Explorer hangs on context menu

[PeBu]

Dear All,

I have a weird problem with explorer on windows xp home (all ms patches
applied) running on an acer aspire 1520 notebook with an athlon 64/1GB
ram since a couple of months.

When I right-click on a file or folder in explorer the explorer hangs
without the context menu coming up. Though I have set explorer options
to "run windows in seperate process" when this happens all explorer
windows hang.

This happens occasionally and very likely (say 90%) if I try to
copy/paste files or folders in explorer.

Once the explorer hangs, no "new" explorer can be opened.

However, I can open "total commander" which uses the same context menu
and is not affected by the explorer hang: While explorer is hanging I
can work with TC without problems.

When I close explorer using taskmanager all explorer instances,
including the desktop are closed (they are marked in taskmanager as
"not responding"). After that usually the desktop recovers and I can
open new explorer windows. The problem persists, however: immediate
hang on copy/paste action.

After system restart the lotterie is started again: sometimes a
copy/paste works, in 90% of the cases it does not. No apperent relation
to system sleep or other power save actions.

I have no entry in the event logs and no request to send information to
ms.

I have completely reinstalled the system and also have the problem
"from the start" without making any additional changes or installing
more apps.

I have a permanent connection to the internet over a cable modem to
which the notebook is connected over the built in wlan (dhcp), no modem
use (though there is a modem built in).

The hang does not seem to be a simple delay which is mentioned in some
similar cases in google. Actually I can wait a whole night for the
context menu to come up with no result.


I would _really_ appreciate any hints / suggestions.

TIA + Best Regards,

Peter

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Peter,

See if this applies.

Problems in Windows Explorer or the Windows shell after you install security
update MS06-015:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918165

See also:

Right-click is slow or weird behavior caused by context menu handlers:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/slowrightclick.htm
http://www.bootdisk.com/bootlist/208.htm#4

Right-click is extremely slow only when Network is enabled:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/rcdelay.htm

Right click crashes Explorer.exe after installing Windows XP SP2?:
http://www.winxptutor.com/sp2/divxcrash.htm

--
Regards,

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


Dear All,

I have a weird problem with explorer on windows xp home (all ms patches
applied) running on an acer aspire 1520 notebook with an athlon 64/1GB
ram since a couple of months.

When I right-click on a file or folder in explorer the explorer hangs
without the context menu coming up. Though I have set explorer options
to "run windows in seperate process" when this happens all explorer
windows hang.

This happens occasionally and very likely (say 90%) if I try to
copy/paste files or folders in explorer.

Once the explorer hangs, no "new" explorer can be opened.

However, I can open "total commander" which uses the same context menu
and is not affected by the explorer hang: While explorer is hanging I
can work with TC without problems.

When I close explorer using taskmanager all explorer instances,
including the desktop are closed (they are marked in taskmanager as
"not responding"). After that usually the desktop recovers and I can
open new explorer windows. The problem persists, however: immediate
hang on copy/paste action.

After system restart the lotterie is started again: sometimes a
copy/paste works, in 90% of the cases it does not. No apperent relation
to system sleep or other power save actions.

I have no entry in the event logs and no request to send information to
ms.

I have completely reinstalled the system and also have the problem
"from the start" without making any additional changes or installing
more apps.

I have a permanent connection to the internet over a cable modem to
which the notebook is connected over the built in wlan (dhcp), no modem
use (though there is a modem built in).

The hang does not seem to be a simple delay which is mentioned in some
similar cases in google. Actually I can wait a whole night for the
context menu to come up with no result.


I would _really_ appreciate any hints / suggestions.

TIA + Best Regards,

Peter

 

[PeBu]

Hi Ramesh,

thanks a lot for the detailed help. I will work through it.
Very nice tools You pointed me to

I will let You know will find.

Best Regards + Thanks again,

Peter

 

[PeBu]

Hi Ramesh,

I have tried what You have suggested. Unfortunately without success. I
did not find any of the points apply to my situation. No suspicious
registry entries.

Is there a chance that a WinXP Pro installation would solve this?

Best Regards,

Peter

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Tried Shellexview, Peter?

See also:

Right-click is extremely slow only when Network is enabled:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/rcdelay.htm


--
Regards,

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


Hi Ramesh,

I have tried what You have suggested. Unfortunately without success. I
did not find any of the points apply to my situation. No suspicious
registry entries.

Is there a chance that a WinXP Pro installation would solve this?

Best Regards,

Peter