"Desktop" tab in display properties takes a long time to display

[red apple]

I have an XP computer, Nvidia GeForce graphics card, 3.2 gig speed, 1
meg of RAM.

I just noticed that when working with the display properties dialog box
(right click on desktop and pick properties from the context menu),
clicking on the "desktop" tab (second one from the left) will take a
LONG time to bring that particular tab up - I've seen 10-30 seconds,
probably more. Every other tab in display properties, when clicked on,
immediately brings its stuff forward.

Not sure how long it's been this way. The desktop tab takes a long time
to load no matter which tab I am on when I click on it.

What's wrong, and how do I fix it? Spyware/viruses are very unlikely;
the computer is behind a firewall and is swept twice a week for both
using updated definition files.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Get ShellExView and disable everything that says Nvidia.

See this...

Right-click is slow or weird behavior caused by context menu handlers
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/slowrightclick.htm

Here's a list of Nvidia crap to get rid of.

Download and install ShellExView (shexview.exe)...

ShellExView download
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/shellexview.html

Open ShellExView and disable the Nvidia right click Menu entries.
These five entries...

====
Extension Name: Desktop Explorer
Disabled: Yes
Type: Shell Folder
Description: NVIDIA Desktop Explorer, Version 61.77
Version: 6.14.10.6177
Product Name: NVIDIA Desktop Explorer, Version 61.77
Company: NVIDIA Corporation
My Computer: No
Desktop: No
Control Panel : No
Filename: C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvshell.dll
CLSID: {1CDB2949-8F65-4355-8456-263E7C208A5D}
====

Extension Name: Desktop Explorer Menu
Disabled: Yes
Type: System
Description: NVIDIA Desktop Explorer, Version 61.77
Version: 6.14.10.6177
Product Name: NVIDIA Desktop Explorer, Version 61.77
Company: NVIDIA Corporation
My Computer: No
Desktop: No
Control Panel: No
Filename: C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvshell.dll
CLSID: {1E9B04FB-F9E5-4718-997B-B8DA88302A47}
====

Extension Name: DesktopContext Class
Disabled: Yes
Type: System
Description: NVIDIA Display Properties Extension
Version: 6.14.10.6177
Product Name: NVIDIA Compatible Windows 2000 Display driver, Version 61.77
Company: NVIDIA Corporation
My Computer: No
Desktop: No
Control Panel: No
Filename: C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvcpl.dll
CLSID: {A70C977A-BF00-412C-90B7-034C51DA2439}
===

Extension Name: NVIDIA CPL Extension
Disabled: Yes
Type: Context Menu
Description: NVIDIA Display Properties Extension
Version: 6.14.10.6177
Product Name: NVIDIA Compatible Windows 2000 Display driver, Version 61.77
Company: NVIDIA Corporation
My Computer: No
Desktop: No
Control Panel: No
Filename: C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvcpl.dll
CLSID: {FFB699E0-306A-11d3-8BD1-00104B6F7516}
===

Extension Name: nView Desktop Context Menu
Disabled: Yes
Type: System
Description: NVIDIA Desktop Explorer, Version 61.77
Version: 6.14.10.6177
Product Name: NVIDIA Desktop Explorer, Version 61.77
Company: NVIDIA Corporation
My Computer: No
Desktop: No
Control Panel: No
Filename: C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvshell.dll
CLSID: {1E9B04FB-F9E5-4718-997B-B8DA88302A48}
===

More nvidia crap to disable.

Disable the NVIDIA Display Driver Service...
Start | Run | Type: services.msc | OK |
Scroll down to and double click: NVIDIA Display Driver Service |
Under Startup type set to Disabled | Apply | Click the Stop button |
When it stops click OK | You may have to reboot
----

NvMediaCenter
[[RunDLL32.exe NvMCTray.dll, NvTaskbarInit System Tray icon used to manage
settings for nVidia based graphics cards. May be required for some 3D
applications to recognize your card correctly - such as the game
"Everquest". Otherwise, settings can be changed manually via Display
Properties]]

Nview.dll = NVIDIA nView Desktop and Window Manager

Name NVIEW
Command rundll32.exe nview.dll, nViewLoadHook
Description This is a DLL to enable multiple display monitors on a single
computer. It can be a cause of numerous problems on some computers
---

NvCplDaemon
System Tray icon used to change display settings, change the clock rate and
memory speed for nVidia based graphics cards. This is unnecessary since you
can easily configure these settings the way you want them in the Display
Properties and not have to mess with them again. Also disable the "NVIDIA
Driver Helper Service" if enabled as it can cause this entry to be
re-enabled on re-boot (note that this service can also cause extreme
shutdown delays if enabled
http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php?letter=R&filter=&count=50&offset=150
----

nwiz.exe = NVIDIA nView Wizard
[[Application enables user to having 32 virtual desktops, get a desktop
larger than the viewable area of the monitor, being able to divide the
display across more than one monitor, managing applications and many more
functionality.]]
----

Manually delete these three entries:
NvCplDaemon, NvMediaCenter and nwiz.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Value Name: NvCplDaemon
Value Type: REG_SZ
Value Data: RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\System32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Value Name: NvMediaCenter
Value Type: REG_SZ
Value Data: RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\System32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Value Name: nwiz
Value Type: REG_SZ
Value Data: nwiz.exe /install

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[NewScience]

Check to see how many items you have as Background pictures. The larger the
list, the slower to display.
The more folders you have added to the Desktop Background search, the more
files the Background box has to load.

 

[red apple]

Check to see how many items you have as Background pictures. The larger the
list, the slower to display.
The more folders you have added to the Desktop Background search, the more
files the Background box has to load.

I think you might have found the problem, but I don't know how to fix it.

I have a folder under My Pictures that has the six or so photos I've
used as desktop backgrounds, and I swear that the "desktop" tab used to
only show the photos in that folder. Now it shows a ridiculously long
list of photos from lots of folders.

How can I clear this long list, then have it looking only in the My
Pictures\Desktop Backgrounds folder?

 

[NewScience]

The list is created based on:

1. C:\Windows\Web\Wallpaper folder contents
2. C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\My Documents\My Pictures folder AND
sub-folders
3. C:\Windows

If you have any files that are recognized as pictures (.bmp, .jpg, .gif,
..ico, ...), Windows XP will add to the list when presenting the Desktop tab.
It must process each file, to determine it's valuebility.

As you move files out, the list becomes smaller and faster.

The sub-folder processing surprised me as well ... found this out while
investigating this.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

You have the idea. :-

But all of these folders:

%Systemroot%
%windir%\Web\Wallpaper
%userprofile%\My Documents\My Pictures (& sub-folders)
%AppData%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer
%ProgramFiles%\Plus!\Themes (& sub-folders)

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In