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Fences has detected that explorer was not closed properly

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Fences has detected that explorer was not closed properly

from Stardock Forums

Hi,

I just purchased Fences today and have been trying to install it a couple of times.

I have tried the purge bat file, but that also didn't work.

Everytime the same things happens;

As soon as Fences has started it shows me this popups stating that fences has detected that explorer was not closed properly.

So I right click on the desktop, to activate it again, and within a few seconds I get the same popup again.

Winver output:  Windows 10 Enterprise, version 1703, build: 15063.1689.

In taskmanager I don't see any Fences executable.

fences
61,372 views 38 replies
Reply #26 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting tlebus1, reply 25

I did like some of the improvements in 3.13. However, I will not risk a new install some long as 3.09.11 is working. 

That is unfortunate...

Quoting tlebus1, reply 25

Crearley it exists in 3.13.

Again, if so, you are the only one still seeing it.

Quoting tlebus1, reply 25

All of the Stardock ineffective responses to the many complaints about this issue have apparently been to abuscate the fact that there has been and still is a bug in Fences. Some set of conditions, as yet not identified, activate the bug. 

Again, if there is still an issue for you with 3.13, we cant fix it if you don't have it installed and work with us on it.  If you change your mind, please let us know as we are eager to do so.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Reply #27 from Stardock Forums Top

I too am having the explorer issue with 3.13.  I reverted back to 3.09 but still have it.  Never had until 3.13 though.  Right now I'm just not using fences.

Offworld Trading Company
Reply #28 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting carladave, reply 27

I too am having the explorer issue with 3.13.  I reverted back to 3.09 but still have it.  Never had until 3.13 though.  Right now I'm just not using fences.

Hello,
Please try purge and reinstall steps as mentioned here: [Link] Just make sure to re-download the latest version from your account. Reboot after the purged. Reinstall, and Reboot immediately after the installation. Retest it. Report back here.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #29 from Stardock Forums Top

Hi, 

The same  problem here. Its corporate notebook. Fences 3.13

Didnt try all found "solutions". Just try uninstal, purge, reinstal 3.13. Problem persist.

So again uninstall, purge and reinstal 3.09. Problem solved, Fences start working.

P.

Reply #30 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Petrsorge, reply 29

Hi, 

The same  problem here. Its corporate notebook. Fences 3.13

Didnt try all found "solutions". Just try uninstal, purge, reinstal 3.13. Problem persist.

So again uninstall, purge and reinstal 3.09. Problem solved, Fences start working.

P.

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

Reply #31 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Petrsorge, reply 29

Hi, 

The same  problem here. Its corporate notebook. Fences 3.13

Didnt try all found "solutions". Just try uninstal, purge, reinstal 3.13. Problem persist.

So again uninstall, purge and reinstal 3.09. Problem solved, Fences start working.

P.

The only other example of this happening is for corp deployments is covered here:

https://forums.stardock.com/502301

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Reply #32 from Stardock Forums Top

Thanks for the reply.  I did all this and still got the error message.  Uninstalled Fences for the time being.  Might reinstall again someday.

 

Reply #33 from Stardock Forums Top

I am seeing this issue with 3.13.3 as well. Previous versions did not have this problem. I also noticed this after installing the latest Windows Updates and rebooting. Incompatibility between Fences and these updates could also be a possible cause:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/september-14-2021-kb5005565-os-builds-19041-1237-19042-1237-and-19043-1237-292cf8ed-f97b-4cd8-9883-32b71e3e6b44

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/kb4023057-update-for-windows-10-update-service-components-fccad0ca-dc10-2e46-9ed1-7e392450fb3a

It seems Fences is crashing Explorer immediately on startup, causing the error.

Event Viewer shows the following crash information:

Faulting application name: explorer.exe, version: 10.0.19041.1202, time stamp: 0xdba1e981

Faulting module name: DesktopDock64.dll, version: 3.1.3.3, time stamp: 0x61081edf

Exception code: 0xc0000409

Fault offset: 0x0000000000024434

Faulting process id: 0x54f8

Faulting application start time: 0x01d7ae975f08e1b4

Faulting application path: C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe

Faulting module path: c:\program files (x86)\stardock\fences\DesktopDock64.dll

Report Id: b74a1e2b-4fd6-4177-b78a-6682640992f5

Faulting package full name: 

Faulting package-relative application ID: 

 

The NT error code 0x409 corresponds to: "The system detected an overrun of a stack-based buffer in this application."

Should also mention I am using standard Windows Firewall and Windows Defender... no strange or exotic anti-virus here!

This error can also prevent Windows from properly running Startup items from the Start Menu, as Fences can possibly crash Explorer before it can run Startup items. Fences should not be interfering with this process.

Running the purge batch file does not work properly as the uninstaller is unable to remove the menu DLL due to it being in use by multiple processes, and the uninstaller lacking the ability to schedule a file for deletion after reboot. After working around this problem and running the purge to completion, uninstalling through Steam, and then rebooting, I was able to then reinstall Fences and it seemed to work fine, but all my settings and fence configurations were lost. I manually recreated my fence layout.

I then ran the purge tool for Curtains to fix an issue with Curtains (configuration window would not open). After uninstalling Curtains and rebooting, Fences broke again.

