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Notepad++ v8.7.1 (32-bit) NppShell.dll is intermittently crashing Windows Explorer.

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  • M
    Mark Colvin @xomx
    last edited by PeterJones Jan 23, 2025, 12:39 AM Jan 22, 2025, 10:52 PM

    @xomx ,
    posted here are the files you requested.

    Also, I uninstalled NPP x32 and not seen any Windows Explorer errors nor crashes for over 48 hours. (normal laptop usage, about 6 to 10 hours per day)

    WinVerRegKeys32.txt

    
    BaseBuildRevisionNumber   : 1
    BuildBranch               : ge_release
    BuildGUID                 : ffffffff-ffff-ffff-ffff-ffffffffffff
    BuildLab                  : 26100.ge_release.240331-1435
    BuildLabEx                : 26100.1.amd64fre.ge_release.240331-1435
    CompositionEditionID      : Enterprise
    CurrentBuild              : 26100
    CurrentBuildNumber        : 26100
    CurrentMajorVersionNumber : 10
    CurrentMinorVersionNumber : 0
    CurrentType               : Multiprocessor Free
    CurrentVersion            : 6.3
    DisplayVersion            : 24H2
    EditionID                 : Enterprise
    EditionSubManufacturer    : 
    EditionSubstring          : 
    EditionSubVersion         : 
    InstallationType          : Client
    InstallDate               : 0
    ProductName               : Windows 10 Enterprise
    ReleaseId                 : 2009
    SoftwareType              : System
    SystemRoot                : C:\WINDOWS
    UBR                       : 2894
    RegisteredOwner           : __________@gmail.com
    PSPath                    : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windo
                                ws NT\CurrentVersion
    PSParentPath              : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windo
                                ws NT
    PSChildName               : CurrentVersion
    PSDrive                   : HKLM
    PSProvider                : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\Registry
    
    

    WinVerRegKeys64.txt

    
    
    SystemRoot                : C:\WINDOWS
    BaseBuildRevisionNumber   : 1
    BuildBranch               : ge_release
    BuildGUID                 : ffffffff-ffff-ffff-ffff-ffffffffffff
    BuildLab                  : 26100.ge_release.240331-1435
    BuildLabEx                : 26100.1.amd64fre.ge_release.240331-1435
    CompositionEditionID      : Enterprise
    CurrentBuild              : 26100
    CurrentBuildNumber        : 26100
    CurrentMajorVersionNumber : 10
    CurrentMinorVersionNumber : 0
    CurrentType               : Multiprocessor Free
    CurrentVersion            : 6.3
    DisplayVersion            : 24H2
    EditionID                 : Professional
    EditionSubManufacturer    : 
    EditionSubstring          : 
    EditionSubVersion         : 
    InstallationType          : Client
    InstallDate               : 1732282151
    LCUVer                    : 10.0.26100.2894
    ProductName               : Windows 10 Pro
    ReleaseId                 : 2009
    SoftwareType              : System
    UBR                       : 2894
    PathName                  : C:\Windows
    PendingInstall            : 0
    ProductId                 : 00330-53097-84373-AAOEM
    DigitalProductId          : {164, 0, 0, 0...}
    DigitalProductId4         : {248, 4, 0, 0...}
    RegisteredOwner           : __________@gmail.com
    InstallTime               : 133767557516344286
    PSPath                    : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows 
                                NT\CurrentVersion
    PSParentPath              : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\Registry::HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT
    PSChildName               : CurrentVersion
    PSDrive                   : HKLM
    PSProvider                : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\Registry
    
    
    

    Sorry, not enough karma to attach files to posts yet. Supplied as code.

    Mark
    —
    moderator edited to remove real email address

    X 1 Reply Last reply Jan 23, 2025, 8:57 PM Reply Quote 2
    • X
      xomx @Mark Colvin
      last edited by Jan 23, 2025, 8:57 PM

      @Mark-Colvin

      Thanks.
      But I didn’t find anything wrong in your data (that could explain your previously reported Win8).

      But all this gives me the idea that perhaps the affected users here have something unusual/wrong in their Registry, which in turn causes the N++ shell extension to crash. I have checked the NppShell source code and indeed - some parts of the code are not the best in terms of resilience to unexpected input or some resource or data unavailability. I didn’t manage to crash Explorer exactly the same way as all affected users report, but in principle that could be it (maybe I just didn’t simulate the right bad data in the Registry).

      I’ll try to raise some questions in the NppShell project issues.

      M 1 Reply Last reply Jan 28, 2025, 9:49 PM Reply Quote 2
      • M
        Mark Colvin @xomx
        last edited by Jan 28, 2025, 9:49 PM

        @xomx ,

        Update: I installed npp.8.7.5.Installer.x64 five days ago without Context Menu feature and fewer plugins. So far, no Windows Explorer crashes.

        I really miss the Context Menu feature, NPP is so easy to open many file types with this quick step for a quick peek.

        I will re-configure NPP soon with Context Menu turned on and see if the problem returns. Any advice on data collection for this issue if it re-occurs?

