Windows Explorer, Slow directory refresh

[swertel]

We upgraded from Win98 to Win2000. Sadly, we did the upgrade and not a clean install.

Everything went very smoothly and we are noticing many of the benefits (read as "fewer crashes&quot, but we have one lagging problem. When we first open Windows Explorer, it takes minutes to show the folder listing on the local hard drive. In general, this wouldn't be a bad problem, but when we need to change directories to open or save files, the delay is also there--in every application. (The delay occurs when we open the pop-down "look in" menu to choose a drive/folder.)

Another issue, which I think is related, is that our cursor turns to the cursor with an hourglass. This happens periodically through the day. It doesn't stop us from working, but slows things down.

We are running:
Windows 2000 SP3
on a Dell Optiplex GX150,
NVidia TNT2 Pro Graphics,
Pentium 3 1.0 GHz
40Gb HD, single partition
1024min/max page file
512MB RAM

Let me know if there is anything else you need to know about the system.
I would really like to find a way to get rid of this folder refresh delay.

Thanks,

--Scott

 

[Jocsta]

I had a case of this before, and it was down to winzip. I installed it across a network from a machine that was later disconnected. Everytime you tried to open anything that listed drives/files/directories there was a 30 second wait.
Uninstalling winzip, and installing it from the local machine sorted everything out.
The symptoms sound the same, dont know if it'll help...

<< JOC >>

 

[bonina]

I've got the problem too with a clean W2K-sp3 install on a laptop. I've already submited a post, but got no relevant answers.
I've found a partial workaround : don't use explorer by calling it explicitely. Rather create links. For instance, create a link to C:\ and put it on your desktop. Clicking it will open an explorer window without directory tree on the left. In that case, window content's refreshes instantaneously.
I can't tell why it works well that way, but for me it does.
I guess issue has something to do with network timeouts.
Hope it helps

Complete explanation and correction of issue is welcome.

 

[swertel]

JOC;

Your post gave me an idea. When I did the update, several programs were listed as requiring a re-install. As I use my box more and more, I'm finding some little background apps (hardly ever used) that also aren't working. I'm wondering if the registry needs a good cleaning to find and correct all the shortcuts and other programs that are not functioning.

I already downloaded the trial version of Diskeeper because I've heard a lot of good things about that program. It didn't help so I'll be uninstalling it this week. Are there any other utilities that I can try?

 

[wolluf]

I'd back up, do a clean install of 2k, reinstall apps and restore data (cos I reckon you'll be plagued with annoyances - legacy of upgrading win98. Better all round to bite the bullet now).

PS. Am at work on win2k clean installed machine which hasn't had a single system crash/serious problem since installation in Feb 2001. I have a clean install at home that's had no serious problems (after initial, hardware ones) since Feb 2000.

 

[Jocsta]

The winzip problem was because winzip adds things to the context menu handlers. Because the machine I installed it from was not present it couldn't load the dll's required to handle these and waited until it timed out on the machine lookup.
Try looking in the registry:-
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers
This should list the things that have context sensitive handlers. I wouldn't advise removing these entries, but it'll give you an idea what you may need to re-install.

Running a registry cleaner might help, but as you upgraded any files referenced by the registry may still be on your system confusing it into thinking they are still in use. I dont know how clever they are.... 8)

<< JOC >>

 

[Jocsta]

But ideally I agree with wolluf - a clean install is the definately the best way to go...
<< JOC >>

 

[swertel]

I would have to agree as well. But proving the downtime is worthwhile to management is another story. And getting IT in here to do it; well, I was lucky the first time to get the upgrade.

Thanks for your help. I'll have to dig into the M$ Knowledge base a little deeper. I may even resort to posting on their newsgroups (~~~~ shutter ~~~~).

--Scott

 

[swertel]

I figured out what the problem is.

Along with our network servers, the people in my department also share one folder on our hard drives. (Basically, we work with CAD solid modeling and it must be on our local computers if we want any reasonable performance when working, so using a public network location is not useful. It's shared so we can get at eachothers work if need be.)

To get to the coworkers local folder, we created shortcuts. The shortcuts took a long time to refresh. We deleted the shortcuts and now map to each others drives. That got rid of the refresh delay.

Does anybody know why a shortcut would take so long to refresh and a mapped drive doesn't?

 

[kenith]

Once the directory structure is cached on the requesting machine everything speeds up. After a shutdown do you notice the start up taking an unusually long time, or the first time you access the mapped drive taking longer than any access afterward? Those initial delays are normally directory exchanges that will remain in effect until the systems are disconnected.