Windows XP Home explorer.exe 100% cpu usage

[Peter Stickney]

I have read about this problem on the boards, dating back to years ago.
I have seen nothing that works. This post is more to act as an
information resource for those that might be experiencing the same
problem.

PC: Emachine T-2862
NIC: onboard Intel 10/100 VE Pro Adapter Driver: v 8.0.27 - Jan 06
Chipset: Intel 82562
Windows XP Home SP2

This is not the registry hack to get avis to preview correctly issue.
This is also not the old SP1 issue, that was supposed to be fixed in
SP2. This is also not the right clicking on something before left
clicking on it.

The problem is simple, at startup, after 5 seconds or so, explorer.exe
jumps to 100% and stays there.

I used msconfig to trim down the startup tasks to basically nothing
outside normal startup.

I have stopped every service that would let me. Telephony timed out
trying to stop Remote Access Connection ( I think that was the name ).
And things like Event Log and 3 or 4 others do not have a STOP option
in the menu.

I have XP Home with SP2 and all the latest and greatest updates from
wupdate.

Ive got the latest Norton AV, AdAware, Spyboy, HijackThis, and
something called SpySweeper, which as near as I can tell is legit. (
It's not my PC ). None of which detected anything abnormal. I have
also scoured the registry myself looking for malware. I also
uninstalled a bunch of software that was not needed.

Ive defragged, sfc'ed, replaced explorer.exe with a new version from
another PC of the same OS, that did not have this problem.

Cleared off all temp files / internet caches.

Created new user, in which the issue still persists.

I turned off the "browse for computers and network printers" in the
Tools->Options->View of the folders.

I havev gone to the display properties and disabled ALL effects.

I have booted with no ethernet cable attached.

After all that, the issue still persists.

The issue does NOT occur in safe mode. Also, like others, using Task
Manager, I can kill the process, reload it from File->Run
c:\windows\explorer.exe and the usage goes back down to < 5%.

The Soultion

After all this, it was determined that when the PC was started WITH the
ethernet cable plugged into the onboard Intel, explorer.exe jumped to
100%. Unplugging the ethernet with explorer.exe at 100% had no effect.
However, a reboot with no ethernet plugged in, solved the issue.
Well, it didn't cause the issue. Plugging it in after a few mins, and
explorer jumped to 100% again.

The first thing we did was update the Intel's drivers. No effect.

Deleted all network protocols, services and adapters. The TCP/IP
protocol cannot be removed in XP. Then reset the TCP/IP stack using
the "netsh" command as outlined in MS KB 299357. Then we added back in
all needed protocols, services, adapters. [ Resetting the machine
after each step ] and that seemed to have fixed The Issue.

I can only hope this post can help someone in their struggles with the
same issue.

-peter

 

[Guest]

Was anything added to this system lately? HW/SW, no, does this unit have an
ALL-IN-ONE HP unit attached to it? If yes download the latest driver for it.

I have read about this problem on the boards, dating back to years ago.
I have seen nothing that works. This post is more to act as an
information resource for those that might be experiencing the same
problem.

PC: Emachine T-2862
NIC: onboard Intel 10/100 VE Pro Adapter Driver: v 8.0.27 - Jan 06
Chipset: Intel 82562
Windows XP Home SP2

This is not the registry hack to get avis to preview correctly issue.
This is also not the old SP1 issue, that was supposed to be fixed in
SP2. This is also not the right clicking on something before left
clicking on it.

The problem is simple, at startup, after 5 seconds or so, explorer.exe
jumps to 100% and stays there.

I used msconfig to trim down the startup tasks to basically nothing
outside normal startup.

I have stopped every service that would let me. Telephony timed out
trying to stop Remote Access Connection ( I think that was the name ).
And things like Event Log and 3 or 4 others do not have a STOP option
in the menu.

I have XP Home with SP2 and all the latest and greatest updates from
wupdate.

Ive got the latest Norton AV, AdAware, Spyboy, HijackThis, and
something called SpySweeper, which as near as I can tell is legit. (
It's not my PC ). None of which detected anything abnormal. I have
also scoured the registry myself looking for malware. I also
uninstalled a bunch of software that was not needed.

Ive defragged, sfc'ed, replaced explorer.exe with a new version from
another PC of the same OS, that did not have this problem.

