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Whenever I use the save file dialog in Firefox or Internet Explorer, the browser crashes. (Windows 10.) This problem does not occur with an non-browser programs.

Things I've tried (from various sources):
1. Clean install of Firefox. Same result.
2. Tried Internet Explorer. Same result.
3. Tried Safe Mode, no networking. Same result.
4. Creating a new account on the computer. Same result.
5. "Repair Install" of the O/S. Same result. (To 1903, about 3 months ago.)
6. sfc /scannow --all is okay.
7. My computer didn't have any restore points when this problem started.
8. Ran BitDefender and Malwarbytes - no viruses.
9. Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth --all is okay.
10. Removed Comodo Security Essentials. Same Result.
11. Tried disabling firewall and anti-virus. Same Result.
12. Tried Microsoft Edge. Won't launch. The error is described below.
13. Removed the non-Windows shell extensions shown with ShellExView. The problem remains.

Reliability History gives the following information for the most recent Firefox crash (today - I lost an important transcript because I FORGOT again):

Description
Faulting Application Path:  C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: BEX64
Application Name:   firefox.exe
Application Version:    70.0.0.7228
Application Timestamp:  5da7687e
Fault Module Name:  ntdll.dll
Fault Module Version:   10.0.18362.418

Reliability History gives the following information when I start to start Microsoft Edge. The application won't start - no window is ever displayed.

Description
Faulting Application Path:  C:\Windows\System32\browser_broker.exe

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name:   browser_broker.exe
Application Version:    11.0.18362.267
Application Timestamp:  af89393b
Fault Module Name:  StackHash_01cc
Fault Module Version:   0.0.0.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 00000000
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset:   PCH_21_FROM_unknown+0x0000000000000000

The computer doesn't have any other problems, and non-browsers aren't causing a problem.

No, I am not willing to do a clean install of the O/S. If that is what's required, then I'll buy a new laptop (ouch), and slowly migrate stuff over. (And then reinstall the O/S on this one and sell it - one year old.)

There has to be a fix.

Thanks for any help.

  • Firefox is currently on release 72.0.1. Have you tried upgrading? – DavidPostill Jan 19 '20 at 17:38
  • Windows seems to suffer some corruption. Try [sfc /scannow](https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2895-run-sfc-command-windows-10-a.html) and also [DISM](https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/7808-use-dism-repair-windows-10-image.html). – harrymc Jan 19 '20 at 17:40
  • @DavidPostill - This problem has been going on for 4-5 months, and I've updated to the current version of Firefox several times. –  Jan 19 '20 at 17:51
  • @harrymc - Both of those suggestions are already in my tried list - #6 and #9. –  Jan 19 '20 at 17:52
  • Sorry for the duplicates. It seems like you may not escape a clean installation. – harrymc Jan 19 '20 at 18:38
  • Windows Edge, as well? And you might want to try Chrome or an alternative, temporarily. BTW, what anti-virus is running? Could it be a conflict? – DrMoishe Pippik Jan 20 '20 at 00:30
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    To expand on @DrMoishe's comment, try disabling your anti-virus. Web browsers typically try to do a virus scan before a file can be saved, so there could be some conflict which would explain why only browsers are crashing and not other applications. Also, are you using MalwareBytes Pro? If so, that can cause conflicts with other AVs. Try disabling it and BitDefender as well (if that's what you're using). – d3Xt3r Jan 20 '20 at 03:48
  • There are many posts on the web about this problem specifically effecting only web browsers. The solutions that have worked for others aren't working for me. I don't have MalwareBytes Pro. I have tried this with both Comodo and the Windows Firewall disabled (no anti-virus or firewalls). That makes no difference. –  Jan 20 '20 at 16:05
  • Microsoft Edge won't even launch. I updated the post to show the error codes. –  Jan 20 '20 at 16:05
  • Sound more like a problematic shell extension. See this question how to disable them https://superuser.com/questions/286000/how-to-list-explorer-extensions-and-disable-them – Robert Jan 20 '20 at 19:28
  • @Robert - Thanks for the suggestion. I disabled the shell extensions. The problem remains. –  Jan 21 '20 at 15:03

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