        TIA,
        Mark

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • X
          xomx
          last edited by xomx Jan 29, 2025, 11:19 AM Jan 29, 2025, 11:18 AM

          @Mark-Colvin said in Notepad++ v8.7.1 (32-bit) NppShell.dll is intermittently crashing Windows Explorer.:

          Any advice on data collection for this issue if it re-occurs?

          As I already said:

          @xomx said in Notepad++ v8.7.1 (32-bit) NppShell.dll is intermittently crashing Windows Explorer.:

          If you switch to x64 Notepad++ with its x64 NppShell and you still get these Explorer crashes, you can try to follow these instructions to help me with debugging of the issue:
          https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/issues/15683#issuecomment-2492113826

          So if you can, please follow the instructions in that GitHub comment and then somehow forward me the relevant Explorer crash dump file generated along with a possible NppShell.log.

          If the GitHub procedure seems too complicated for you - the main thing is to get the crash-dump file while using my special version of the “C:\Program Files\Notepad++\contextMenu\NppShell.dll”, so download it and after the usual reinstall of your Notepad++ with the shell context extension, replace the standard NppShell.dll file there with the file from this archive: https://github.com/user-attachments/files/17850910/NppShell_v1500_x64_Debug.zip

          If you have any questions about the GitHub instructions, do not hesitate to ask me.

          M 1 Reply Last reply Jan 29, 2025, 2:44 PM Reply Quote 1
          • M
            Mark Colvin @xomx
            last edited by Jan 29, 2025, 2:44 PM

            @xomx ,
            Thank you for the alternatives on this investigation. I will update as I get more information.

            Thanks again,
            Mark

            M 1 Reply Last reply Jan 30, 2025, 6:02 PM Reply Quote 1
            • M
              Mark Colvin @Mark Colvin
              last edited by Jan 30, 2025, 6:02 PM

              @xomx,
              Posted dump file and error dialog at:
              https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/issues/15683#issuecomment-2492113826

              Saw when open .ZIP file… got the error dialog, clicked retry, and all explorer windows vanished.
              Hope it helps…

              M 1 Reply Last reply Jan 30, 2025, 10:56 PM Reply Quote 1
              • M
                Mark Colvin @Mark Colvin
                last edited by Jan 30, 2025, 10:56 PM

                @xomx,
                5 hours later, another error with NppShell.DLL, but no new dump file created.
                This occurred during a copy/paste operation from one Window to another.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • X xomx referenced this topic on Jan 31, 2025, 12:13 AM
                • X
                  xomx
                  last edited by Jan 31, 2025, 9:40 AM

                  @Mark-Colvin

                  Could you please check if you are not running N++ in Windows8 compatibility mode? More about it here.

                  M 1 Reply Last reply Feb 5, 2025, 8:43 PM Reply Quote 1
                  • M
                    Mark Colvin @xomx
                    last edited by Feb 5, 2025, 8:43 PM

                    @xomx
                    How does this compatibility mode affect the Explorer context menu invocations?
                    The one Shortcut I have is NOW set to Compatibility mode with Windows 8. But rarely use it directly…

                    What about the errors with NppShell.DLL which occur without NP++ even turned on?
                    (I am missing something on how this NppShell.DLL works outside of NP++)
                    See NppShell.log files posted in github thread…

                    Thanks,
                    Mark

                    X 1 Reply Last reply Feb 9, 2025, 2:25 PM Reply Quote 0
                    • X
                      xomx @Mark Colvin
                      last edited by Feb 9, 2025, 2:25 PM

                      @Mark-Colvin said in Notepad++ v8.7.1 (32-bit) NppShell.dll is intermittently crashing Windows Explorer.:

                      How does this compatibility mode affect the Explorer context menu invocations?

                      Good point, this probably influences the N++ app only and not the NppShell extension DLL invoked by the shell Explorer.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • David MSD
                        David MS
                        last edited by Apr 22, 2025, 2:25 PM

                        Hello,

                        I have also constantly the problem that NppShell.dll crashes the Windows 11 Explorer.
                        After uninstalling Notepad++ the explorer runs without crahes.

                        I use the latest version of Notepad++ (8.7.9).

                        Does exists a workaround or a fix?

                        Thank you very much.

                        Best regards,

                        David

                        X 1 Reply Last reply Apr 22, 2025, 11:30 PM Reply Quote 0
                        • X
                          xomx @David MS
                          last edited by Apr 22, 2025, 11:30 PM

                          @David-MS said in Notepad++ v8.7.1 (32-bit) NppShell.dll is intermittently crashing Windows Explorer.:

                          Does exists a workaround

                          If you mean by this a workaround to not have to completely uninstall the N++ for preventing the Explorer crashes, then yes - unregistering of the NppShell context-menu handler helps: https://community.notepad-plus-plus.org/post/99261

                          or a fix?

                          I could not exactly reproduce the issue myself but found some potential problematic places in the NppShell source code and put a “hardening” of that code to my TODO. Unfortunately not enough free time yet. More info and possible future progress in the GitHub issue.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
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