Continuos crashing on Windows 10 x64 20H2

Window version:

It worked perfectly until after the update...

Hello,
I have forward your problem/question to Stardock Support Team for their assistance. Please keep an eye on this thread for any updates. We appreciate your feedback and patience.

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Hello,

Sorry to hear you are having trouble.

What does the crash prompt say - if none in presented, what does it read in Windows Event Viewer?

While I am just on the slow ring:

I do not see a crashing issue.  

Almost without exception, then we see this its in a corporate environment and Websense \ Forcepoint is being used.  Is that the case here?

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager 

I just tried to re-install to get the specific error. What I get is 2-3 times the desktop (explorer) gets restarted and I get this BugSplat:

I have tried to send the first couples I got, but I have not receiver anything back. So I uninstalled because it keeps crashing and takes my tray icons with it... and that makes it really hard for me to do my daily job

This is the EventLog entry for the crash:

And this?

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Nope, not the case the "Corporate Environment" is my home test environment there is nothing in it. Just my Domain Controller and my client PC 😉

Do you have this on?

'High Entropy Address Space Randomization' is enabled. (Bottom-Up ASLR)' under Windows Exploit protection, and if so and turn it off, does it still happen?

If you spin up a Windows Sandbox session on the same box:

Install Fences in said session, does the same thing happen?

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

I don't have the Sandbox feature installed, so I just used windows security center and disabled Bottom-Up ASLR and Mandatory ASLR features. It still crashes...

This is the associated Event Log entry:

Faulting application name: explorer.exe, version: 10.0.19041.610, time stamp: 0xab30c679
Faulting module name: DesktopDock64.dll, version: 3.0.9.11, time stamp: 0x5b07a12a
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x00000000000b9eda
Faulting process id: 0x305c
Faulting application start time: 0x01d6b6eb65719b47
Faulting application path: C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe
Faulting module path: c:\program files (x86)\stardock\fences\DesktopDock64.dll
Report Id: 1a8b6b4b-ad32-41e4-bbf3-7811ec20125a
Faulting package full name: 
Faulting package-relative application ID: 

I would still like to try it if you would install it (very handy to test with for anything you do in the future).

It will eliminate any setting or 3rd party app and use your base Windows 10 install.  If it still fails there, we would have to look at something MS  may have changed (that we are not seeing anywhere else).

If it works under it, a 'clean boot' under your normal install would be in order:

https://forums.stardock.com/486084/fences-support-faq#cleanboot

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Ok, so here comes my daily update 😉

I have enabled Windows Sandbox and tried Fences in there, that worked

I have used the "Purge_Fences.bat" and removed Fences completely, followed by a restart

I have disabled all non-ms services and startup tasks/ apps (The Clean boot)

I have installed a fresh, crash!

I have turned both Mandatory and Random ASLR off for the app, the restarted, crash

I have uninstalled with the bat file, restarted, left the custom ASLR rules and tried to reinstall, crash

So when all Windows security features are turned on and on the latest 20H2 build 19042 Fences crash (for me)

These are my settings:

The same Event Log from above is reported every time the app crashes.

My pc is a custom build PC

MB: Asus ROG CROSSHAIR VIII IMPACT
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3800X
RAM: 2x Corsair 16GB - CMW32GX4M2C3200C16
GPU: Asus NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER - TU104-410 0x1E84
Dual screen: Samsung SyncMaster 2443 + LG Electronics 27GL850 (Primary)
NVMe: Samsung EVO 970 Plus 2TB

Unless I am reading it wrong, there was no condition you could get it to not crash other than the Sandbox, yes?

Btw, I have (as do many) the latest version:

It would be interesting if your sandbox had the same version.

If it is (or very close in build number), it would indicate something is instaled \ set on the main OS that is killing Fences.

One part of the 'clean boot' you did not mention that you tried was creating a new Windows Admin (<--important) account to try it under - did you?

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Hi again,

I did not do a local admin as the Microsoft article that is linked to from the "cleanboot" article states:
"Sign in to the computer as an administrator.  If you don't have an administrator account, you can create one."

So since I do have admin, then that shouldn't be necessary. I can try this tomorrow after work as it takes some time disabling everything to test it out...

The Sandbox is indeed running a different version:

Ps. I'm sending in the crash reports from the BugSplat popup, don't you get more information about what's going on behind the scenes from that?

I seen this in his screenshot. Makes sense that the toggle to override system settings may be culprit. Seems it should be toggled off. Maybe i am way wrong but it seems windows is trying to override but no command moving forward. Just an observation.

It is worth noting that fences.exe would not be the right exe to apply settings to.  It would be explorer.exe

Dcrew57: I'm not entirely sure I understand what you mean. But If I check ✔ "Overwrite system setting" then that means the app will have settings that are not the same as the global settings. Them the off toggle is the toggle for actual setting, in this case the "Mandatory ASLR" 😉

Niel Banfield: That could actually be true, since explorer.exe is the one loading the Fences DLL's... but since all the bad guys in the world target windows components ie. explorer.exe then it could pose a serious security threat disabling ASLR features for that process. I will however try it later just to see what happens

@Niel Banfield: I can confirm that disabling high entropy for explorer.exe process did the trick 👍

@Stardock: Please fix this issue as it is in nobody's interest disabling security features to be able to use 3rd party tools/ software

That is good to know

Well, we have to figure out what you have set that is not default as the vast majority are not seeing it.

I gather your image is of you adding an exception to WinExe, and turning off (unchecking) 'dont use high entropy' (pictured that it is still on), yes?

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Hi Sean,

Yes, that was to show the exact combination the fixed the issue, which was just doing a custom rule for Explorer.exe and Enabling "Don't use high entropy"

I'm guessing the reason you not seeing this with most of you customers is that most of them are not as security focused as me.

By default Windows does not enforce all the exploit protection and security features that I have enabled (I'm a security engineer).

But if you enable all the great Windows 10 security features:
¤ Core Isolation
¤ Have a Security Processor
¤ Have Secure Boot enabled and configured
¤ Enable Exploit Protection (All to "On by default" for entire System)

Then you might see this too.

But still something change from 2004 -> 20H2 as I've had these features on before upgrading.

If you want to I'm willing to supply logs/ dumps and I have already send in th BugSplat reports to get it fixed?

I have been using your great Fences for almost a decade now and don't see that changing anytime soon 😉

/Stefan

I am having the same problem for a couple of months now. 

everything was working well up until a windows update. 

I will try to write the error messege that pops up in the next crash.

It would be prudent to review the solution here should you indeed see the same issue.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

I have the same or at least a similar problem (separate post).

WOW Stephan you are sure going the extra Mile   

moi aussi plusieurs tantative pour essayer que ca fonctionne comment ont fait pour se faire rembourser?

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. I believe AzDude has responded for your refund request in your thread.

Thanks
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Can someone give me a step by step that Niel Banfield used? Since the Windows update Fences will not work and I cannot even right click to use the enable/disable fences on the menu. Had to turn off fences in the Windows startup to be able to use my computer. I would be happy to provide any files or screenshots if needed to fix the issue. I am vision impaired and I need straight forward steps to do things. I would just like to get Fences working again. Thank you.

Hello,

Would you do this PURGE: https://forums.stardock.com/486084/fences-support-faq#reinstalling

Reboot and ReInstall the latest version from your account https://store.stardock.com/myaccount/products/

Reboot , test and report here please .

If you still have an issue start a new thread for YOUR issue and give us more info

Windows version Fences version

AzDude
Stardock Community Assistant