Taskbar shortcut to "My Computer" causes explorer.exe to hang during file copies

[Anonymous]

I've had a problem with Windows XP for years now (ever
since I first installed it) on several different machines.
Whenever I would copy large directory structures with many
files using windows explorer, there would be a good chance
that explorer.exe would start taking 99-100% of the CPU
time for a few minutes and eventually crash.

This has happened on tens of reinstalls of windows, and on
3 completely different sets of hardware. (Now that I've
figured out what is causing it, I've also had a friend
reproduce the problem on his system.)

Today, I finally found the cause. One of the first things
I do whenever setting up windows is create a folder on the
start menu / programs called "Quick". I put my most common
shortcuts in that folder, and then add it as a toolbar to
my taskbar. I need it to be on the start menu so that the
keyboard Shortcut Keys I assign will work. This is why I
don't use the standard "Quick Launch" bar. One of the first
shortcuts I always put in this folder is one to "My Computer".

Using SysInternal's File Monitor (which I just discovered
today), I found that when explorer.exe freaks out, it is
continually opening, reading, and closing the .lnk file for
the My Computer shortcut.

Removing the shortcut solves my problem. Explorer.exe no
longer crashes during copies of large directory structures
or large numbers of files -- even when I try to copy my
entire "Program Files" tree, which would have nearly 0%
chance of working before.


So, my question now is, what is causing this internally?
Is this an already-known issue? Is there anything that can
be done that will allow me to have my shortcut to My
Computer on my task bar without making explorer unstable?
For now, I've removed the shortcut, but I find myself
depressed and empty inside every time I go to my taskbar
out of habit and realize that "My Computer" isn't there.

Aside from that, I'd like to know if there are other
forbidden shortcuts that could cause similar problems.


This problem doesn't seem to be related to any Shell
Extensions (at least none that ShellExView is capable of
disabling). Disabling all but about 5 Shell Extensions
(no, I don't remember which ones), the problem still
occurs. It also isn't related to "Indexing Service" as
I've disabled that service (along with many other
non-critical services). So basically, the problem happens
even with a very bare-bones configuration.

This happens on a clean install of windows without any
extra software. With SP2, SP1, or no service pack (But
I've only verified that that removing the shortcut solves
the problem on SP2).

I'd really be interested if anyone can provide any insight
or answers to the questions I've already asked, and I'd
also be interested in seeing if any of you can reproduce
the problem (or if you can't reproduce the problem).

Here's more on how to reproduce the error:
1.) Create a new folder in Start Menu \ Programs called "Quick"
2.) On the windows taskbar, right click, choose "Toolbars"
and "New Toolbar..."
3.) Choose the folder "Quick" you just created
4.) Right-click-drag "My Computer" from your desktop onto
this new toolbar, choose "Create Shortcuts Here"
5.) Log off of windows and log back on (You need to let
explorer.exe shut down gracefully to remember the toolbar)
6.) Open up "My Computer" using the icon on your taskbar,
open your primary harddrive. Create a new folder on the
drive, and open that folder. Open up another copy of "My
Computer" using the icon on your taskbar. Go into your
main harddrive. Right-Click-Drag your "Program Files"
folder (Or any other at-least-moderately-complicated
directory structure with many files) into the new folder in
the other explorer window. Choose "Copy Here"
7.) Ctrl-Alt-Delete and open Task Manager. Sometime within
a few minutes of copying, explorer.exe should jump from
around 15% CPU time usage to around 80-100% usage. After
this happens, cancel the copy.
8.) explorer.exe will continue to use ~99% of the processor
time for a few minutes and will eventually crash.


It is possible that this is specific to the Corporate
version of windows XP. Hopefully seeing who can/can't
reproduce the error will clarify that.

 

[Andrew Bailey]

Hello Anonymous (bet that isn't your real name)

I thought I was the only one using the taskbar for custom menus

Here's what I do...

Rightclick the taskbar and select "Toolbars > Desktop" then unlock the
taskbar and change the menu to "Show Title" only and to use the "Small Icon"
view, next shrink the width of this Desktop menu all the way down (usually
towards the clock) so that all you can see is the word "Desktop" and the
drop down chevrons to the right. Once done relock the taskbar.

Create as many directories on your Desktop as you need to house your
favourite "shortcuts". I have... APPS, AUDIO, COMMS, GAMES, PENDING,
PLAYLISTS, REFERENCE, UTILS and VIDEO. I also have a shortcut (on the
Desktop) that links directly to my DOWNLOAD directory.

Once this is done either drag and create shortcuts in each directory or use
the handy "rightclick > send to > Desktop as a Shortcut" function to create
a shortcut on your desktop then drag and drop the icon over the appropriate
directory icon (you can change the icon for each folder by using the
"Rightclick > Properties" page. The cool part about this is a lot of
programs create an icon on the desktop as part of their installation process
so all you have to do is drag it over the right folder.

The final part of the process is to rightclick anywhere on the desktop and
uncheck "arrange icons by > show desktop icons" which hides all of your
desktop icons leaving it looking clean.

Now you can either access your programs by the usual START button route or
click the little chevrons to the right of the word "Desktop" in your taskbar
and a drop down/up menu will appear so that you can access all those
favourites you have stored but the really cool part is that "My Computer" (I
have renamed mine to SYSTEM) now gives you complete access to your entire
system so you can delve as deep as you like without ever opening a window.
Of course if you want to you just rightclick and select "Open" to open an
explorer window at the directory your highlighting.

