Explorer is extremely slow

[KenV]

I am starting a new thread on this because it seems to be a new problem,
perhaps unrelated to the restore and permissions problem I described below.

In Windows XP, SP2, even with the MS06-015 security update removed, the
Windows Explorer (opening My Computer or using the Explorer) still opens
extremely slowly, taking, say, 2 minutes to populate. I have checked the the
drive for errors, stopped the indexing, defragged the drive, reset the page
file, everything, and still cannot solve this problem. There is about 50gb
empty on the HD.

Any ideas?

Ken

 

[beb]

Windows Explorer will display all the resources such as disk drives,
network drives, printers, etc., it can find on your computer. On some
computers running the Windows Explorer can be a slow process if you have
many resources, specially if you have many networked and removable
resources. Try disconnecting devices to see it makes a difference. Your
running processes can cause the problem. Try disabling your anti-virus and
anti-spyware program or some other third party services and processes to
find out which one is causing the problem.

 

[KenV]

Windows Explorer will display all the resources such as disk drives,
network drives, printers, etc., it can find on your computer. On some
computers running the Windows Explorer can be a slow process if you have
many resources, specially if you have many networked and removable
resources. Try disconnecting devices to see it makes a difference. Your
running processes can cause the problem. Try disabling your anti-virus and
anti-spyware program or some other third party services and processes to
find out which one is causing the problem.

Thanks. I have been trying to do that all along with no success. Explorer
opens normally in Safe Mode, which made me think there was something
interfering with Explorer in Windows mode. I have gone through Task Manager
systematically eliminating services but can't find one that makes Explorer
run faster after eliminating it. I don't have any removable devices at the
moment, and am not networked with another computer, just with my router to
the Internet, and that is working normally..

There is one strange thing I've noticed when Explorer does open, and that is
a blank folder icon just below the Control Panel Icon--not within the CP's
tree, rather, under it and just above the Shared Documents icon. When I
click on the blank icon, the cursor just shifts to another folder icon.
Also, it will not open or expand and there is no way to delete it. But when
I right click it and click on "explore" it opens up another explorer window
and shows my Desktop in a window. I wonder if this could be a clue as to
what is slowing things down?

Ken

 

[KenV]

After numerous searches thrpough the Microsoft KB under "slow Explorer" or
"Explorer hangs" and the like, I finally came up with something like "slow
search" and that apparently was the magic phrase. It produced KB 819017
concerning Long Delay before files appear in My Computer in Windows XP.

I have both a HP Scanjet 5470 and also somehow had my Windows Image
Acquisition service turned on. They say that either one can produce the
problem.

I disabled the WIA, left the scanner in place, and now there is zero delay
in opening My Computer or Explorer. And the scanner still works.

I just wish that Microsoft didn't make it so difficult to search out these
issues. Such a simple remedy but hours finding it.

Ken

 

[Guest]

Almost sounds like an IDE drive in a SATA enviroment.
Do you have more than one HD? are they the same type? Do youhave the
jumpers (if IDE) set properly? if one is a SATA and one is a IDE make sure
the IDE is set for Master.
The HD I would lay money on is the problem. I have three hds and the
only drive my Windows Explorer runs slow on is the thrid one which is an IDE
drive with a IDE to SATA converor on it, the other two are pure SATAs and run
like greased lightning under WE.

 

[KenV]

I have a SATA drive (with Windows XP) connected to an Intel SATA controller
and an IDE drive set as a master on an Intel IDE controller. Both were
working fine until the slow Explorer opening started last week. And, as
stated below, once I figured out that it was the Windows Image Acquisition
(WIA) service that was causing the problem and it was disabled, the Explorer
problem seems to be solved. I don't know why the WIA service was turned on
on the first place--I probably did it when I was trying to fix something
else.

Anyway, I think that improperly configured HDs can do this, as you say, but
it wasn't the case here.

Thanks for your input.

Ken

 

[Guest]

i have the same problem only worse...when my laptop starts it takes 10mins
for the icons to come onto the screen, then if i launch a program it takes
5mins for the prog to start.....this is a 2nd fresh build....