# dwm.exe - Fail Fast Exception Occurred



## kulta (Mar 9, 2018)

Hi
This problem has occurred on my Del N5040 laptop running windows 10.
DWM.EXE - Fail Fast Exception Occurred Exception handlers will not be invoked and the process will be terminated immediately.
This banner came on the screen when I was in the middle of resetting to factory condition. Since then I have tried all the recommended suggestions from various sources including reloading, media creation tools, Reg cure repair and all other attempts to rectify including removing battery, restarting 3 times but nothing seems to resolve the problem. The laptop starts up and shows the windows logo, the circle of white dots goes round for about 20 seconds then the screen goes blank and the above failed fast exception message shows on the screen. Nothing else will work. I have tried to load from a CD and a USB stick but still nothing happens on my laptop. I have run a DEL installation test and all appears to be OK there. It tells me that there are no problems with the actual laptop. I think it may be a software problem not a hardware problem. Previous to this the laptop worked faultlessly.
I am a very average PC user so nothing too complicated please.


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## dmccoy (Oct 7, 2017)

Are you able to get into safe mode? If so, we can try some possible repairs


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## kulta (Mar 9, 2018)

Hi.
Thanks for the reply.
No I can't get into anything, the only things that work are the F2 and F12 keys. this enabled me to run Dell diagnostics tests.
They came back saying everything was working fine.
I can't get the F8 key to respond, I have tried numerous times.
I am not very computer savvy but the test results would suggest that it is not a hardware problem more a software problem.
Thanks in anticipation.


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## dmccoy (Oct 7, 2017)

You have tried to boot from Windows 10 install USB or DVD? If so, what exactly happens?

Try the following and let me know if you can get to safe mode command prompt?

*Force Safe Mode with Power On/Off*

1) Press the *Power On/Off *button to *Start *and *Shut Down* the computer 2-3 times to stat the *Windows Recovery Environment*.
2) Select *Troubleshoot *> *Advanced options* > *Startup Settings* > *Restart *from the *Choose an Option screen*.
3) After your PC restarts, select one of the following *Safe Mode options* you are instructed to from the *Start Up Settings menu*:

*Safe Mode (4)*
*Safe Mode with Networking (5) *
*Command Prompt (6)*
4) Wait for *Safe Mode* to load.
5) Logon with an *Administrator *account.


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## kulta (Mar 9, 2018)

Hi.
I have tried all of the options you have suggested nothing works.
I have downloaded to disc and usb all that windows 10 have in the way of recovery.
Both disc and usb start flashing for a few sec's and stop. (one at a time)
when I remove them the old banner comes up.
DWM.EXE-Fail Fast Exception Occurred.
Thanks once again.


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## lunarlander (Sep 22, 2007)

Check your BIOS settings under Boot (or something similar) and see that the CD/DVD is set to boot first.


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