Explorer.exe - System Warning dialog with "Unknown Hard Error" message

Question

• Hi All,

Thanks to Microsoft for provide such a helpful place.

Have someone ever met a explorer.exe - System Warning dialog with "Unknown Hard Error" message?

I upload it to link postimg.org/image/grsj6f7r1

It occurs while I boot into Windows 8 and go to Metro

System will stay at this condition unless I close the dialog. But System runs well after then.

It only happened sometimes when I boot into Windows 8, but it blocks my work because I need to test system stability by automatic reboot continually.

 I have several units and all of them have chance to see this problem, all of them have different hardware configuration, so I think it's not related to hardware components (HDD, RAM)

I've also done check disk by chkdsk /r /f

Hoping can get solution or some inspiration to get rid of it.

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Hi Ming,

I appreciate your efforts to resolve the issue.

This issue may occur due to conflict between third party applications or due to system file corruption.

Did you make any recent hardware or software changes on the computer prior to this issue?

Method 1:

I would suggest you to boot the computer in Safe Mode and set the computer in clean boot state from Safe Mode.

Step 1:

Start the computer in Safe mode, to start the computer with minimal set of drivers and files.

Windows Startup Settings (including safe mode)http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/windows-startup-settings-including-safe-mode

Step 2:

Now set the computer in clean boot state from Safe Mode and check if it helps.

Setting the system in clean boot state will help to identify if any third party applications or startup items are causing the issue.

How to perform a clean boot to troubleshoot a problem in Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

Note: After clean boot troubleshooting step, follow the section "How to reset the computer to start as usual after troubleshooting with clean boot" in the provided link to return your computer to Normal startup mode.

Method 2:

If the issue persists, I would suggest you to run System File Check (SFC), and then check if this fixes the issue.

Follow the steps:

a. Press “Windows Key + Q” to open Charms Bar.

b. Type “cmd” without quotes in the search box.

c. On the left pane, right click on the “cmd” option and select “Run as Administrator”.

d. Type “sfc /scannow” without quotes and hit Enter.

Note: It may ask for windows installation DVD to fix and to enable SFC to make more than minor repairs. Some files saved on your computer might get deleted when fixing corrupted files.

Hope this information helps. Reply to the post with updated status of the issue to assist you further.

Answer 2

Hello,

You may like to give a try to the fix mentioned in following article and see if that helps:

https://www.kapilarya.com/fix-getting-explorer-exe-error-on-windows-8-start-up

Also, check this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaxPy-vuO5E

Hope this helps, Good luck :)

Answer 3

Hi.. 

I have the same problem. But the message still shown up after I do both method. I have repeat it about 3 times and I still got the same issue.. What should I do?

Answer 4

Hi MarvinFernando,

I tried those mothods as well, but unfortunately none of them worked.

Since I can't identify which or what driver/application might cause the issue, the only way is to re-install Windows 8.

Stranged thing is that the problem doesn't meet again.(at least for now).

It's not good, but it's a way though.

Answer 5

For now pleasedisregard what is below this. It seems that running the error check and repair on the C drive (Main disk>properties>tools.) Has made this disappear, at least for now. If it stays gone for a week I'll edit my post and vouch for it as a solution. Otherwise it just goes more into the intermittent bit.

I am having this problem too, only for me it does not resolve upon closing the window. It takes my computer about 4~12 minutes to get to a semi- functional metro screen and when I switch to desktop this error comes up with a semi functional desktop. Closing the window results in a freeze. If I keep it there I may get some functionality (After about 20 restarts. =S)

If left open it will occasionally pop up again from wherever I might have moved it to the middle of the screen if I do anything like switch to metro mode or try to open task manager (which is kinda like opening metro anyway since ctrl+alt+delete beings up it's own menu now...) or opening up internet explorer, and any time I try to run something as an administrator. (Occasionally, but not always, it will pop up when I open file explorer as well.) I can understand this, since the pop up mentions explorer.exe, which is being used during those functions, but what gets me is the fact that nothing I try can get rid of the darn thing.

What's worse, is that it seems to have combined with another new problem after I attempted an image repair with PowerShell, though I doubt it's PowerShell's fault. After using it my computer ran fine until I turned it on later and went to use the internet. Then "all **** broke loose" during a google search. Clicked "next page" on search results and crashed. Re-booted to find this problem back in full force, but with this additional kink:

No matter how many times I change the permissions on my folders, they stubbornly refuse to budge from "Read-Only" they will go through the process and ask me for permission yes, but once I go back to check the folder its back from read-write to read only. I also cannot save anything anywhere because of this. It tells me it's unreadable from corruption. I tried to refresh the PC and it tells me it's unable to, but won't tell me why. I attempt a full reset and it tells me it can't do that either. I tried to boot into the HDD recovery and it does nothing.

The stupid thing about this is that the problem is intermittent. It first disappeared from using the PowerShell image repair but since then it has miraculously disappeared twice more, including this time that I am typing here. It's not my hard-disk, since this computer is not even a year old and passes any HDD test I use. I can tell something in the program is corrupt, but how can I fix it is the question? =S