explorer *process* is bunged :(

will my installation survive

Published on October 27, 2006 By werewolf In Personal Computing

Hi all,

My computer has been freezing lately, probably some connection on the motherboard. I think I fixed that part of it, but...

During one session, it froze a number of times very quickly. During reboots, during ad-aware and virus checking sessions, etc.

It seems that now anything in the explorer *process* is verrrrrryyyyyy slow. Sys tray refreshes are slow, taskbar refreshes are slow, opening the start panel, opening windows explorer.exe (it loads quickly, but navigation is painful).

All ad-aware, spy-bot, virus scans are negative and I've used CCleaner.

Applications seem to be running well, but if I use an open/save dialog box and try navigating somewhere, it slows down. Very slow. Go make a sandwich and a cup of coffee slow.

I tried to set a restore point to a date prior to this all happening, but it didn't help. Same problems.

I REALLY don't want to have to re-install the OS, but what other options are there? Is there a way to "re-tune" the explorer process?

Is there anything I can check in the registry, are there any proggies which can do this? Does the system recovery option in the disk handle this?

**update** I just updated FastOne viewer and winamp and the installations were flawless. However, when winamp fired up, I can't do anything with it. Clicking the playlist button did nothing, media library same thing. Can't even move it around the desk top. Have no idea if this has anything to do with my problem or if winamps messed up.

Hope this isn't too much information

I dl'd something using Firefox and when it was done I clicked "open folder". Explorer came right up (I performed those updates mentioned above) and while I had explorer going, I clicked the 'up' button and explorer moved up one folder level. I did this all the way up that one drive. When I clicked 'up' again it went to 'My Computer' and did it's crawling through molasses thing again.

Also, if I right click on something and my mouse hovers over the 'send to' item, I have to wait a couple of minutes before anything happens.
**end update**

Do any of you gurus have any suggestions? I really need to fix this asap.

I thank you so much in advance

David

Comments (Page 5)

yrag

on Oct 28, 2006

We're getting further and further away from a software problem. Your system files are good, as are the processes that are running. We'll assume the mobo and processor are fine, so start from there. Take everything out and insert one memory stick and your video card. Unplug the mouse, but leave your keyboard in. Unplug the CD and the floppy (and a second drive if you have one) If it's still not right, then I think we can reasonably rule out a hardware problem. Unfortunately, that leaves you with doing a OS install.........yuke

werewolf

on Oct 28, 2006

okee dokee, perhaps a little sleep is in order as well

not sure where you live...it's 1:30 here...been a long day.

I will do all that hardware stuff in the morning.

quick question though: Why would my 'add/remove programs' be empty?

is there some service which needs to be turned on for that one? I've been cutting those back.

yrag

on Oct 28, 2006

empty???????

run this real quick: WWW Link

yrag

on Oct 28, 2006

I've been cutting those back.

......and stop doing that!!!

werewolf

on Oct 28, 2006

rebooting

werewolf

on Oct 28, 2006

still borked...

why stop cutting back services? I'm hoping that one of these times, I'll kill the one which is causing the problem and then I'll know what to tell you so you can tell me what's wrong

or something

anyway, all I get in add/remove is 'please wait while the list is being populated'

yrag

on Oct 28, 2006

I'll kill the one which is causing the problem

Might I suggest using a bazooka. Now there is some good news....sort of...........if that's not showing then it's the OS files. Leave the hardware alone and re-install the system. Like I said....sorta good news.......

werewolf

on Oct 28, 2006

this thing seems to be messing up on a schedule...my brain is fried not sure how to explain this...

hangs for specific period of time then is fine for a specific period of time. hangs then fine, hangs then fine. but there is no change in cpu activity or memory usage from one period to the other.

werewolf

on Oct 28, 2006

i was just waiving the mouse pointer over the quick launch icons watching them go into their 'selected' state and back to unselected. they stopped changing for about 10 seconds and then started doing it again. i didn't click on anything.

yrag

on Oct 28, 2006

I'll tell ya what......we'll both contemplate that "schedule" thingy in our sleep. I don't know about, but I'm gettin' dizzy.........

werewolf

on Oct 28, 2006

me too.... seriously thanks yrag. sleep well, hopefully I'll be able to get back in here tomorrow.

Erk.

on Oct 28, 2006

...Erk turns off the lights ...these two were too dead to it, and forgot.

yrag

on Oct 28, 2006

Well, that's two things I forgot (thanks Eric).....the other was a link to a tut (that's with a "U") that will allow a fresh re-install without losing the 'personal' stuff.
WWW Link

Bichur

on Oct 28, 2006

ZubaZ

on Oct 28, 2006

Have you bled on it yet?

I find that things work better *after* I scrape my knuckles on some solder points and bleed a little.

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