Windows Explorer bogged down, slow as mud

[sandwedger]

HP Pavilion, XP Media Edition, worked great for a couple of years, but now Windows Explorer is slow as molasses. It takes forever to move a file. Everything else is working fine. How can I remove the sludge from Windows Explorer?

 

[goombawaho]

Check this as long as you don't think it's malware. I would scan just to be sure (with MalwareByte's Anti-Malware) but take a look at this first, then REBOOT if you find this condition.

http://winhlp.com/node/10

Basically, you go into device manager and look under the IDE controller (both primary and secondary) and see that it's NOT switched over to PIO mode. If it is, go to Advanced Settings tab and choose DMA if Available under Transfer Mode. Reboot.

 

[kjv1611]

Here are a couple "cleaner" apps that very well might help. I honestly think I need to reinstall XP on my "main" system at home, but haven't done so - matter of fact, I've been putting it off, now, for a good solid 2 years - VERY unusual for me.

Well, when I first learned about IoBit Advanced System Care, I first thought it'd not be any help, be more trouble than worth, like many "fixer" apps. But I tried it. My system REALLY pepped up. So now, from now on, I run that AND Glary Utilities on every system I've got at least every couple weeks to a month. They really do help a lot:

http://download.cnet.com/Advanced-SystemCare-Free/3000-2086_4-10407614.html

and

http://download.cnet.com/Glary-Utilities/3000-2094_4-10508531.html

Also, CCleaner isn't a bad try:

http://download.cnet.com/ccleaner/

And a good defrag program, better than default Windows defrag, built by Iobit as well:

http://download.cnet.com/Smart-Defrag/3000-2094_4-10759533.html

And it would also be a very good idea to scan for Malware:
MalwareBytes Antimalware

http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html

and also, after MalwareBytes:

SuperAntiSpyware

http://download.cnet.com/SuperAntiSpyware-Free-Edition/3000-8022_4-10523889.html

Another thing you can do manually, is to look, and make sure there are no processes that are eating up CPU cycles. This can happen if any app gets buggy, or it's one that needs to connect to the web, but perhaps a firewall is blocking it... and of course, malware..

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[linney]

What's life like from Safe Mode? If it is OK see if you can isolate the cause of your problem.

310353 - How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310353&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

316434 - HOW TO: Perform Advanced Clean-Boot Troubleshooting in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316434&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

310560 - How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310560

You can also check to see if (in Normal Mode) it is only your user that has the problem.


Try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right-click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking. Select both boxes.

Run the System File Checker program from the Run Box by typing.....Sfc /Scannow in it and have your XP CD handy.

HOW TO: Verify Unsigned Device Drivers in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q308/5/14.asp

If they don't work you could try repairing windows by running it over itself. You will lose all your windows updates but your files will be untouched.

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP (Q315341)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341/en-us

 

[sandwedger]

Wow! So much good info ... I have run check disk and defrag, scanned with CA and Malwarebyte, cleaned the cache, sacrificed a chicken, and will try some of the fancier stuff mentioned. If and when I can fix this without a destructive recovery, I will be sure to post how I did it, or didn't.

 

[Lemon13]

one thing about glary utilities

http://forum.glarysoft.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=342

M. Knorr

MCSE, MCTS, MCSA, CCNA

 

[kjv1611]

Lemon13,

According to that thread, it's a virus that can infect any application made with delphi before a certain time period. It's good to know, but also good to realize what the problem is, b/c that means many other programs could be infected as well. The good news from the linked thread is that apparently, the virus didn't do anything. So, I guess it was a test run or something by the author, perhaps.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me