So I've got Windows 7 Pro.
I'm not interested in upgrading.
Sometimes I'll have just two folders open and it will crash while I'm moving files. Immediately after it restores I'll do the same thing. It's fine.
Other times I'll have multiple folders open, scrolling through a fairly large folder of files, and it will crash while I'm scrolling. Immediately after it restores I'll do the same thing. It's fine.
Finally I'll be working in Photoshop, and have a folder open. In case I need to access a file. And even while I'm in Photoshop not accessing the folder. Though the file I'll be working on is in that folder. But I'm not saving. It will crash. Immediately after it restores I'll do the same thing. It's fine.
I've updated every single driver, I've made sure Windows Updater is good. I've preformed a clean installation, which this has happened before than, only now it's escalating to where it's hard to get work done. I also expanded the amount of virtual memory.
Oh also I have 16GBs of RAM
As well as a Geforce GTX 970
I also attached my DxDiag just in case.
Thank you in advanced for the help.

When you say you did a clean installation, you mean you did a clean re-installation of windows? Drivers are up to date? How much RAM are you actually using when working? How big are your photoshop files?

I don't think that expanding your virtual memory is gonna help, because usually when you crash due to RAM problems you get a different error. This sounds more like a driver / software issue.

Yep re-installation of windows. Just did it, so I'll update if explorer crashes.
I've updated drivers. Went through device manager and manually checked everything to be sure that it didn't need to be updated.
How do I find out how much RAM I'm using?
It did crash earlier today while I was under my C drive folder looking for the exe file for my anti-virus.
The photoshop file I have been working with is 5.7 GB

CTRL+ALT+DELETE -> Task Manager -> "Performance" Tab. Keep it open and keep an eye on it while you work.

5.7GB is big. you might be running out of ram.

Thanks! So if it is a RAM issue. Could it be that the RAM is slowly dying and that's why the crashes keep happening?
The only thing I would be confused about if it is the RAM, is that a few times explorer crashed when I only had one folder open.
Granted it was a programs folder, but still.

Oh also one of the last times I had asked Microsoft support for help, they had remote access. And I had Maya running with one of my larger models, and Photoshop opened to
the 5GB file, while scrolling through one of my larger folders that has all of my sims 3 CC in it, which is a ton, for five minutes. And absolutely nothing.

Not trying to discredit your theory, just want to give you all the info I can.

Last edited by ruffdog24 : 3rd Feb 2018 at 7:39 PM.

Oh i see, sorry i misunderstood. i thought this crashing was happening with everything opened.

Try this and see if it works for you:

Step 1
Click the "Start" menu, and type "Folder Options" in the search bar without the quotation marks. Press the "Enter" key on your keyboard to see the dialog.

Step 2
Click the "View" tab to see a set of check boxes falling under "Advanced Settings." Tick the "Launch Folder Windows in a Separate Process" checkbox.

Step 3
Click the "OK" button to apply the changes.

Nope don't worry. Out of all the possibilities yours seemed the most likely. And in terms of hardware replacements the cheapest. Someone from Microsoft suggested it was due to my GPU not being powerful enough.

Out of curiosity what will launching folders in a separate process do?
I've also done it, and report back to you. It might take a bit because my personal files are still not fully restored, so I haven't been able to work on anything like I
normally would.

I don't think it's likely to be that your GPU isn't powerful (provided drivers are up-to-date) since it crashes on regular windows operations. Maybe it's failing though?

I would check the Windows Event logs to see if there are any clues there.

Yep I have to keep my GPU driver up to date, Maya gets crabby when it isn't updated as soon as there is a new update.
If it is failing what would other signs be? I'd rather start saving up now, before this one craps out on me, if it is failing.

So I've had folders open all day, and working on that large 5 GB PSD file nearly all day as well. Physical Memory has been between 75%-99%
Explorer hasn't crashed. Finger's crossed that it's fixed, but I have my doubts. When/ if it does crash, what should I look for in the logs?
Also thanks for all the help.

It crashed! I had a couple of folders up. Went to uninstall a program, and while the program was uninstalling explorer crashed. My physical memory was about 41-45%.
Not sure how I feel about it crashing...

Hrmm I dont know... Maybe it's one of your drives? Did you check the event logs like simsample suggested?

I did, just forgot to post it. I got Winlogon for the source, The shell stopped unexpectedly and explorer.exe was restarted.
When it crashes again, I'll check for this error. To see if it is constant.