You can drag and drop icons directly from the menus but the changes don't
appear until you let the menu close, so a more conveinient method is to open
an explorer window and keep clicking the "Directory Up" button until you
arrive at the Desktop at the top of the tree.

Hope that helps

Andy

 

[Sharon F]

I've had a problem with Windows XP for years now (ever
since I first installed it) on several different machines.
Whenever I would copy large directory structures with many
files using windows explorer, there would be a good chance
that explorer.exe would start taking 99-100% of the CPU
time for a few minutes and eventually crash.

This has happened on tens of reinstalls of windows, and on
3 completely different sets of hardware. (Now that I've
figured out what is causing it, I've also had a friend
reproduce the problem on his system.)

Today, I finally found the cause. One of the first things
I do whenever setting up windows is create a folder on the
start menu / programs called "Quick". I put my most common
shortcuts in that folder, and then add it as a toolbar to
my taskbar. I need it to be on the start menu so that the
keyboard Shortcut Keys I assign will work. This is why I
don't use the standard "Quick Launch" bar. One of the first
shortcuts I always put in this folder is one to "My Computer".

Using SysInternal's File Monitor (which I just discovered
today), I found that when explorer.exe freaks out, it is
continually opening, reading, and closing the .lnk file for
the My Computer shortcut.

Removing the shortcut solves my problem. Explorer.exe no
longer crashes during copies of large directory structures
or large numbers of files -- even when I try to copy my
entire "Program Files" tree, which would have nearly 0%
chance of working before.


So, my question now is, what is causing this internally?
Is this an already-known issue? Is there anything that can
be done that will allow me to have my shortcut to My
Computer on my task bar without making explorer unstable?
For now, I've removed the shortcut, but I find myself
depressed and empty inside every time I go to my taskbar
out of habit and realize that "My Computer" isn't there.

Aside from that, I'd like to know if there are other
forbidden shortcuts that could cause similar problems.


This problem doesn't seem to be related to any Shell
Extensions (at least none that ShellExView is capable of
disabling). Disabling all but about 5 Shell Extensions
(no, I don't remember which ones), the problem still
occurs. It also isn't related to "Indexing Service" as
I've disabled that service (along with many other
non-critical services). So basically, the problem happens
even with a very bare-bones configuration.

This happens on a clean install of windows without any
extra software. With SP2, SP1, or no service pack (But
I've only verified that that removing the shortcut solves
the problem on SP2).

I'd really be interested if anyone can provide any insight
or answers to the questions I've already asked, and I'd
also be interested in seeing if any of you can reproduce
the problem (or if you can't reproduce the problem).

Here's more on how to reproduce the error:
1.) Create a new folder in Start Menu \ Programs called "Quick"
2.) On the windows taskbar, right click, choose "Toolbars"
and "New Toolbar..."
3.) Choose the folder "Quick" you just created
4.) Right-click-drag "My Computer" from your desktop onto
this new toolbar, choose "Create Shortcuts Here"
5.) Log off of windows and log back on (You need to let
explorer.exe shut down gracefully to remember the toolbar)
6.) Open up "My Computer" using the icon on your taskbar,
open your primary harddrive. Create a new folder on the
drive, and open that folder. Open up another copy of "My
Computer" using the icon on your taskbar. Go into your
main harddrive. Right-Click-Drag your "Program Files"
folder (Or any other at-least-moderately-complicated
directory structure with many files) into the new folder in
the other explorer window. Choose "Copy Here"
7.) Ctrl-Alt-Delete and open Task Manager. Sometime within
a few minutes of copying, explorer.exe should jump from
around 15% CPU time usage to around 80-100% usage. After
this happens, cancel the copy.
8.) explorer.exe will continue to use ~99% of the processor
time for a few minutes and will eventually crash.


It is possible that this is specific to the Corporate
version of windows XP. Hopefully seeing who can/can't
reproduce the error will clarify that.

My Computer is not a typical shortcut. It's a namespace item. The
underlying executable is explorer.exe which then gets dressed up to present
the My Computer window. This is the same executable that gives you Windows
Explorer and that creates the shell. The problem may be due to the "once
removed" nature of a My Computer shortcut but don't know why it causes this
particular problem for you. What happens if you use a shortcut for windows
explorer in the Quick folder instead of My Computer? Does the problem go
away?

There is an inbuilt keyboard shortcut, Windows key +E, that is handy. It
brings up a Windows Explorer window with the focus is on My Computer. You
end up with just about the same thing as a My Computer shortcut but in
two-paned view.

 

[Keith Miller]

You're crashing because you've created a recursive folder structure. I did this once playing with folder shortcuts.

A normal "shortcut to a folder", created when you use right-click -> New -> Shortcut and browse to a folder, will show it's type to be "Shortcut" when you view it's properties. This is also the same type created by a right-click -> 'Send To' -> 'Desktop (create shortcut).

But when you drag and drop a folder onto the Start Menu or any of its subfolders, you create a "folder shortcut" whose property page only has a single tab and whose type is displayed as "Folder". These are more 'powerful' shortcuts that will show as folders in left pane of Explorer, cascade (which is why the Start Menu folder creates them), and show up with 'real' folders when you sort by type.

So, here's the problem, everything is rooted at the desktop. You've created a namespace path like this:

Desktop\My Comp\Docs & Settings\user\Start Menu\Quick\MyComp\Docs & Settings\Start Menu\Quick\My Comp\Docs & Settings\user\Start Menu\Quick\My Comp... ad infinitum.

You can't blame explorer for getting a little confused!

Good Luck,
Keith