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

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    • Mark ColvinM Offline
      Mark Colvin @xomx
      last edited by PeterJones

      @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

      xomxX 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
      • xomxX Offline
        xomx @Mark Colvin
        last edited by

        @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.

        Mark ColvinM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
        • Mark ColvinM Offline
          Mark Colvin @xomx
          last edited by

          @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
          • xomxX Offline
            xomx
            last edited by xomx

            @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.

            Mark ColvinM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • Mark ColvinM Offline
              Mark Colvin @xomx
              last edited by

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

              Thanks again,
              Mark

              Mark ColvinM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
              • Mark ColvinM Offline
                Mark Colvin @Mark Colvin
                last edited by

                @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…

                Mark ColvinM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • Mark ColvinM Offline
                  Mark Colvin @Mark Colvin
                  last edited by

                  @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
                  • xomxX xomx referenced this topic on
                  • xomxX Offline
                    xomx
                    last edited by

                    @Mark-Colvin

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

                    Mark ColvinM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                    • Mark ColvinM Offline
                      Mark Colvin @xomx
                      last edited by

                      @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

                      xomxX 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • xomxX Offline
                        xomx @Mark Colvin
                        last edited by

                        @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 Offline
                          David MS
                          last edited by

                          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

                          xomxX 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • xomxX Offline
                            xomx @David MS
                            last edited by

                            @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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