CloneDrives etc.
2. Removing all USB devices (including even keyboard and mouse!)
3. Cleanup of old registry entries and shell extensions using shellexview, AutoRuns etc. and disabling all non-Microsoft ones
4. Deleting files in %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\AutomaticDestinations (reported to work for one lucky user)
5. Complete In-Place repair installation of Windows 10 22H2.
6. Complete removal of nVidia drivers using DDU in Safe Mode.
7. Setting the File Explorer Option to Launch-folder-windows-in-a-separate-process and deleting Explorer folder History.

I’d prefer to be able to enable the Storage Service automatically again though - if anyone has a better solution please update this thread.