The latest problem to hit Windows 10 is a new issue where the Desktop Windows Manager (DWM) becomes unresponsive when the laptop lid is opened and closed repeatedly or the laptop is docked and undocked multiple times. As a result, the laptop crashes unexpectedly.

According to Microsoft support, "This problem is caused by an issue with the Microsoft DirectX Video Memory Management (Dxgmms2.sys) component. This document also indicates that the problem is not a hardware issue, but is related to a bug in the Microsoft DirectX Video Memory Management software.

Under certain circumstances, the Desktop Windows Manager (DWM.exe) process becomes unresponsive when the laptop is repeatedly opened and closed or docked and undocked when paired with an external monitor.

Desktop Windows Manager is software that supports adding monitors, adjusting displays of different resolutions, handling visual effects of desktop activities, and managing desktop activities across multiple screens. Bugs in this software can cause everything from improperly sized icons to complete system crashes that require a complete system reboot.

Microsoft has identified two scenarios that trigger this Desktop Windows Manager bug:

Connecting a laptop computer running Windows 10 to an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) monitor connected to a laptop computer running Windows 10.

The monitor is configured to run at 4K resolution.

Repeat playback of the 4K H264 video in "Movies and TV" on the computer.

The Advanced Power Options screen is opened in the Control Panel and the lid closing action is set to "Do nothing."

Repeat closing and opening the lid of the computer while playing the 4K video.

Connect the two 4K monitors to the Thunderbolt 3 docking station.

Connect a laptop with a 4K solution monitor to the docking station and configure a triple 4K display in "clone" or "extended" mode.

Repeat undocking and re-docking the laptop.

In both of these situations, switching back and forth between the monitor and laptop seems to cause problems with the DWM.exe process.

Microsoft is working on a fix for this problem. In the meantime, the easiest solution is to avoid opening and closing the lid unnecessarily, undocking, and rebooting the system to return to normal functionality if the problem occurs.