explorer.exe High CPU usage opening/closing folder

Question

Hello let me first say thanks for any help with this problem.  Ive had this problem for about 2 weeks now and have been trying to fix it for awhile now.

Whenever I open a folder on my desktop explorer jumps to 25% and the folder takes roughly 30 seconds to open.  Whenever I try closing the folder it takes about 10 seconds to close.

My system specs are:

OS=Vista x64

HDD=1 TB Seagate Barracuda

RAM= 4GB Corsair Dominator

CPU= 3.0GHz Q6600 Quad Core

Ive tested this on empty folders and it still happens. 

any other file besides folders work fine such as text documents and .exe files. I ran process explorer and under the threads tab there are two things that take up CPU

SHLWAPI.dll and BROWSEUI.dll ive been unable to fix this issue so any help is appreciated. Ive been using process explorer and ShellExView to try to solve the problem.

-Thanks for any help

Answer 1

Hi,

Two methods separated by the ==================. Might have to do both.

Method 1

Start - type this in Search Box ->  COMMAND   find at top and RIGHT CLICK  -  RUN AS ADMIN

Enter this at the prompt - sfc /scannow

How to analyze the log file entries that the Microsoft Windows Resource Checker (SFC.exe) program

generates in Windows Vista cbs.log

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928228

The log might give you the answer if there was a corrupted driver. (Does not tell all the possible driver issues).

Also run CheckDisk so we can rule out corruption as much as possible.

How to Run Check Disk at Startup in Vista

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67612-check-disk-chkdsk.html

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Troubleshooting Context Menu (Right Click) issues are a process of elimination exercise.

Right-click is slow or weird behavior caused by context menu handlers

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/slowrightclick.htm

and here :

Manage the context-menu entries for files, folders, drives and Namespace objects

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/context\_folders.htm

The ShellExView utility displays the details of shell extensions installed on your computer, and allows you to easily disable and enable each shell extension.

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shexview.html

ShellMenuView is a small utility that display the list of static menu items that appeared in the context menu when you right-click a file/folder on Windows Explorer, and allows you to easily disable unwanted menu items.

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shell\_menu\_view.html

How To Edit Or Remove Items From The Right Click Menu.

http://www.winvistaclub.com/e11.html

====================================

Method 2

Often updating drivers will help, usually Video, Sound, Network Card  (NIC), WiFi, 3rd party keyboard and

mouse, as well as other major device drivers.

This is my generic how to for proper driver updates :

This utility makes it easy to see which versions are loaded :

DriverView - Free - utility displays the list of all device drivers currently loaded on your system. For

each driver in the list, additional useful information is displayed: load address of the driver, description,

version, product name, company that created the driver, and more.

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/driverview.html

For Drivers check System Maker as fallbacks and Device Maker's which are the most current.

Control Panel - Device Manager - Display Adapter - write down the make and complete model of your

video adapter - double click - Driver's tab - write down the version info. Now click UPdate Driver (this

may not do anything as MS is far behind certifying drivers) - then Right Click - Uninstall - REBOOT

this will refresh the driver stack.

Repeat that for Network - Network Card (NIC), Wifi, Sound, Mouse and Keyboard if 3rd party with their

own software and drivers and any other major device drivers you have.

Now go to System Maker's site (Dell, HP, Toshiba as examples) (as rollback) and then Device Maker's site

(Realtek, Intel, Nvidia, ATI as examples) and get their latest versions. (Look for BIOS, Chipset and software

updates at System Maker's site while there.)

Download - SAVE - go to where you put them - Right Click - RUN AD ADMIN - REBOOT after each installation.

Always check in Device Manager - Drivers tab to be sure the version you are installing actually shows up. This

is because some drivers rollback before the latest is installed (sound drivers particularly do this) so install a

driver - reboot - check to be sure it is installed and repeat as needed.

Repeat at Device Makers - BTW at Device Makers DO NOT RUN THEIR SCANNER - check manually by model.

