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View Full Version : explorer.exe causing system slowdowns...


ChingChang
06-01-2006, 04:15 PM
Well my friends brother kept screwing up his computer, so I just decided to reformat. He said it would always lock up when he tried to install World of Warcraft.

I reformatted, everything seemed good. No lockups at all since reformat. I did a Low Level format, just to make sure (did it two days ago), and system has been running 24/7 since, been folding whenever I wasn't testing hardware. No lockups, thought it was good.

But recently I noticed that sometimes explorer.exe would go up to 99% when I try to do certain things. Like when I opened up the 3dmark06 installer, it would hang for like 30 seconds, but I could still drag windows around while it was loading (although dragging windows left behind that trail of windows), but after awhile it would go back to normal and run smoothly.
Also, when I start up the computer, at the windows loading screen it takes like a 30 seconds to a minute to start up. When the bar is moving, every few seconds it will stop moving, then continue moving for a couple seconds, then stop, ect. This is the main reason I believe there is a problem.
I noticed in the Event Viewer, there is a 'Dhcp' error (sometimes just a warning), which occurs when the computer is started up. If I take out the ethernet cable I don't get a warning, but loading windows is still the same.
btw the Dhcp error I think occurs because it is trying to use the IP of my dorm room in college, but I am not there anymore. I don't know why it is assigning it that ip (I am on a switch with my main computer, which has my dorm IP still). I don't think this is the problem though.



I've ran a few tests.. still going to run some more.
SuperPi - 32M ~30 minutes - ok
MemTest86 - 5 hours 0 errors - ok
windows memtest - 0 errors - ok
DLG Diagnostics - extended test, 0 errors - ok
chkdsk - 0 errors - ok
HDTach - ~130 - ok
3dmark06 - ~3700 - ok
IOMeter - ~10 hours? - seemed to run fine, got an error when drive ran out of space

system specs: (all stock speeds)
MSI K8N-Neo F
GeForce 7800GT
AMD A64 3700+
2x1gb corsair value RAM
WD Raptor 74gb 10,000 rpm
some ~$70 Antec PSU

installed software:
Windows XP Pro SP2 w/ all updates and updated drivers
Kerio Personal Firewall
ProcessGuard free
AdAware
Spybot
firefox
AVG free


any ideas? I'm going to try disabling some software to see if it helps.. going to run some more tests later. But I have not seen any problems other than the hanging while trying to install 3dmark06, and starting up windows. I think this is software related because I can't find any problems with the hardware. Maybe I will reformat again, but I did a good job with this past install, I can't think of where I would have went wrong.

ChingChang
06-01-2006, 11:13 PM
I tried a "diagnostic startup" with msconfig, so I don't think the problem is something I have installed. Still got the slow/laggy startup screen.

Think I should reformat? :(
I don't know what else I can do.


edit: does anyone know how to disable the windows loading screen? I forgot. I remember I did it once, and it just listed all the drivers it was loading, the same way as when you start up in safe mode. Maybe if it is stopping at some of the files, I can find out what files are causing problems.

ChingChang
06-01-2006, 11:46 PM
also for some reason the download speed is low... on this computer I get 2739 kbps and the other computer gets 700kbps (even when directly connected to router)
NIC drivers are most recent from MSI's website.

ChingChang
06-02-2006, 01:16 AM
I just installed steam and CS:S, played a couple rounds with bots. Artifacts suddently appeared after like the fourth round. I touched the copper part of the heatsink and it was WAY too hot. I am not sure what the temperature was, so I am running 3dmark06 and will check after it is finished.

Tomorrow I will reseat the heatsink. Heat shouldn't cause these slowdowns... so I might reformat too...

edit: I just ran a couple 3dmark06 benchmarks.. card was at 81C and rising. I'll probably add a couple fans. My cable management is pretty much perfect for this system, so I guess there's something wrong with the thermal compound that was used. It used to be fine.

OldMX
06-02-2006, 01:31 AM
Get rid of kerio and processguard and see if it does the same?

oldmx