Computer experts. Whats up with explorer.exe?

[Billy Batz]

Any of you computer guys know whats up with this?

My PC is a newer PC. My OS is XP and it has this chronic problem with Windows Explorer. I like to recover my computer once or twice a year partly because of this. I keep almost all my files on external drives. This problem is very debilitating. Explorer.exe will start to lock up the CPU more and more until it just uses 100% all the time. Now I can restart explorer but as soon as I do anything intensive like open a few explorer windows or move a file etc... it will lock up again. This apparently is pretty common though I havent been able to find why or solution.

Anyone have similar effects happen or know why and what to do about it? Figured Id ask here real quick tho Ill still search for some good PC forums and see if theres anything there.

[Billy Batz]

Oh, and its not any kind of ware or virus. I got so tired of that shit a while back my machine is like max security lockdown now. I know its something specific causing this to happen. Just one day bam.

[McGoogle McDougal]

Well explorer.exe is just the shell of the operating system. Unless the OS is damaged explorer.exe locking up is usually caused by Windows choking as it tries to execute a process for another program (whether it be a background of foreground process). You say you've reinstalled Windows several times so I doubt a damaged OS is the problem. You say your computer is locked down tightly for security - are you running multiple security programs? Perhaps one fo them OR a combination of them is causing the problem.

I don't know how often the problem occurs, but if it's often enough, try disconnecting yourself from the outside world (unless this only happens while you're on line) and shut down any security programs. Also go throughthe system try in the lower right of the taskbar and close down everything in there (right click on them and close or exit). Then try seeing if you can make it happen. If not, try adding things back one by one until you can make it happen.

Unfortunately these types of problems often happen at unpredictable enough intervals to be able to do this "clean boot" type of troubleshooting, but it's alway a good place to start.

I would also verify that the OS drive has plenty of space available and that you have enough RAM for all the applications you are running, as a lack of either or both can also cause you problem.

Eamon

[Billy Batz]

All those things look fine. Even if I do shut down all processes when it starts up my Task Manager will have CPU usage 0 for everything accept explorer.exe which is using 100% (98-99 you get the idea). My memory and RAM are well within limits and nothing but system processes and Windows explorer ar running and it still locks the CPU. I dont get it. I remember reading there was some specific thing that can cause this to happen that you have to root out in the reg but I dont remember what it was or if thats always the case. It always comes back to this. It seems to be some flaw in this PC. By the end I get used to using my computer without running windows explorer.

[Necrovore]

Its that damn windows XP I alway knew it was garbage.

Ive heard similar stories about explorer.exe. from about 5-6 different unrelated places recently. Looks like MS's hidden crash bug is starting to work. MS recently had a critical update for all its OS's. I wonder which new pay for service MS is about to release that will fix this problem for you guys. Either that or MS is about to force feed you guys Longhorn.

Don't listen to me. I'm talking much shit since i hate the way MS releases shitty bug laden Operatiing Systems. XP is what on its 5th year and still having bug problems? Shit what garbage. I use ME at home and the buggy crap for that garbage OS only lasted 18 months or so. I am so glad I am moving to Mac legacy computers at home.

[5150loveeddie]

Every thing regarding Bill Gates (excuse me, PC) is just a big damn gimmic game, pure shit,......They own 95% of the market in the world so it is just perfect for them to make money with all of us PC users.......no wonder why MAC never get virus or hacked easy,....etc. there only 5% of users so no money to make there.......of course....

Microsoft could've done it perfect long time ago, but no way, its not good for the bizness......

Soon everyone with a "hotmail" address will have to pay or you will not be able to get your emails anymore via outlook express..., that's a lot of bozos (like me) stuck to change or PAY again.....(around 40$...)

[McGoogle McDougal]

Hmmm... that's a tough one to troubleshoot. Do you have any peripheral devices outisde of keyboard, display, and mouse (like USB or firewire devices you leave pluged in all the time?) If so, try running with them removed. If your keyboard and/or mouse are USB, try swapping them out with PS2 ones, if possible. It doesn't sound like bad RAM, that would usually cause page fault and/or exception errors. If you have reinstalled windows several times, it is probably hardware related. Of course, with windows this doesn't necessarily mean broken hardware, but possibly some combination of hardware that doesn't work together well or a component that doesn't like XP. You might check to see if your board manufacturer has any BIOS updates available or if the chipset has any known issues with other devices (video, processor, etc.) I feel your pain, this type of shit stinks! Google may be your best friend here...

Eamon

[Partially Literate PC Use]

There are a couple Freeware programs that I have used to help cut the crap that loads and / or runs during a session.

The first one is Process Explorer. It is a Task Manager app that orders processes into a tree like structure and it is very simple to kill unwanted processes. Here's the URL:

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freew ... cexp.shtml

The other file is a utility that is like a lot of other apps, it unearths all the files that executed during startup, including the files in registry. The app allows temporary disabling as well as deletion of entries in various startup folders as well as registry fired startups. It is called autoruns, and I execute it from Winzip. Here's the URL:

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freew ... runs.shtml

Home Page:
http://www.sysinternals.com/

[Dax-The-Ax]

You need to add RAM. Minimum of 512MB total.

Try this program to get rid of ads!
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html


And check this out:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=883791

[Billy]

Thanks for the suggestions. Im pretty clear on all the simple solutions. Im going to check out that software. Seems to make things easier. I know how to veiw my running processes and autostarts though. McDoogle I think you may be onto it. I do run 3 USB devices.