Cleared off all temp files / internet caches.

Created new user, in which the issue still persists.

I turned off the "browse for computers and network printers" in the
Tools->Options->View of the folders.

I havev gone to the display properties and disabled ALL effects.

I have booted with no ethernet cable attached.

After all that, the issue still persists.

The issue does NOT occur in safe mode. Also, like others, using Task
Manager, I can kill the process, reload it from File->Run
c:\windows\explorer.exe and the usage goes back down to < 5%.

The Soultion

After all this, it was determined that when the PC was started WITH the
ethernet cable plugged into the onboard Intel, explorer.exe jumped to
100%. Unplugging the ethernet with explorer.exe at 100% had no effect.
However, a reboot with no ethernet plugged in, solved the issue.
Well, it didn't cause the issue. Plugging it in after a few mins, and
explorer jumped to 100% again.

The first thing we did was update the Intel's drivers. No effect.

Deleted all network protocols, services and adapters. The TCP/IP
protocol cannot be removed in XP. Then reset the TCP/IP stack using
the "netsh" command as outlined in MS KB 299357. Then we added back in
all needed protocols, services, adapters. [ Resetting the machine
after each step ] and that seemed to have fixed The Issue.

I can only hope this post can help someone in their struggles with the
same issue.

-peter

 

[Peter Stickney]

There was a DVD Writer added a few weeks ago. And the problem was
brought to my attention a couple of weeks after that. There was 16 GB
of avi files in a folder on the desktop. Which led me first to the
"avi file preview issue" with explorer.exe. Ruled that out pretty fast
though, as I was never actually browsing folders with avis. Also tried
looking for partially ripped avis ( from a digi-cam ), finding nothing,
as I saw on the boards that might be a contributing factor.

-peter

Was anything added to this system lately? HW/SW, no, does this unit have an
ALL-IN-ONE HP unit attached to it? If yes download the latest driver for it.

I have read about this problem on the boards, dating back to years ago.
I have seen nothing that works. This post is more to act as an
information resource for those that might be experiencing the same
problem.

PC: Emachine T-2862
NIC: onboard Intel 10/100 VE Pro Adapter Driver: v 8.0.27 - Jan 06
Chipset: Intel 82562
Windows XP Home SP2

This is not the registry hack to get avis to preview correctly issue.
This is also not the old SP1 issue, that was supposed to be fixed in
SP2. This is also not the right clicking on something before left
clicking on it.

The problem is simple, at startup, after 5 seconds or so, explorer.exe
jumps to 100% and stays there.

I used msconfig to trim down the startup tasks to basically nothing
outside normal startup.

I have stopped every service that would let me. Telephony timed out
trying to stop Remote Access Connection ( I think that was the name ).
And things like Event Log and 3 or 4 others do not have a STOP option
in the menu.

I have XP Home with SP2 and all the latest and greatest updates from
wupdate.

Ive got the latest Norton AV, AdAware, Spyboy, HijackThis, and
something called SpySweeper, which as near as I can tell is legit. (
It's not my PC ). None of which detected anything abnormal. I have
also scoured the registry myself looking for malware. I also
uninstalled a bunch of software that was not needed.

Ive defragged, sfc'ed, replaced explorer.exe with a new version from
another PC of the same OS, that did not have this problem.

Cleared off all temp files / internet caches.

Created new user, in which the issue still persists.

I turned off the "browse for computers and network printers" in the
Tools->Options->View of the folders.

I havev gone to the display properties and disabled ALL effects.

I have booted with no ethernet cable attached.

After all that, the issue still persists.

The issue does NOT occur in safe mode. Also, like others, using Task
Manager, I can kill the process, reload it from File->Run
c:\windows\explorer.exe and the usage goes back down to < 5%.

The Soultion

After all this, it was determined that when the PC was started WITH the
ethernet cable plugged into the onboard Intel, explorer.exe jumped to
100%. Unplugging the ethernet with explorer.exe at 100% had no effect.
However, a reboot with no ethernet plugged in, solved the issue.
Well, it didn't cause the issue. Plugging it in after a few mins, and
explorer jumped to 100% again.

The first thing we did was update the Intel's drivers. No effect.