Manually look at manufacturer's sites for drivers - and Device Maker's sites.

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/driverssupport/ht/driverdlmfgr.htm

How to Install a Device Driver in Vista Device Manager

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/193584-device-manager-install-driver.html

If you update drivers manually then it is a good idea to disable Driver Installations in Windows Updates,

this leaves Windows Updates ON however it will not install drivers which will usually be older and cause

issues. If Updates suggests a new driver then HIDE it (Right Click on it) and then go look for new ones

manually if you wish.

How To Disable Automatic Driver Installation In Windows Vista - Drivers

http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-tips/how-to-disable-automatic-driver-installation-in-windows-vista/

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc730606(WS.10).aspx

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I would do all the above 1st and if needed use these troubleshooting methods next :

How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

How to troubleshoot performance issues in Windows Vista

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950685

Optimizing Microsoft Windows Vista Performance

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/959062

To see all that is loading bootup - wait a few minutes without doing anything - then Right Click TaskBar -

Task Manager - take a look at Appplications - Processes - Services - this is a quick reference (if you have

a little box on Lower Left - Show for All Users then check that).

How to Check and Change the Startup Programs in Vista

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/79612-startup-programs-enable-disable.html

A quick check to see which are loading is Method 2 there - using MSCONFIG then post a list of those here.

---

Tools that should help :

Process Explorer - Free - Find out what files, registry keys and other objects processes have open, which DLLs

they have loaded, and more. This uniquely powerful utility will even show you who owns each process.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx

Autoruns - Free - See what programs are configured to startup automatically when your system boots and you

login. Autoruns also shows you the full list of Registry and file locations where applications can configure auto-

start settings.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx

Process Monitor - Free - Monitor file system, Registry, process, thread and DLL activity in real-time.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx

There are many excellent free tools at Sysinternals

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/default.aspx

WhatsInStartUP - Free - This utility displays the list of all applications that are loaded automatically when Windows

starts up. For each application, the following information is displayed: Startup Type (Registry/Startup Folder),

Command -Line String, Product Name, File Version, Company Name, Location in the Registry or file system,

and more. It allows you to easily disable or delete unwanted programs that runs in your Windows startup.

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/what\_run\_in\_startup.html

There are many excellent free tools at NirSoft

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/index.html

Window Watcher - Free - Do you know what's running on your computer? Maybe not. The Window Watcher tells all, reporting every window created by every running program, whether the window is visible or not.

http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptwinwatch.asp

Many excellent free tools and an excellent newsletter at Karenware

http://www.karenware.com/

Hope these help.

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Rob - Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

Answer 2

Glad to have helped. Good Work!

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Rob - Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

Answer 3

First let me say you are a genious and very very thorough we never thought of simply running a chkdsk to fix the problem.  we figured that because it worked in safe mode that it had to be some problem with a file that we would have to manually replace.  I ran chkdsk last nigh as i went to bed and it was taking a very long time and hung on a few items which i am guessing it fixed.  So the problem seems to be fixed for now thanks again and i know where to look for help next time .

Answer 4

Thanks for replying I will begin trying these methods and report back here.

Before I do that let me explain furher some things that i have tried and discovered.

-The problem does not appear in safe mode

-Ive tested this by creating an empty folder on the desktop so that there are no directories in it and then opening the folder

-If i use msconfig and choose diagnostic startup and uncheck everything but windows stuff the problem still exists.

-I ran process explorer and under the threads tab there are two things that take up CPU

SHLWAPI.dll and BROWSEUI.dll

-When logging in as different user the problem goes away! but only for that account 

-I have taken everything except recycle bin off desktop and tried it still no success 

-when using ShellExView ive tried disabling all the non-microsoft extensions under context menu and still no success.

-If you would like i can post the stacks from using process explorer to investigate SHLWAPI.dll and BROWSEUI.dll i have configured symbols so we can see what it is doin

-I reset my overclocks back to factory and no usccess

Again thanks for the help