Re: WIndows Explorer Issue (XP-SP2)

From: Don Taylor (dont_at_agora.rdrop.com)
Date: 10/01/04


Date: Thu, 30 Sep 2004 21:06:07 -0500


<anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> writes:
>Ever since installing SP2, I have been experiencing an
>issue with explorer.exe. Whenever I double click on
>the "My Computer" icon on the desktop, it takes up to 5
>minutes for explorer to open and show my drives. The delay
>does not occur when navigating through other folders. For
>example, navigating from "D:\Data\Pictures" to "D:\Data"
>is fast (normal) whereas when I double click on "My
>Computer" explorer's response is delayed.

>Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this?

There have been a string of folks reporting very similar problems
to what you are reporting. Some find that anything which uses
Windows Explorer (Recycle bin, folder shortcuts, control panel,
etc) all have a similar problem. Some find that right clicks are
their major problem. Some find any click. Some find it crashes
on open. Some find it refuses any clicks. There are some claims
but I've been scanning the thousands of postings on SP2 and I don't
think you will find any with "the fix" for this, at least yet.

But, some find it will work when you boot in safe mode.

And, some find it will work when you create a new user and switch
to that user to try it.

One of those might be a temporary work-around till you get an answer.

Some claim it is all spyware and viruses but I haven't seen any
posting that confirmed this for the Windows Explorer problem.
I carefully and repeatedly checked, no viruses or spyware and my
windows explorer locks up every time

Some claim it is Divx or Spy Sweeper installed that is responsible
for this but others have it, don't have those and some seem to have
those and have no problem. I don't and it locks up.

Some claim it is "ShellExtensions", little accessory gadgets that
sort of script extra cute features. The advice for that is to
install free ShellExView and to try (carefully) disabling these
features one at a time, if turning one off doesn't do anything then
turn it back on and try again. I did that with all 75 at once and
it made no difference at all. One person sent me mail saying that
disabling one extension he had did appear to fix his problem.

You can escalate to Microsoft, go to
support.microsoft.com/windowsxpsp2
and give them all the details and clues and patterns you can find.
There is no guarantee that their analysis or directions will be
correct or even not make it worse. They told me I must "have some
corrupted files, repair windows back to install state and then
reinstall SP2 twice while in Safe mode." Before I did that someone
posted the "switch user" workaround that let me get by temporarily.
I sent email saying that if it worked for one user then it seemed
less likely it was "some corrupted files" and asked if they still
wanted me to blow windows away. They have not reponded to that in
a number of days now. But I can imagine what it is like inside now.

I hope this helps. If someone tells you to try something and it
doesn't help then please make a posting so we can start accumulating
what suggestions don't do any good. And if someone tells you something
that does work then please report it.



Relevant Pages

  • Re: Right click freezes computer since SP2
    ... If you have recently installed SP2 on your computer then ... there have now been over 200 people reporting very similar problems ... Windows Explorer (Recycle bin, folder shortcuts, control panel, ... Restore point or doing a Repair Install of Windows or reformatting ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Windows Explorer Has Encountered A Problem
    ... If you have recently installed SP2 on your computer then ... there have now been about 200 people reporting very similar problems ... Windows Explorer (Recycle bin, folder shortcuts, control panel, ... Restore point or doing a Repair Install of Windows or reformatting ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: ***** sp2 bREAKS eVERYTHING!!!!! *****
    ... where are these posts about SP2 that haven't been explained? ... >>but I think a disproportionate amount of the problems in the install ... >>I did escalate my Windows Explorer problem to Microsoft. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Error during every search
    ... This was an issue long before SP2 was even a twinkle in Bill Gates' eye. ... > Search uses the Windows Explorer base to run from, ... > to what you are reporting. ... > to install free ShellExView and to try disabling these ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: ***** sp2 bREAKS eVERYTHING!!!!! *****
    ... where are these posts about SP2 that haven't been explained? ... >>but I think a disproportionate amount of the problems in the install ... >>I did escalate my Windows Explorer problem to Microsoft. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics)