FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
Java Info: Vendor 'Oracle Corporation' URL 'http://java.oracle.com/' Version '1.8.0_31' Home 'C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.8.0_31'


ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Windows 7 64 bit

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
java.lang.InternalError: Could not bind shell folder to interface

When constructing a JFileChooser:

java.lang.InternalError: Could not bind shell folder to interface
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.initSpecial(Native Method)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.access$300(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2$1.call(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2$1.call(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolderManager2$ComInvoker.invoke(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.ShellFolder.invoke(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.<init>(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolderManager2.getNetwork(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.getFileSystemPath(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.access$400(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2$10.call(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2$10.call(Unknown Source)
at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(Unknown Source)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolderManager2$ComInvoker$3.run(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)


STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Compile and run the attached program - click the "Click Me" button and you'll see the crash.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
No crash, file choose should pop up.
ACTUAL -
The application crashes, with the following signatures:

java.lang.InternalError: Could not bind shell folder to interface
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.initSpecial(Native Method)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.access$300(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2$1.call(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2$1.call(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolderManager2$ComInvoker.invoke(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.ShellFolder.invoke(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.<init>(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolderManager2.getNetwork(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.getFileSystemPath(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.access$400(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2$10.call(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2$10.call(Unknown Source)
at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(Unknown Source)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolderManager2$ComInvoker$3.run(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)


ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
java.lang.InternalError: Could not bind shell folder to interface
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.initSpecial(Native Method)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.access$300(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2$1.call(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2$1.call(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolderManager2$ComInvoker.invoke(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.ShellFolder.invoke(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.<init>(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolderManager2.getNetwork(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.getFileSystemPath(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2.access$400(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2$10.call(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolder2$10.call(Unknown Source)
at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(Unknown Source)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(Unknown Source)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(Unknown Source)
at sun.awt.shell.Win32ShellFolderManager2$ComInvoker$3.run(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;

import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFileChooser;
import javax.swing.JFrame;

public class HelloWorld
{
    public static void main(final String[] args)
    {
        System.out.println("executing main");
        new HelloWorld();
    }
    
    public HelloWorld()
    {
        System.out.println("HelloWorld constructor");
        
        final JFrame frame = new JFrame("HelloWorld");
        frame.setLayout(new BorderLayout(20, 20));
        
        JButton button = new JButton("Press Me");
        button.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(200, 50));
        button.addActionListener(new ActionListener()
        {
            @Override
            public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e)
            {
                System.out.println("about to construct JFileChooser");
                JFileChooser fileChooser = new JFileChooser();
                fileChooser.showOpenDialog(frame);
            }
        });
        
        frame.add(button, BorderLayout.CENTER);
        frame.pack();
        frame.setVisible(true);
    }
}
---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
None.