File Open takes 2-3 minutes (DDE Issue?)

[Guest]

Recently my computer has been opening certain files that are double-clicked
very very slowly--2 - 3 minutes, thats right minutes! If I open the file by
launching the application then open the file via the Open menu item, all
works as expected.

I did some investigation and found that this happened to certain file types
that were double-clicked from the desktop or from email attachments. This
behavior happens from Excel, Word, Project, Access or Internet Explorer
shortcuts that are in emails. PowerPoint, Infopath, Publisher and Visio all
open normally (2-3 seconds).

Digging further showed that each of the file types that takes minutes to
open all have something in the DDE Message field of the Entering Action for
Type (File Explorer window, Tools, Folder Options, Select "Doc" file type,
Select Advanced, Highlight Open, Select Edit). The file types that open
normally don't have anything in this field. This is why I think the behavior
is related to DDE.

I have tried the "Detect and Repair" option of Office for my troubled apps
but this does not have any effect on the problem. I have also tried using
msconfig to do a Diagnostic Startup and it has no effect on the problem.
Booting in SAFEMODE does fix the problem.

HELP!

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Hi Andy,

Check if there are any invalid drive mappings in the system, and if so disable them. Also check for UNC references in the registry. More details at this link http://windowsxp.mvps.org/rcdelay.htm

Ignore the article title, and see section about "RegScanner"

P.S: In most cases I've seen, it's a network drive/UNC reference issue. I've noted your point too. (about "DDE").

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Recently my computer has been opening certain files that are double-clicked
very very slowly--2 - 3 minutes, thats right minutes! If I open the file by
launching the application then open the file via the Open menu item, all
works as expected.

I did some investigation and found that this happened to certain file types
that were double-clicked from the desktop or from email attachments. This
behavior happens from Excel, Word, Project, Access or Internet Explorer
shortcuts that are in emails. PowerPoint, Infopath, Publisher and Visio all
open normally (2-3 seconds).

Digging further showed that each of the file types that takes minutes to
open all have something in the DDE Message field of the Entering Action for
Type (File Explorer window, Tools, Folder Options, Select "Doc" file type,
Select Advanced, Highlight Open, Select Edit). The file types that open
normally don't have anything in this field. This is why I think the behavior
is related to DDE.

I have tried the "Detect and Repair" option of Office for my troubled apps
but this does not have any effect on the problem. I have also tried using
msconfig to do a Diagnostic Startup and it has no effect on the problem.
Booting in SAFEMODE does fix the problem.

HELP!

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the reply. I ran the regscan and scanning for "//" did find some
UNCs. They all appear to be valid links to Installer packages that were
pusdhed to my machine via SMS. The scan also showed several other items that
I'm not sure about.

There were a number of file paths that looked weird with "//" in them such as:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSEnv\\vshelp80.olb
C:\WINDOWS\\HELP

All the others were valid.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Andy,

If you're sure that there are no invalid UNCs and dead drive mappings, then I have no clue. Perhaps you can investigate this using RegMon.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Thanks for the reply. I ran the regscan and scanning for "//" did find some
UNCs. They all appear to be valid links to Installer packages that were
pusdhed to my machine via SMS. The scan also showed several other items that
I'm not sure about.

There were a number of file paths that looked weird with "//" in them such as:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSEnv\\vshelp80.olb
C:\WINDOWS\\HELP

All the others were valid.

 

[Guest]

Ramesh,
Thanks for the REGMON lead. I my first observation is "holy crap, the
registry is accessed a lot!" Then I noticed that a soft modem exe was
frequently accessing the registry. I thought this was odd as I can't even
remember the last time I used a modem. I disabled the modem in the Device
Manager and everything started to work correctly. Very strange. When I
checked the Task List I never saw the exe for the modem even register 1% CPU.


Oh, well Thanks a bunch!!!

Andy,

If you're sure that there are no invalid UNCs and dead drive mappings, then I have no clue. Perhaps you can investigate this using RegMon.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Thanks for the reply. I ran the regscan and scanning for "//" did find some
UNCs. They all appear to be valid links to Installer packages that were
pusdhed to my machine via SMS. The scan also showed several other items that
I'm not sure about.

There were a number of file paths that looked weird with "//" in them such as:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSEnv\\vshelp80.olb
C:\WINDOWS\\HELP

All the others were valid.

Hi Andy,

Check if there are any invalid drive mappings in the system, and if so disable them. Also check for UNC references in the registry. More details at this link http://windowsxp.mvps.org/rcdelay.htm

Ignore the article title, and see section about "RegScanner"

P.S: In most cases I've seen, it's a network drive/UNC reference issue. I've noted your point too. (about "DDE").

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Nice! Thanks for the update, Andy.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Ramesh,
Thanks for the REGMON lead. I my first observation is "holy crap, the
registry is accessed a lot!" Then I noticed that a soft modem exe was
frequently accessing the registry. I thought this was odd as I can't even
remember the last time I used a modem. I disabled the modem in the Device
Manager and everything started to work correctly. Very strange. When I
checked the Task List I never saw the exe for the modem even register 1% CPU.


Oh, well Thanks a bunch!!!