Crashes in ole32!COIDTable::ThreadCleanup ... NetworkItemFactory!FDBackgroundThreadHandler

Question

Since last week, Word and Excel are often crashing, even on very simple documents. Just now, Firefox also crashed. What can I do to repair it or find the real root cause?

I have already repaired Office installation using the Setup. All regular updates should be installed. Laptop is rebooted every day.

I have configured WinDbg to attach and this is what I get. I also have a dump, so if you need more information, I can still get it. Here's info from my first dump of Word:

0:020> .exr -1
ExceptionAddress: 11fdf91c
   ExceptionCode: c0000005 (Access violation)
  ExceptionFlags: 00000000
NumberParameters: 2
   Parameter[0]: 00000008
   Parameter[1]: 11fdf91c
Attempt to execute non-executable address 11fdf91c


0:020> kb
ChildEBP RetAddr  Args to Child              
WARNING: Frame IP not in any known module. Following frames may be wrong.
11fdf91c 75d05d3f 00000008 0dc0bbe8 fffffffe 0x11fdf91c
11fdfacc 75d38f82 bf3079e6 0dc0bbe8 00000000 ole32!COIDTable::ThreadCleanup+0xcb [d:\w7rtm\com\ole32\com\dcomrem\idobj.cxx @ 1760]
11fdfb10 75d38ec3 00000000 11fdfb60 75e37724 ole32!FinishShutdown+0x9d [d:\w7rtm\com\ole32\com\class\compobj.cxx @ 1035]
11fdfb30 75d2bac3 00000000 75d309ad 0dc0bbe8 ole32!ApartmentUninitialize+0x96 [d:\w7rtm\com\ole32\com\class\compobj.cxx @ 1291]
11fdfb48 75d388e8 11fdfb60 00000000 00000000 ole32!wCoUninitialize+0x153 [d:\w7rtm\com\ole32\com\class\compobj.cxx @ 2766]
11fdfb64 6e77314a 11fdfbf4 75f043c0 0b179b08 ole32!CoUninitialize+0x72 [d:\w7rtm\com\ole32\com\class\compobj.cxx @ 2620]
11fdfb6c 75f043c0 0b179b08 00000000 00000000 NetworkItemFactory!FDBackgroundThreadHandler+0x21
11fdfbf4 75bf336a 0da0f624 11fdfc40 773a9f72 SHLWAPI!WrapperThreadProc+0x1b5
11fdfc00 773a9f72 0da0f624 66709c63 00000000 kernel32!BaseThreadInitThunk+0xe
11fdfc40 773a9f45 75f042ed 0da0f624 ffffffff ntdll!__RtlUserThreadStart+0x70
11fdfc58 00000000 75f042ed 0da0f624 00000000 ntdll!_RtlUserThreadStart+0x1b


0:020> vertarget
Windows 7 Version 7601 (Service Pack 1) MP (8 procs) Free x86 compatible
Product: WinNt, suite: SingleUserTS
kernel32.dll version: 6.1.7601.18229 (win7sp1_gdr.130801-1533)
Machine Name:
Debug session time: Wed Feb  5 14:55:55.241 2014 (UTC + 1:00)
System Uptime: 0 days 3:46:03.386
Process Uptime: 0 days 0:05:08.582
  Kernel time: 0 days 0:00:03.822
  User time: 0 days 0:00:11.528

Answer 1

If I recall correctly, it was related to a VOIP software called Netphone Client from Deutsche Telekom, which includes itself into other applications via a COM object.

Therefore this was exactly as projected by Hans Passant in the comments:

You are buried inside the COM plumbing with a clear hint that its internal state is corrupted. This is an environmental problem, some kind of DLL that gets injected into the process and screws things up. Long before the crash occurs so you'll have very little hope of diagnosing it with a debugger. Find the common source of the problem from the modules list. Suspect any shell extension, anti-malware, any utility similar to Dropbox. Use SysInternals' AutoRuns to disable them.

I don't remember how exactly I found the culprit, but I finally used a physical VOIP phone instead of the software + headset.