XP Pro…Jet Lag Blues (5.1 [Build 2600] SP2)

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OK…

I know I’ve asked this question here before…but this malady is REALLY driving me nuts…& I REALLY need to get it resolved !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whenever I use Windows Explorer (on my work computer)…& then exit Windows Explorer…my machine stalls dead. If I subsequently want to go to my programs, for example…I don’t get a Cursor Arrow that allows me to hit the Start Button. I get a little vertical double-headed arrow…for as long as I’m frozen (which is normally about 30 seconds.)

This IS NOT normal. I’m used to using Windows Explorer as my Folder & File tree…& have no intention of curtailing this practice. When I’m done with Windows Explorer…I shouldn’t have to wait ANY period of time before I can use my computer again. The big thing is, I’ve just ordered a brand new digital audio workstation (from ADK Pro Audio) for recording & mastering. It’s being loaded w/ (guess what?)…XP Pro. I do not want to have this same problem occur w/ the new machine…& I REALLY want to get it solved on my work machine.

If anyone can provide any experience or insight on this…it will certainly be appreciated.

Thanks,

mark4man

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This is certainly not a “feature” of Windows XP Pro, so there is no reason to fear that your new PC will suffer from the same problem as your work PC.

Can you see in the Processes tab of Task Manager which process causes the slowdown when you close Windows Explorer? Is it Explorer.exe itself, or something else?

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Hans…

No way to tell…everything is locked up during that period of time.

mark4man

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Try starting Task Manager before you close Windows Explorer, it should provide some information…

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What do your event viewer logs say during the “freeze” periods?

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Do you have a special shell extensions installed? Could be some cache getting flushed. Or some deferred updates being applied. Just depends on what is installed and running.

Joe

--Joe

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OK…

Ran sfc / scannow…w/ the OS disk (when requested.)

Problem still occurs.

Nothing unusual in the Event Viewer Logs. Under ‘System’ I have the usual Service Control Manager entries, w/ no errors…under ‘Applications’ I also have no errors.

Under Task Manager…sometimes when the problem occurs, there’s a spike to 60%…sometime’s there’s no spike.

Really hate this machine…this is real hatred…the kind you read about happening during the Spanish Inquisition or the Mongol hordes pillaging across the Steppes.

mark4man

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Do you see the disk activity light on solid for the time period that the machine is locked?

Joe

--Joe

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No…only part of that time frame.

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Are there network resources that are not available (i.e printers turned off, PCs with mapped drives turned off, etc.)?

Joe

--Joe

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Joe…let’s see…all the workstations & printers on our office network are always on during the workday. XP Home[/i] on an older Optiplex prior to this (on the same network); & had none of these problems.]

Big Al…Norton Anti Virus Corporate Edition…runs off our office’s central server.

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Mark, I don’t remember from other threads – what is your antivirus program? With some AV programs in the past, I’ve seen that stall or apparent lockup problem while the AV program does housekeeping. If it ain’t the AV program, there’s got to be some more digging with Task Manager or others that will reveal what’s “grabbing” your processor…

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Well…

This is a weird update…

I attempt to reinstall SP2, but it gets about 2/3 of the way through & spits up an error dialog that reads: ‘Access Denied’. I hit OK (since there was nothing else that could be done at the time)…& another dialog pops up that states: ‘SP2 did not completely install…your operating system may not function correctly’.

So the machine reboots…& everything seems fine (?)

&…for the time being…my problem is solved (& with it a couple of other minor Windows Explorer related difficulties as well.)

So…I guess I’m happy…& thanking everybody. But…f_in’ computers, man !!!…so strange they operate.

Anyway, thanks again everyone…I’ll report back if the situation changes.

mark4man

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That is somewhat weird. Good that it is OK now. BTW, my earlier post about network resources is because at various times Windows will try to connect to network resources and if any of them are turned off it will wait for an extended period to see if the resource will respond. That can cause the whole system to become sluggish or sometimes non-responsive. So, if you accidentally clicked on a network resource that was turned off you could experience your symptoms.

Joe

--Joe

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