A new and annoying bug embedded inside Windows 10 is crashing laptops when users are opening or closing the laptop lid.
According to tech experts, the new Windows 10 bug has something to do with the Desktop Windows Manager (DWM). The DWN stops responding when a laptop lid is opened or closed repeatedly. Once the DWN stops responding, it results in the laptop completely crashing itself.
Underlying problem
According to the Microsoft Windows 10 documentation, the bug has something to do with DirectX Video Memory Management. This means that it is a software problem rather than a hardware one. Tech experts have noted that the bug can be fixed with a simple patch.
According to the official Microsoft Support page:
“This problem occurs because of an issue in the Microsoft DirectX Video Memory Management (Dxgmms2.sys) component.”
The bug appears to trigger when users repeatedly open or close the lid of a laptop. The bug is also triggered when the laptop is being docked or undocked with an external monitor. The rapid change in configuration triggers the DWM.exe process to stop responding and crashes the system.
The Microsoft Windows Manager is a piece of software that manages displays being added to the system. The software is also responsible for managing display resolutions and multiple desktop activities. The bug is triggered by several instances like wrong icon sizes.
Scenarios that trigger the bug
Microsoft said that the Windows 10 bug is triggered by two confirmed instances. In one instance, it is triggered when users repeatedly close and open the laptop lid when playing a 4K video. It can be fixed by setting the Lid Close Action as Do Nothing.
A Windows 10 bug can crash your laptop if you repeatedly close and open the lid https://t.co/4ABeaiOMJD pic.twitter.com/RufM0NtCwc
— PC Gamer (@pcgamer) July 29, 2020
Another instance is confirmed to happen when connecting two 4K displays using Thunderbolt 3 docks. The bug often triggers when the user repeatedly docks and undocks the laptop.
Tech experts said that the bug is triggered in specific instances. The most common trigger is when users switch between multiple displays. This action causes the DWM.exe to stop working and triggers the bug.
As of this writing, Microsoft said that it is working on a software patch to fix the issue. However, the tech giant did not confirm when it plans to release the patch.
For now, the Windows 10 bug can be minimized by avoiding unnecessary closing or opening the laptop lid. Moreover, the bug appears to be fixed by simply rebooting the system.
Featured image courtesy of Ken Tomita/Pexels