ArcMap 10.4.1 Freezes in Windows 10

[RobertBradley1]

Anybody else having issues with using ArcMap 10.4.1 with a Windows 10 computer? Used ArcMap 10.4.1 with no problems on a computer with Windows 7, but after moving to a new computer with Windows 10 ArcMap started freezing up and becoming unresponsive.  

There doesn't seem to be any pattern or certain tool or process being used when this happens. And it seems to happen even when in the middle of doing something and not just when idle.

First the table of contents will start to flash in and out, and then it just disappears. If you start clicking on in the table of contents when it is flashing in and out, sometimes it stops and you are good. If you don't catch it before it disappears, ArcMap becomes completely non-responsive and you have to use task manager to close it.  

I have mentioned this to ESRI support and they said they weren't sure what is causing this and had me do the typical steps of renaming the folder in app data, etc. But the problem still happens. They then said something about Microsoft Group Policy update checks causing this but offered no solution expect to turn off group policy update checks. Which is something our staff (as with most of you) cant do. 

This issue has caused many hours of lost work and time!! Come on ESRI fix this problem or get Microsoft to!

[DanPatterson_Retired]

I don't suppose you can upgrade to 10.6 to see if the problem persists (even on one machine, if you can isolate it)

[Asrujit_SenGupta]

I am using ArcGIS 10.4.1 on a Win10 machine and there are no issues. So, could be specific to your machine.

Check by installing 10.4.1 on any other available Win10 machine if possible, if you can't upgrade to 10.6, as suggested by Dan.

[shan_sarkar]

Robert,

I understand that renaming the AppData folders and the registry works most of the times however, sometimes it doesn't workout.

Does the issue replicate if you log in to the same machine but with a different user profile?

I take it that you have already gone through the ArcGIS 10.4.x for Desktop system requirements—System Requirements | ArcGIS Desktop 

Also Can You Run It?  

These links are for ArcGIS Desktop 10.4.1 specifically but I assume you have already gone through that wither by yourself or with Esri Technical Support.

~Shan

[RobertBradley1]

Thank you all for the timely responses. Unfortunately I cannot upgrade to 10.6 just yet. We will have to upgrade our License Manager application first. Currently there are only two of us in the organization using 10.4.1 on a Windows 10 computer, and we both experience the issue though mine is more often. We are both using identical computers with the same network access and admin privileges. ESRI seems to think it is related to the WM_Settingchange  messages during group policy updates checks. In windows 10 this is defaulted at every 90 minutes and can only be changed or disabled by our network managers, who are reluctant to do so.

I would hope that being able to upgrade to 10.5 or 10.6 will fix this, but it seems to be a Microsoft Windows and Networks Security issue. That is why I was asking if anyone else had this issue in a similar environment. My fear is that this problem will persist even after upgrading, and we need a stable ArcMap Desktop application that works on Windows 10 computers as users are upgraded from Windows 7.

Here is the Bug Details ERSI attached to my case:

#ENH-000103524 [Enhancement] Users should have the ability to configure the ArcGIS Desktop application to ignore WM_Settingchange messages which cause window flickering during group policy updates.

[MichaelVolz]

This issue is occurring at my organization, but does not impact ArcMap 10.5.1 in Windows 10 as much for us as it does for you.  We see flickering in the table of contents as well as the scroll bars.  In addition, if we are editing data in SDE that is controlled by a domain with a drop-down list to choose from, the focus will go to the top of the list when the screen flickers.

Users running ArcMap 10.5.1 with Windows 7 do not see this screen flickering behavior and this is where 90% of the GIS users at my org are currently at.

[Smith_Mike]

The TOC flickering is happening on my computer too using ArcMap 10.2.1. I've read many comments about upgrading, but it doesn't seem to help since I've seen all the Desktop versions complained about in this manner. I have tried the Group Policy Update procedure on my machine to no avail. I have noticed Windows File Explorer doing the same thing about going to the top of the list when left idle for a few seconds. Haven't noticed if it is when the TOC flickers.

[TimThayer]

I am seeing the exact same behavior (ArcMap Table of Contents flashing when the group policy update runs and then ArcMap freezes for some users).  The problem began when our organization upgraded to Windows 10 several months ago, and it has persisted since then.  We were using ArcMap 10.3.1 when we started seeing the problem, and we have updated to 10.4.1 in the meantime, but the problem persists.  The odd part is that everyone sees the flashing TOC when the group policy update runs, but ArcMap only freezes for a handful of users (3 or 4 out of 100), and I cannot figure out what is different about their setup.  I have tried deleting their ESRI user folder and registry settings, creating a new windows profile, and even giving them a new computer, and they continue to experience the freezing behavior.  The users experiencing the freezing have also changed over time.  A few users were getting 5-6 freezes a day for weeks, and then it suddenly stopped and has worked fine ever since.  They have made no obvious changes to their computer or workflow that I can tell.

I have opened two separate support tickets with Esri, and they acknowledge that something in the group policy update is causing the flashing/freezing (although they hadn't narrowed it down to the WM_SettingChange message).  They did reference the "enhancement request" (actually a bug) #ENH-000103524 mentioned above.  The biggest problem is that they cannot reproduce the freezing behavior on their end (although they do see the flashing), so they keep telling me that it must be a problem with our group policy/Active Directory setup. Just like Robert's situation, no one in our local office can change our group policy settings. I have contacted our corporate IT office, and they have told me that they will not change the group policy settings, so we must solve the problem with our vendor (Esri).

While this may be a problem with our group policy/Active Directory or even Windows itself, it seems that it only affects ArcMap; all our other applications continue to run normally after group policy updates.  In addition, ours is not the only organization seeing this problem, so it is not unique to our setup.  As such, I feel like Esri should be taking a more proactive role in fixing the problem or encouraging Microsoft to do it.  This problem is driving me crazy; it has caused many hours of lost productivity, and I am desperate to get it fixed.

[MichaelVolz]

Are you encountering the issue mentioned in this GeoNet thread as well:

https://community.esri.com/thread/194179-anyone-getting-random-general-function-errors-with-windows-... 

[TimThayer]

No, we are not getting a General Function Failure (or indeed any error message).  One of two things happens: either ArcMap freezes with the spinning blue wheel, or it just crashes/disappears with no error message whatsoever.