Windows Explorer VERY slow 2

[Mich]

When I get into Windows Explorer it takes 20 seconds or so to expand a folder. It doesn't seem to matter which folder. Before this was just getting on my nerves, but now it appears apps are being affected as some of them have started crashing. I have updated and run Spybot and McAfee with no unusual results. I've applied all of the latest patches (minus SP2). I've checked all of my processes and services and they appear to be fine. I also just noticed that I lost one of my hard drives.

Something is killing my pc and I don't have a clue what it is. It sure acts like some sort of virus, but I wonder if I might be losing a piece of hardware such as the processor or memory (though they wouldn't affect the loss of one of my hard drives). Any ideas??

-If it ain't broke, break it and make it better.

 

[bcastner]

Did you ever have PGP Privacy installed?
When was the last time you defragged that disk?
Do you have Norton/Symantec GoBack installed?
When was the last time you cleaned the registry?
Do you have any camera or scanner devices installed?

 

[Mich]

I don't think so. How can I check that?

I regularly defrag with DiskKeeper 8.0. Right now it is reporting a healthy drive.

No.

Never. What is a good way to do that?

No.

-If it ain't broke, break it and make it better.

 

[bcastner]

Never. What is a good way to do that?"
(In reference to cleaning the registry).
Use the site search feature on "registry cleaner" as there are a lot of suggestions. See, for example, thread779-908061

There is malware that can do this as well. See faq608-4650 for some free utilities to check and clean things up.

Finally, use ShellExView, as discussed here:

http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/slowrightclick.htm

 

[linney]

How does it run in Safe Mode?

310353 - How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310353&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

316434 - HOW TO: Perform Advanced Clean-Boot Troubleshooting in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316434&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

310560 - How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310560&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

What is the Event Viewer telling you?

What is the Disk Management tool indicating about the health of your drives?

 

[bcastner]

If installed, Spyware Sweeper by WebRoot has been known to cause this slowness in the right-context menu.

Usually the issue is Context Menu Handlers that are poorly written or slow to initialize. Clean up your right click menus:

http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/slowrightclick.htm

 

[tf1]

I suggest a ScanDisk at startup would be a good start before all the other (excellent) suggestions.

Regards: tf1

 

[Mich]

I'm working on getting several pieces of software (jv reg cleaner, Ad-Aware, Panda, PC-Cillin, a-squared, etc.). I was able to download and install a couple of these last night. It wasn't easy just getting the apps installed because I had several lockups. My PC is responding as if I were running a defrag, running a complete virus scan, and copying a 10 GB file between drives all at the same time.

Once I get everything in I'll post back. Thanks for your help to this point.

-If it ain't broke, break it and make it better.

 

[Mich]

Oops, linney I just noticed your post. All good suggestions that I'll try this evening when I get home.

-If it ain't broke, break it and make it better.

 

[bcastner]

See faq608-4650 for one suggestion (mine) as to how to do this malware check and cleanup in the most effective manner.

 

[Mich]

That's the one I'm following. Very well done by the way.

-If it ain't broke, break it and make it better.

 

[bcastner]

Thanks,
Bill

 

[mrmomaz1234]

I have (rather had) this same problem of excessive time when I change drive/folders. I found a way to work around this by not having the dual panel on the display. (I only had the folder contents show and gave up having the directory tree on the left pane.

However, I just went to undo my workaround so i could tell you exactly what i did and I actually have a dual panel display - and I don't know what I did to undo my workaround.

After I did my workaround, I actually saw the same thing in one of corel's knowledge base articles. -- sory i don't have the article number.

Hope this is of any value to you.

 

[bcastner]

Hit the Folder icon in the menu bar at the top. It is a toggle under Explorer.

 

[Mich]

Well, I think I'm stuck. My operating system is so clean right now I could eat off of it. bcastner, I followed your guide, but Windows Explorer is still very slow. In addition to your guide I ran jv16 and cleaned up my registry. Still no luck. I toggled my folders view, but that didn't help either. Let me make this clear - all other apps seem to be working fine. I can do work, surf, play games, etc without the slightest problem. If I open Windows Explorer and try to browse my folders I run into problems.

With regard to my second hard drive. I've got data on there that has taken me years to collect. I've got a little of it backed up, but at 140 GB of data it's a wee bit cost prohibitive. To me it's worth it, but the woman would just laugh in my face. Anywho, the drive looks like I just installed it. It's not formatted or anything. Disk management sees it as 100% free. DiskKeeper doesn't recognize it. In the event viewer there are tons of messages (embarassed I didn't see them sooner) telling me \device\harddisk1\d has a bad block. Is that referring to my first (c or my second drive (f?? Is is possible I've lost my second drive and my primary is about to give out on me??

Again, thanks for all of your help.

-If it ain't broke, break it and make it better.

 

[amen1973]

I have seen the Machine Debug Manager Service slow down Windows Explorer before on a few systems. You can check to see if it is running through msconfig and services.

I hope this helps
Art

 

[linney]

\device\harddisk1\d has a bad block" is probably referring to your F drive, but you can confirm this by looking at the Disk Management tool and seeing which it refers to as "Disk 1" in the bottom pane.

You can also download free diagnostic software from the drive manufacturer to run on your suspect drive and find out the state of this drive.

You could try these commands (separately) from the Recovery Console

fixmbr \Device\HardDisk1
ChkDsk f: /r (f = faulty drive)

HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console for Windows XP (Q307654)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q307/6/54.asp

266745 - Error Message When You Run fixmbr Command

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;266745&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

Data Recover.

http://www.restorer2000.com

http://www.runtime.org/hints.htm

Try here too.

-General Data Recovery discussion Forum (4103 members)
Forum528

 

[bcastner]

\device\harddisk1\d has a bad block" it is the second drive, as otherwise it would be \dev\harddisk0.

This is a serious problem. Particularly if the block is in such a position that Disk Management cannot recognize that the drive has a valid partition table and has contents.

Follow linney's advice carefully. I would guess you are going to have to use a commercial utility to make the drive and its contents recoverable.

I would also plan on replacing that drive soon. A new 120 gig drive is only US $79 after rebates or less.

 

[Mich]

Wow, what a difference!

I ran chkdsk f: /f (wanted to try to fix the problem before repairing) and now everything is fine. My second drive is responding normally and Windows Explorer isn't running slow at all. I guess the problem with my second drive was slowing Explorer (??).

Stars all around for sticking with me and helping me fix the problem.

-If it ain't broke, break it and make it better.