Deleted all network protocols, services and adapters. The TCP/IP
protocol cannot be removed in XP. Then reset the TCP/IP stack using
the "netsh" command as outlined in MS KB 299357. Then we added back in
all needed protocols, services, adapters. [ Resetting the machine
after each step ] and that seemed to have fixed The Issue.

I can only hope this post can help someone in their struggles with the
same issue.

-peter

 

[Peter Stickney]

I neglected to answer your actual question, no, there was nothing
connected to the computer as I worked on it, in terms of printers or
anything. And I do not believe there is a printer attached to it where
it normally resides.

-peter

Was anything added to this system lately? HW/SW, no, does this unit have an
ALL-IN-ONE HP unit attached to it? If yes download the latest driver for it.

I have read about this problem on the boards, dating back to years ago.
I have seen nothing that works. This post is more to act as an
information resource for those that might be experiencing the same
problem.

PC: Emachine T-2862
NIC: onboard Intel 10/100 VE Pro Adapter Driver: v 8.0.27 - Jan 06
Chipset: Intel 82562
Windows XP Home SP2

This is not the registry hack to get avis to preview correctly issue.
This is also not the old SP1 issue, that was supposed to be fixed in
SP2. This is also not the right clicking on something before left
clicking on it.

The problem is simple, at startup, after 5 seconds or so, explorer.exe
jumps to 100% and stays there.

I used msconfig to trim down the startup tasks to basically nothing
outside normal startup.

I have stopped every service that would let me. Telephony timed out
trying to stop Remote Access Connection ( I think that was the name ).
And things like Event Log and 3 or 4 others do not have a STOP option
in the menu.

I have XP Home with SP2 and all the latest and greatest updates from
wupdate.

Ive got the latest Norton AV, AdAware, Spyboy, HijackThis, and
something called SpySweeper, which as near as I can tell is legit. (
It's not my PC ). None of which detected anything abnormal. I have
also scoured the registry myself looking for malware. I also
uninstalled a bunch of software that was not needed.

Ive defragged, sfc'ed, replaced explorer.exe with a new version from
another PC of the same OS, that did not have this problem.

Cleared off all temp files / internet caches.

Created new user, in which the issue still persists.

I turned off the "browse for computers and network printers" in the
Tools->Options->View of the folders.

I havev gone to the display properties and disabled ALL effects.

I have booted with no ethernet cable attached.

After all that, the issue still persists.

The issue does NOT occur in safe mode. Also, like others, using Task
Manager, I can kill the process, reload it from File->Run
c:\windows\explorer.exe and the usage goes back down to < 5%.

The Soultion

After all this, it was determined that when the PC was started WITH the
ethernet cable plugged into the onboard Intel, explorer.exe jumped to
100%. Unplugging the ethernet with explorer.exe at 100% had no effect.
However, a reboot with no ethernet plugged in, solved the issue.
Well, it didn't cause the issue. Plugging it in after a few mins, and
explorer jumped to 100% again.

The first thing we did was update the Intel's drivers. No effect.

Deleted all network protocols, services and adapters. The TCP/IP
protocol cannot be removed in XP. Then reset the TCP/IP stack using
the "netsh" command as outlined in MS KB 299357. Then we added back in
all needed protocols, services, adapters. [ Resetting the machine
after each step ] and that seemed to have fixed The Issue.

I can only hope this post can help someone in their struggles with the
same issue.

-peter

 

[zigg1]

I had a similar problem yesderday and today. It seemed to begin after
I downloaded Nero Ultra 7.0 DVD burning software as a trial from the
Nero website. Once it was installed, I noticed a significant decrease
in the speed of my CPU. "explorer.exe" was taking up 95-99% of my CPU.

I thought it may have been related to Internet Explorer, so I powered
down my cable modem. It was a temporary fix. The CPU jumped back up to
normal levels. But now, I could not access the internet. As soon as I
powered the modem back up, the same CPU problem occured. Explorer.exe
shot back up to 99%.

I read somewhere that ending the task would not harm the computer. So
I did. I ended Explorer.exe but another problem started. I could no
longer see my desktop, taskbar or Start Menu.

I shut down my computer and when it rebooted, everything was fine.

I don't know if this was a fix to the problem, or if this is of any
help. Just sharing the wealth.