Fence's saslog does not contain anything useful (no errors). Fence's troubleshooting log contains:

001FB781X - FencesUI Start - /verifyintegrety

          - Fences Version: 3.1.3.3

          - 9/20/2021 11:37:22 PM

001FB8D9X - FencesUI Start - /fixpermissions

001FB946X - FencesUI End   - /fixpermissions

001FBA9EX - FencesUI End   - /verifyintegrety

Repeated four times (as it tries in vain to start without crashing).

I modified the registry settings for Fences to manually remove a Folder Portal I had made. This allowed Fences to start successfully; there is something broken with Folder Portals.

I can sometimes start up Fences with a Folder Portal, sometimes not (I am task killing Explorer and restarting to test).

I tried to remove some icons from the folder I was testing with to see if this could be related to the issue some other people had with certain icons causing problems with Fences. However when I did this, simply creating the Folder Portal caused Fences to crash! So there is some other problem here regarding creation of Explorer views for Folder Portals.

Reply #34 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting The, reply 33

I modified the registry settings for Fences to manually remove a Folder Portal I had made. This allowed Fences to start successfully; there is something broken with Folder Portals.

Where does the folder portal point to?  If its off PC (network), do Folder Portals to the local PC work, just not those?

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Reply #35 from Stardock Forums Top

Hi @basj,

I read at the beginning of this thread that you asked whether Forcepoint was installed on the laptop.
Is Forcepoint blocking Fences 3.13 or Explorer to get such an error? And is there a way to have this excluded in Forcepoint or somehow?
The strange thing is that a colleague of mine uses it and also do I. We both have Forcepoint installed via the company, but he's getting the error constantly and I don't.
We both are administrators on our laptops, no errors found via sfc /scannow or scanhealth command to exclude some corrupted Windows files.
On my laptop it will show the same error when I try to do something that triggers the Explorer (via my Logitech MX Master 2S mouse, pushing the button to activate multi-window for the opened applications/files). After a restart all is back to normal again.

So I'm thinking whether this has to do with Forcepoint and/or latest Windows 10 21H1 (Enterprise) 2010-10 October Cumulative Update (KB5006670) as it is somehow working properly on my own laptop, but not on my colleague's laptop?

Reply #36 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Corragio, reply 35

Hi @basj,

I read at the beginning of this thread that you asked whether Forcepoint was installed on the laptop.
Is Forcepoint blocking Fences 3.13 or Explorer to get such an error? And is there a way to have this excluded in Forcepoint or somehow?
The strange thing is that a colleague of mine uses it and also do I. We both have Forcepoint installed via the company, but he's getting the error constantly and I don't.
We both are administrators on our laptops, no errors found via sfc /scannow or scanhealth command to exclude some corrupted Windows files.
On my laptop it will show the same error when I try to do something that triggers the Explorer (via my Logitech MX Master 2S mouse, pushing the button to activate multi-window for the opened applications/files). After a restart all is back to normal again.

So I'm thinking whether this has to do with Forcepoint and/or latest Windows 10 21H1 (Enterprise) 2010-10 October Cumulative Update (KB5006670) as it is somehow working properly on my own laptop, but not on my colleague's laptop?

Hello,

From what I know, Fences never run correctly on system with Forcepoint\Websence. Not really sure how Forcepoint work. But, try to get Forcepoint to whitelist Fences might help.

Thanks
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #37 from Stardock Forums Top

This is happening to me. I have been posting in the discord for weeks and have gotten almost no response. I was told about the purge tool not long ago and used that as instructed. Purged, rebooted, reinstalled. I tried both versions and both versions give the same result after a reboot immediately after installing. The product is unusable. Also, when it is installed and you attempt to load a snapshot then it causes the error message and crashes Fences 3/4. I am going to try and find an older copy of Fences even if I have to pirate it. I have paid for it so I should be allowed to have a copy that works.

Removed by admin.

Reply #38 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,

Sorry to hear you are having trouble.

Quoting ULTRA1, reply 37

This is happening to me. I have been posting in the discord for weeks and have gotten almost no response.

Discord is a terrible support medium and why we use the forums for all the benefits it provides long term. 

Quoting ULTRA1, reply 37

Purged, rebooted, reinstalled. I tried both versions and both versions give the same result after a reboot immediately after installing. The product is unusable.

Its actually very stable - we just need to find out exactly why very few clients see this issue.  It is almost a certainty that its a Windows setting or 3rd party app conflict (or both).

Quoting ULTRA1, reply 37

Also, when it is installed and you attempt to load a snapshot then it causes the error message and crashes Fences 3/4.

I think you mean just Fences 4 and only on Windows 11.  It is noted as a 'Known issue' in the feedback thread:

https://forums.stardock.com/508110/get;3825346

That said, I tested a version internally this morning that fixes the issue.

As for people using a prior version, we have no issue with that if people find that to be an acceptable alternative (although I had to remove your link as we cant verify where the file came from).  What we really want, however, is to help people having the issue find a prominent solution.  It's why I created the below thread specifically for it (the one you have already posted in).

https://forums.stardock.com/507474/page/1/#3826217

With that, I am closing this thread in the hope that people that have the issue report there.

Thanks for the feedback, Ultra.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager