Windows Explorer crashes whenever I view a folder with an MP4 (H.264) video file in 'Large Icons' view (shows thumbnails)

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Whenever I view a folder which contains .MP4 (H.264) video files in large icon view (shows thumbnails), Windows 7's Explorer crashes. Explorer loads for a few seconds, the green progress bar shows up, and then boom!, Explorer crashes. The thumbnails are not shown before crashing. Does anyone know how to fix this?

I tried setting Folder options to 'Always show icons, never thumbnails' (disables thumbnails) on the same folder with MP4 (H.264) video files and Explorer doesn't crash if the MP4 thumbnails aren't shown. I tried testing in other folders containing other video formats (with 'Always show icons, never thumbnails' set to off) like .AVI/Xvid, without an MP4/H.264 file, and Windows Explorer shows the thumbnails fine without crashing.

I have not currently experienced problems with other formats, only MP4/H.264. The only media players that I have installed are KMPlayer and VLC Media Player which both do not install external codecs, AFAIK. The only external codec I have installed is CoreAVC, but I have been using CoreAVC for months (KMPlayer+CoreAVC is one of the first things I installed in Windows 7) without any problems (this issue just arose a few days ago).

I am using Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit.

Note: I prefer a solution that will not end up disabling video thumbnails for MP4 files. I still would like to see MP4 video thumbnails, if possible. If the video files themselves are problematic, I reckon Explorer should not crash and just not show the thumbnails.

Event Viewer log and HiJackThis log here:

Event Viewer log:

Faulting application name: Explorer.EXE, version: 6.1.7600.16450, time stamp: 0x4aeba271
Faulting module name: qedit.dll, version: 6.6.7600.16385, time stamp: 0x4a5bdad4
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x0005c832
Faulting process id: 0x600
Faulting application start time: 0x01cb917247cbd5d2
Faulting application path: C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\System32\qedit.dll


Friendly view:

+ System 

  - Provider 

   [ Name]  Application Error 

  - EventID 1000 

   [ Qualifiers]  0 

   Level 2 

   Task 100 

   Keywords 0x80000000000000 

  - TimeCreated 

   [ SystemTime]  2010-12-01T16:14:00.000000000Z 

   EventRecordID 11098 

   Channel Application 

   Computer 

   Security 


- EventData 

   Explorer.EXE 
   6.1.7600.16450 
   4aeba271 
   qedit.dll 
   6.6.7600.16385 
   4a5bdad4 
   c0000005 
   0005c832 
   600 
   01cb917247cbd5d2 
   C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE 
   C:\Windows\System32\qedit.dll 
   014e27a9-fd66-11df-a275-0015f2ac57c8 

_______
HiJackThis log:

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4
Scan saved at 5:48:45 AM, on 12/2/2010
Platform: Windows 7  (WinNT 6.00.3504)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.7600.16671)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Program Files\Soluto\soluto.exe
C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe
C:\Windows\system32\taskhost.exe
C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\avgnt.exe
C:\Program Files\NetWorx\networx.exe
C:\Program Files\cFosSpeed\cfosspeed.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Tray Tools\atitray.exe
C:\Program Files\DVD Tools\DAEMON Tools Lite\DTLite.exe
C:\Program Files\Launchy\Launchy.exe
C:\Program Files\Sizer\sizer.exe
C:\Program Files\Rainlendar\Rainlendar.exe
C:\Program Files\ObjectDock\ObjectDock.exe
C:\Program Files\Opera\opera.exe
C:\Program Files\TrueCrypt\TrueCrypt.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jucheck.exe
C:\Program Files\System Utilities\PerfectDisk\PDAgentS1.exe
C:\Windows\system32\DllHost.exe
C:\Windows\explorer.exe
C:\Program Files\Notepad2\Notepad2.exe
C:\Windows\system32\SearchFilterHost.exe
C:\Program Files\HiJackThis\Trend Micro\HiJackThis\HiJackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = 
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = 
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName = 
F2 - REG:system.ini: UserInit=C:\Windows\system32\userinit.exe,C:\Program Files\Soluto\soluto.exe /userinit
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O2 - BHO: Advertising Cookie Opt-out - {8E425EB4-ADBD-4816-B1E8-49BB9DECF034} - C:\Program Files\Google\Advertising Cookie Opt-out\opt_out.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &NetWorx Desk Band - {FEEA54B4-D80F-41C7-87B9-DC08E6D3255F} - C:\PROGRA~1\NetWorx\deskband.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avgnt] "C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\avgnt.exe" /min
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NetWorx] "C:\Program Files\NetWorx\networx.exe" /auto
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [cFosSpeed] C:\Program Files\cFosSpeed\cFosSpeed.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Sidebar] C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe /autoRun
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AtiTrayTools] "C:\Program Files\ATI Tray Tools\atitray.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [DAEMON Tools Lite] "C:\Program Files\DVD Tools\DAEMON Tools Lite\DTLite.exe" -autorun
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - Startup: Rainlendar.lnk = C:\Program Files\Rainlendar\Rainlendar.exe
O4 - Startup: Stardock ObjectDock.lnk = C:\Program Files\ObjectDock\ObjectDock.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Launchy.lnk = C:\Program Files\Launchy\Launchy.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Sizer.lnk = C:\Program Files\Sizer\sizer.exe
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{617D9698-114A-4664-B162-496A5CC7BECE}: NameServer = 8.8.8.8,8.8.4.4
O17 - HKLM\System\CS1\Services\Tcpip\..\{617D9698-114A-4664-B162-496A5CC7BECE}: NameServer = 8.8.8.8,8.8.4.4
O17 - HKLM\System\CS2\Services\Tcpip\..\{617D9698-114A-4664-B162-496A5CC7BECE}: NameServer = 8.8.8.8,8.8.4.4
O20 - Winlogon Notify: !SASWinLogon - C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SASWINLO.dll
O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: ObjectDockShellExt - {1984D045-52CF-49cd-DB77-08F378FEA4DB} - C:\Program Files\ObjectDock\ODMenu.dll
O23 - Service: Avira AntiVir Scheduler (AntiVirSchedulerService) - Avira GmbH - C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\sched.exe
O23 - Service: Avira AntiVir Guard (AntiVirService) - Avira GmbH - C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop\avguard.exe
O23 - Service: Ati External Event Utility - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\Windows\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: cFosSpeed System Service (cFosSpeedS) - cFos Software GmbH - C:\Program Files\cFosSpeed\spd.exe
O23 - Service: Google Update Service (gupdate) (gupdate) - Google Inc. - C:\Program Files\Google\Update\GoogleUpdate.exe
O23 - Service: PDAgent - Raxco Software, Inc. - C:\Program Files\System Utilities\PerfectDisk\PDAgent.exe
O23 - Service: PDEngine - Raxco Software, Inc. - C:\Program Files\System Utilities\PerfectDisk\PDEngine.exe
O23 - Service: Remote Packet Capture Protocol v.0 (experimental) (rpcapd) - CACE Technologies, Inc. - C:\Program Files\WinPcap\rpcapd.exe
O23 - Service: Soluto PCGenome Core Service (SolutoService) - Soluto - C:\Program Files\Soluto\SolutoService.exe
windows-7
windows-explorer
crash
thumbnails
asked on Super User Dec 1, 2010 by galacticninja • edited Aug 19, 2011 by Gaff

5 Answers

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Two options:

  1. Remove media preview, by typing in: regsvr32 /u shmedia.dll

  2. From this page:

Click Start>Run, type REGEDIT and click Ok. Then make your way to this InProcServer32 key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE >SOFTWARE >Classes

CLSID > {87D62D94-71B3-4b9a-9489-5FE6850DC73E}> InProcServer32

Right click the InProcServer32 key and choose Delete. And that's all there is to it. This will prevent Windows from loading shmedia.dll when you work with video files and thus you should no longer have problems deleting or moving any video files. Also if you have a video file you can't delete now, deleting this key will allow you to do so. If not, log out and log in again to delete the file.

answered on Super User Dec 1, 2010 by (unknown user)
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This problem seems to be caused by Haali Media Splitter (checked by default to be included with CoreAVC's installer). I've uninstalled it and I get no crashes so far.

Edit:
I'd like to add that this could be caused by other types of splitters installed in Windows 7. To troubleshoot this, try uninstalling the splitters and see if this fixes the issue.

answered on Super User Dec 14, 2010 by galacticninja • edited Jun 14, 2011 by galacticninja
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It might be RealPlayer. IF you have it, uninstall it. Nirsoft's ShellExView helped me find it (sort by thumbnail and see which extension are associated with it)

answered on Super User Apr 28, 2012 by Jayneel Ramjee • edited May 2, 2014 by Garrulinae
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The solution for me was to set the folder properties to "Optimize for Documents". It was set for "General Items" which is probably like an "Automatic" feature where Windows detects what type of files are in it. If it is set for "Video" or "General Items", Windows will try to analyze the videos for durations, etc, etc which can take a long time if you have large or numerous videos. If you set it to "Documents" it treats it like a DOC folder. Once you change the properties be sure and back out and reselect the folder to see the change.

To set the properties of a folder simply right click anywhere in the folder window and select properties->Customize and under "What kind of folder do you want?" change it to "documents".

answered on Super User Sep 16, 2013 by Sequestre
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Try stopping Windows Search under Services in the Admin Console. You'd be amazed how that simple step makes Windows Explorer work properly again.

answered on Super User Dec 18, 2020 by Black Mage • edited Dec 19, 2020 by Stephen Rauch

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