Explorer crashes when using media keys or volume control

Hello friends of the W8 forums. I think this is my first posted thread.

Anyway I've bounced back and forth between Win10 and 8.1 for a while and a few months ago I decided I'd stick to 8 until the RTM for 10 is released. My install has been running for a few months flawlessly and now I seem to be having this weird issue. Anytime I try to change volume with the keys on my keyboard, Explorer crashes and restarts itself. Same thing if I use Volume Control in the taskbar. As soon as I click the slider, the element freezes and will, naturally, restart itself.

Now after doing a little bit of research, the kneejerk reaction seems to be "Your installation is corrupt." Well, that's not even close to true because I've just been able to change volume normally yesterday (in a college dorm, quietness is paramount) and my hard drive is operating normally per a test with friendly Western Digital software. Is there something I'm missing? Why does volume control hook into Explorer and not, I dunno, my Creative Sound Blaster Z sound card's drivers? This just seems to be a bit of stupidity on Windows' part by somehow trying to pull volume values directly from somewhere else without creating a sort of buffer in between.

I have had an issue lately with explorer crashing randomly on me, sometimes without doing anything it would do it. Seems with you, your closer to source of your issue as it does it when you use keyboard volume or taskbar volume. I had the Sound Blaster Z now I have the ZxR, same software drivers I am pretty sure. What brand and model of keyboard or did it come with system ? If not, check for new software drivers. Try removing those drivers use windows generic ones.

Ever look at software for Creative, Sound Blaster control panel when adjusting volume ? Make sure have the latest Creative drivers or try reinstalling them after uninstall then. Check Event Viewer under Custom views then Administrative Events.
See errors shown there In red, may tell you a system file or software file causing the crash.

Try SFC at Admin Command prompt or DISM ? Command prompt (Admin) sfc /scannow
press enter

Then at same Command prompt
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
press enter

Have speakers with a volume control on them ? Why raise volume from taskbar. Set it at a certain level use speakers volume.
See you may want to use the keyboard too. Missed in your specs have a Steel Series keyboard, check for new drivers or use Windows for now, see if issue persists also.