File explorer/search very very very slow

For me the solution was: going to Start > Settings > Search >> Searching Windows

On that Window, on Find My Files select Enhanced and then select back Classic.

Then scroll down to Indexer Performance, by default is Off   Turn it on, wait 2 seconds and turn it Off again.

Indexing starts to work again. This seems to happen on every major update.

Windows 10 Pro 20H2

Hi sh1_996 -

I'm Kevin B. Independent advisor and a Windows user like you. I do apologize for the inconvenience that you experiencing right now, let me help you sort things out.

It seems that windows might have encountered errors on its files which causes the system to load everything slow. Please follow the steps below and check if one of these works.

Method 1: Perform SFC Scan and Repair Windows Image

-This process will perform scan for any corrupted system files or integrity violation and will attempt to repair it along with the Windows Image.

1. Open command prompt with administrator access
2. Type each command below and wait until scan is completed.

* sfc /scannow

* DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

* DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

* DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Quick note: While the command is running, it's expected to see the process stuck at 20 or 40 percent. After a few minutes, the process will complete successfully.

Once you complete the steps, the Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool will connect to the Windows Update servers to download and replace any damaged files in the local image for Windows 10 as necessary.

3. Close the command prompt.

Method 2: Perform Clean Boot

• This process will eliminate 3rd party application running in the background of your computer along with services that are not needed to run windows. If there's any conflicting 3rd party application that causes the issue on your computer, this process will stop it.

1. Open the run box by pressing the Windows Key + R and type msconfig
2. System Configuration Utility box will open and by default you are on general tab.
3. On the General tab, click the selective startup and make sure that load system service and load startup items both have checked mark.
4. Click on services tab
5. Put a check mark on Hide All Microsoft Services > This is a very important part as if you miss to click on this, computer might not boot properly or permanently and will end up on clean installation.
6. Once Hide all Microsoft Services have checked mark on it, click on Disable All
7. Click on the Startup Tab and click open task manager. This will open another window which contains all your startup applications on the administrator account.
8. Disable all application that you're not using. You can simply just click on them and select disable.
9. Click OK , Apply and close the configuration utility

Method 3: Create a new user profile

• We will try to create new user profile to check if the issue happens on all windows users on your computer or just isolated on the current profile that you're using.

1. Open the command prompt with elevated access (Administrator Access)
2. Type the below command and hit enter every after command.

net user "account name" /add

(change the "account name" to any name that you preferred)

net localgroup administrators "account name" /add

(change the "account name" with the name that you put in the first command)

3. Close the command prompt and switch to the new user.

Check if the same issue occurs on the new user profile.

Feel free to reach back to us if you need further assistance

Hope this will help and have a bless day!

Thanks.

Kevin B.

Independent advisor

Hi Kevin - appreciate your prompt advice and assistance.

Had previously add new user with fresh profile (user not administrator), but still slow.

Have now done as you suggested above .. still watching the green line progress slowly across the path bar with my favourite quote ' Working on it ...' still displayed :(

So this does not appear to help .. unfortunately. On the bright side, my services i turned off do not slow my system down, so ill try to restore some of them to operational status!

Worked like a charm!

Many thanks :-)

Hi sh1_996 -

I noticed that you rated my answer as unhelpful and I want to make sure that I answered your question correctly. Is there anything else that I may help you with?

Regards,

Kevin B.