Surface freezing - "explorer.exe" error

neonstar

New member
Nov 9, 2012
20
0
0
Visit site
Sometimes I launch 'Settings' from the charm bar or any app on the start screen, my surface freezes for a minute and the app fails to run.

Not very frequently. About 1~3 times a day, but pretty annoying me.

I don't think this is a hardware issue because the event viewer shows me clearly "explorer.exe" has a problem.

I copied the details of the error.

Faulting application name: explorer.exe, version: 6.2.9200.16433, time stamp: 0x50762eec
Faulting module name: MSCTF.dll, version: 6.2.9200.16384, time stamp: 0x50107f42
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x00018039
Faulting process id: 0x12a0
Faulting application start time: 0x01cdcfa9fc37b88e
Faulting application path: C:\windows\explorer.exe
Faulting module path: C:\windows\system32\MSCTF.dll

Is there anyone has the same issue? Well, I haven't read something like this, but I guess I am not alone.

My Surface is 32GB with touch cover and all settings are normal except for the language.
 

stephen_az

Banned
Aug 2, 2012
1,267
0
0
Visit site
No, that is certainly not normal. I would suggest doing an OS refresh and/or reinstall to see if that resolves the issue. If not, it is as likely hardware as anything else. Memory intensive actions can, as in any other version of Windows, trigger hardware defects that are then reflected as software crashes.
 

neonstar

New member
Nov 9, 2012
20
0
0
Visit site
Thank you for your advice. But refreshing OS didn't resolve the problem. And the reason I think it's a software issue is that everytime the error occurs, it always throws the same error, "explorer.exe". I don't think the hardware problem can make this. However, who knows? I will dig it up.
 

sudakoma

New member
Sep 7, 2012
104
0
0
Visit site
Don't put up with faults like this, get in touch with surface support and get it exchanged. I had a similar problem with mine freezing and they arranged an advance exchange for me. A brand new surface was with me 3 days later.
 

stephen_az

Banned
Aug 2, 2012
1,267
0
0
Visit site
Here are a couple pieces of information that might be of some use:

Explorer keeps crashing after KB2770917 update on Surface RT - Microsoft Community

Have updates broken my Surface? - Microsoft Community
One thing you might consider is uninstalling the referenced update to see if that resolved the problem. It might not help but I thought I would pass it along. FWIW, I have one Windows 8 performance update permanently hidden because it screwed up the all apps portion of the start screen and killed performance on two HP laptops. Since Microsoft controls both hardware and software for Surface, an update going rogue on only isolated machines seems a bit surprising. It does seem though that there are isolated reports of the same type of issue. Perhaps it is a bad patch being carried over by a refresh. If it persists though it might still consider just getting the device swapped out.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
322,736
Messages
2,242,598
Members
427,978
Latest member
Duouser3