Author Topic: Windows Explorer not responding - Repair XP  (Read 16204 times)

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Offline Jim

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Windows Explorer not responding - Repair XP
« on: May 19, 2008, 09:24:24 PM »
For the better part of a month, I have been fighting a problem that has had me stumped.  I'll try to describe it using an example that we have all done, uploading a photo to PhotoBucket.  I would click on the upload button on PhotoBucket and a dialog window would open so you could select the file to upload.  The first problem that I would notice would be that I could not select "Thumbnail".  It was on the drop-down list but when I selected it, it would change to tiles or icons.  OK, just remember the file name!  After selecting the file, I would click on "Open" or double click the file and the window would go white, and after about 20 seconds, you would see "Not Responding".  This would also occur if you click on "Cancel".  The only way to get control back was ctrl-alt-delete and after bringing up the Task Manager it is significant to note that the CPU useage was at 100%.  If I killed the browser, it would immediately drop back to 2% or less.

I just knew I had a browser helper object that was malware because this happened in IE7 as well as FireFox.  I didn't have a problem moving files around as long as I wasn't trying to do it from within a browser.  Windows explorer seemed to work OK stand-alone.  I ran every cleaner I could find, turned off every service that I don't need, ran HijackThis to see if it could spot something.  Nothing seemed to help.  I deleted all my Java updates thinking the window that was opening was a Java window.  Not!

I mentioned this to the guys that work on our computers at work and they said, "It sounds like you got a bad update from Microsoft".  I said how do I find out which one and how do you fix it.  They said, it's almost impossible to find out which one but the best way to fix it is to do a repair install of XP.  This just reinstalls XP and doesn't not affect any of your data or software.  I came home last Friday and did just that and it fixed the problem.  :Glee:

This doesn't work if you have a Restore disk.  You need the standard XP disk.  Here are the steps to do this:

Quote
How do you perform a re-installation of Windows XP, sometimes called a repair installation?

Configure your computer to start from the CD-ROM drive. For more information about how to do this, refer to your computer's documentation or contact your computer manufacturer. Then insert your Windows XP Setup CD, and restart your computer.

1. When the Press any key to boot from CD message is displayed on your screen, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD.

2. Press ENTER when you see the message To setup Windows XP now, and then press ENTER displayed on the Welcome to Setup screen.

3. Do not choose the option to press R to use the Recovery Console.

4. In the Windows XP Licensing Agreement, press F8 to agree to the license agreement.

5. Make sure that your current installation of Windows XP is selected in the box, and then press R to repair Windows XP.

6. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Setup.

This will take quite some time and after the install, it takes another couple of hours to download the updates including any service packs.
« Last Edit: Jun 19, 2008, 09:53:36 PM by Jim »
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Offline Jim

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Re: Windows Explorer not responding - Repair XP
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2008, 02:05:57 PM »
This fixed my problem, but created another one.  Last night when I hooked my camera up to download, nothing happened.  It appears my USB drivers are all gone.  No problem, go to the hardware manager and delete them, restart and Windows reinstalls them.  NOT!   :tickedoff:

It appears that it tries but errors and leaves the drivers uninstalled.  I've got some tricks to try tonight and hopefully can get it back going but as of right now my machine has no USB drivers installed thus rendering USB devices useless.


UPDATE:  Nothing I tried worked.  I have a few more things that I want to try but may have to do another repair install of XP.  I am beginning to hate Windows.  :Vent:
« Last Edit: May 23, 2008, 09:28:58 AM by Jim »
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Offline Jim

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Re: Windows Explorer not responding - Repair XP
« Reply #2 on: May 30, 2008, 02:12:06 PM »
I did another repair install of XP and the problem is still not fixed.   :Vent: It appears to be a permissions problem because when trying to install the USB drivers, it starts the install, then reports "Access Denied". 

I gave up and have dropped it off with the IT guys at the plant.  They will figure it out and then I'll know how to fix it.  Till then, I will be on my laptop I guess.
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Offline Jayrod1972

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Re: Windows Explorer not responding - Repair XP
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2008, 10:48:29 PM »
Thats kinda freaky Jim, I also am having a problem with my windows xp but, my problem was more intense... the computer would freeze on the windows xp welcome screen... so I called my dad, he decided to do a format over the phone.. :thpullhairout: so now my computer has windows xp home edition and windows xp perfessional, along with no sound drivers but , the good news is everything else works, so what I think we are going to do is reformat again, if that doesnt work then I think it will be time to drop kick it out the window. :BigGrin:
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me”

