Explorer often pausing 20+ secs when right-click a file and mouseover 'send to'

[Mad Scientist Jr]

I am a big fan of using the "send to" menu when right-clicking a file,
but lately (past few weeks) when I mouse over Send To, Explorer pauses
on it a long time (maybe 20 seconds or more, it feels like forever).
Specifically it happens when I right-click a file and drag the mouse
down through the options, when the cursor falls on SendTo, Windows
drifts off into some reverie...
http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb427/madscijr/groups/xp_mouseover_sendto_pause_issue_1.png

Note that the entire Windows Explorer does not pause, just the current
folder window. My preferences are set to open each folder in its own
window, and if the pause happens I can still click on other windows,
the Start button, etc. If I go back to the Window after a while, it
has calmed down and the SendTo menu displays.

This doesn't seem to be happening all the time, and I am not seeing
any rhyme or reason to it - it's not like certain file types are
affected. I right-clicked on a shortcut link, and landing on SendTo
sent Explorer into oblivion for 30 seconds. I went and got a cup of
coffee and came back and the SendTo menu had popped up. A couple
minutes later I right-clicked another shortcut link in the same folder
again and SendTo popped up instantly. Same for the link that
originally had caused the long pause.

I don't recall this happening after anything particular such as
installing a certain application or anything. I am running XP Pro SP3.

Any ideas what might be causing the issue? I do regular virus &
malware scans (microsoft security essentials, malwarebytes anti-
malware, which are regularly updated, and windows updates on) and have
not otherwise seen any strange or sluggish behavior on my system.

Thanks

 

[Donald Anadell]

I am a big fan of using the "send to" menu when right-clicking a file,
but lately (past few weeks) when I mouse over Send To, Explorer pauses
on it a long time (maybe 20 seconds or more, it feels like forever).
Specifically it happens when I right-click a file and drag the mouse
down through the options, when the cursor falls on SendTo, Windows
drifts off into some reverie...
http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb427/madscijr/groups/xp_mouseover_sendto_pause_issue_1.png

Note that the entire Windows Explorer does not pause, just the current
folder window. My preferences are set to open each folder in its own
window, and if the pause happens I can still click on other windows,
the Start button, etc. If I go back to the Window after a while, it
has calmed down and the SendTo menu displays.

This doesn't seem to be happening all the time, and I am not seeing
any rhyme or reason to it - it's not like certain file types are
affected. I right-clicked on a shortcut link, and landing on SendTo
sent Explorer into oblivion for 30 seconds. I went and got a cup of
coffee and came back and the SendTo menu had popped up. A couple
minutes later I right-clicked another shortcut link in the same folder
again and SendTo popped up instantly. Same for the link that
originally had caused the long pause.

I don't recall this happening after anything particular such as
installing a certain application or anything. I am running XP Pro SP3.

Any ideas what might be causing the issue? I do regular virus &
malware scans (microsoft security essentials, malwarebytes anti-
malware, which are regularly updated, and windows updates on) and have
not otherwise seen any strange or sluggish behavior on my system.

Thanks

You may have a faulty context menu handler, see:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/slowrightclick.htm

Good luck,

Donald Anadell