Windows 8 comctl32.dll access violation - comctl32

Question

I am getting the following exception on Windows 8. However it works on Windows 7 environment. It looks this exception is thrown by comctl32.dll. I had gone through the below which has issue with the tooltip not with the comboxbox.
AccessViolationException on ToolTip that faults COMCTL32.dll - .NET 4.0
Application: Application.exe
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.AccessViolationException
at System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.CallWindowProc(IntPtr, IntPtr, Int32, IntPtr, IntPtr)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.DefWndProc(System.Windows.Forms.Message ByRef)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.DefWndProc(System.Windows.Forms.Message ByRef)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmCommand(System.Windows.Forms.Message ByRef)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(System.Windows.Forms.Message ByRef)
at System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox.WndProc(System.Windows.Forms.Message ByRef)
at CCS.UserInterface.MetaComboBox.WndProc(System.Windows.Forms.Message ByRef)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control+ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(System.Windows.Forms.Message ByRef)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control+ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(System.Windows.Forms.Message ByRef)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr, Int32, IntPtr, IntPtr)
at System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.DispatchMessageW(MSG ByRef)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application+ComponentManager.System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.IMsoComponentManager.FPushMessageLoop(IntPtr, Int32, Int32)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application+ThreadContext.RunMessageLoopInner(Int32, System.Windows.Forms.ApplicationContext)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application+ThreadContext.RunMessageLoop(Int32, System.Windows.Forms.ApplicationContext)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.Run(System.Windows.Forms.Form)
at <Application>.MainApplication.Load(Splash)
at <Application>.Program.Main(System.String[])
Faulting application name: CCSEnterprise.exe, version: 4.354.4.15321, time stamp: 0x53dfe4c1
Faulting module name: comctl32.dll, version: 6.10.9600.17031, time stamp: 0x5308889d
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x00051a6e
Faulting process id: 0x13f8
Faulting application start time: 0x01cfb08bc91cf716
Faulting application path: C:\355AAA\Application.exe
Faulting module path: C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_6.0.9600.17031_none_a9efdb8b01377ea7\comctl32.dll
Report Id: 2284a19e-1c7f-11e4-be73-1078d298a609
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:

Answer 1

I found that this problem occurs (crash) not only in WPF, but for WinForms.
It is hard to say what is the source of the problem, but still it appears that Microsoft dll related to OpenFileDialog has bugs (for me, it was ComDlg32.dll, OpenFileDialog, ShowDialog() call)
The only way I could call ShowDialog() function was to wrap it in the event and call with the help of
this.BeginInvoke(
new Action<YourObject, EventArgs>(YourObject_FileDialogOpened), new object[]
{ YourObjectInstance, e });
where "this" is a Control (for example, Form).
BeginInvoke(...) grants that you call will be process in a proper way.
Problem will not appear if you use call of the OpenFileDialog under button click event or any other similar scenario.

Answer 2

We've started experiencing the same issue, but only since 5th May 2016. Client installations that haven't been touched in years started crashing with access violations in comctl32.dll.
It turns out that AVG (the antivirus software) is somehow causing this issue. There are other forums and threads reporting similar issues.
For our application, 2 things worked;
1) run in XP SP3 compatibility mode (even on Windows 8 or 10)
OR
2) disable AVG