Offline Patty S

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Re: Windows Explorer not responding - Repair XP
« Reply #4 on: Jun 01, 2008, 12:14:46 AM »
Jarod, my XP has ALWAYS frozen up on me. :mad2:  (It's not the only reason I've never liked that machine, though!)  Peggy reformatted it for me, but it still freezes up... something amiss in the system, she says. :dunno: 

It actually doesn't prevent me from doing anything, but I have to bring up the device manager (Alt-Ctrl-Del) when it does that, then close it.  Everything starts working again afterwards, but it's just an inconvenient pain in the arse. :tickedoff:


Offline Jim

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Re: Windows Explorer not responding - Repair XP
« Reply #5 on: Jun 01, 2008, 02:37:50 AM »
XP is a very good system.  Much better than all the previous Windows products.  It does have a few requirements that makes it run much better.  One is memory.  It has always been advertised as running on as little as 512K and there were lots of machines that were sold off the shelf like that or even less.  You would be amazed how fast and the fact that the lock-ups disappear if only you double the memory.  XP seems to work quite well with 1G of memory.  Even better with 2G.

Vista on the other hand is a definite memory hog and needs 2G to run effectively.

Patty, how much memory does your XP machine have?
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Offline Patty S

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Re: Windows Explorer not responding - Repair XP
« Reply #6 on: Jun 01, 2008, 04:54:40 PM »
Jim, I'm not sure if I know what you're asking.
  (Maybe!) :Wacko:

My system info lists:

Total Physical Memory 512.00MB
Available Physical Memory 133.34MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.0 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB.

Is that a good answer?

« Last Edit: Jun 01, 2008, 04:56:18 PM by Patty S »

Offline Jim

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Re: Windows Explorer not responding - Repair XP
« Reply #7 on: Jun 02, 2008, 12:11:34 AM »
Yep, that is a great answer.  That is why you XP machine gives you all that trouble.  You need a bit more memory.  If you add another 512 MB that would give you 1 GB and XP would be happy and so would you.  No more lock-ups!
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Offline Jim

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Re: Windows Explorer not responding - Repair XP
« Reply #8 on: Jun 09, 2008, 09:57:35 PM »
Update on my USB driver problem.  The computer experts were not  :smileyNo: able to fix it either.  They did call today to get my ok to reload the operating system after backing up all my data and programs.  I don't feel so bad now not being able to figure out and fix the problem.  Hopefully I will get it back tomorrow with everything working.
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Offline Triss

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Re: Windows Explorer not responding - Repair XP
« Reply #9 on: Jun 10, 2008, 10:17:18 AM »
Oh I hope so too Jim and I hope they manage to keep all of your information and you do not lose anything vital.

We are all under the same stars, therefore we are never far apart.

Offline Jim

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Re: Windows Explorer not responding - Repair XP
« Reply #10 on: Jun 18, 2008, 09:50:34 PM »
Got my computer back and it sure is clean.  Nothing on the desktop but the recycle bin.  They did save my data so it's just a matter of reinstalling everything.

I reinstalled Nero 8 and the original problem came back.  :Groaner: .  I had installed a few other programs too, so I uninstalled everything and it appears that Nero was my problem from the beginning.  It changed the file associations because I did a typical install instead of a custom as I normally do.  I'm going to try the custom install and see what happens.

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Offline Patty S

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Re: Windows Explorer not responding - Repair XP
« Reply #11 on: Jun 18, 2008, 10:21:19 PM »

Quote
Nothing on the desktop but the recycle bin. 

How did you manage to get that dumb Network Neighborhood off the desktop?  I hate that & don't want it on my desktop cuz I don't use it... but it doesnt give me a "delete" option.

I'm glad you got your problem figured out!  :clap:


Offline Jim

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Re: Windows Explorer not responding - Repair XP
« Reply #12 on: Jun 19, 2008, 09:02:03 PM »
How did you manage to get that dumb Network Neighborhood off the desktop?  I hate that & don't want it on my desktop cuz I don't use it... but it doesnt give me a "delete" option.


Sure, right-click on the desktop, select Properties, Desktop tab, Customize Desktop and uncheck the box that says Network Neighborhood.  You can get rid of My Documents and My Computer off your desktop there too if you want.  That's all there is to it.
« Last Edit: Jun 19, 2008, 09:08:25 PM by Dianna »
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Offline Jim

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Re: Windows Explorer not responding - Repair XP
« Reply #13 on: Jul 11, 2008, 09:53:16 AM »
I reinstalled Nero and the problem came back.  For now I just uninstalled it.  I am sure there is something else contributing to this but haven't quite figured it out.  I did clean out all the old versions of Java and reinstalled that also.  Everything is working now.  :Glee:
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