My computer empty, can't see drives, no thumbnails, explorer.exe error

I have an on going issue with accessing my computer and thumbnails/icons failing to show. This has been happening for the last few weeks.

The first screen shot attached shows some details of my system and the problem at hand:

Everything seems to work fine after a fresh start up but after a short while, if i open my computer it shows up blank with a green bar that never reaches the end and a magnifying glass icon on each of the shortcut folders (favorites, libraries..).

In addition to this, if i access a folder by typing in the path or using another shortcut, all thumbnails and icons of files in that folder are missing.

If I end explorer and restart the process, it becomes worse and I'm unable to even access my computer or the control panel. Instead I get the following message:

::{26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683}
The remote procedure call failed and did not execute.

However, if I restart the computer or even just log on and off, the problem goes away, but only temporally.

I have tried a system restore a while back to a point before the problem was apparent.
This did not fix it.

Has anyone else come across this and/or can help me please?!

If my secondary drive has not been used for a while the computer's Power saving options shut it down.

When I click a desktop short-cut that needs access to a file on that drive I get a green progress bar that takes about 5 seconds as the HDD spins up.

Green HDD's could be another complication.

Reinstall windows. Format your hard drive and install a fresh copy. That should resolve your problem.

Dinesh said:

Go to Services.msc and check if the Remote Procedure Call service is enabled.
Also, from task mgr, end explorer.exe and then click on File>New Task (Run) and type explorer.exe to restart the process.

I have checked and the remote procedure call service is running, and as mentioned in my previous post - restarting explorer is what causes the error message to appear in the first place. Logging off and on, or restarting will temporarily fix my initially stated problem.

Jacee said:

Read the answer here ::{26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683}\0 No - Microsoft Answers

Thank you for your reply, I followed the link and tried the solution. It doesn't really explain what the command does to your computer, but it seems to have done the trick! I haven't had the problem reoccur as of yet. (fingers crossed) Thanks again Jacee! (i'll give a a few days before I mark as solved)

alan10 said:

If my secondary drive has not been used for a while the computer's Power saving options shut it down.

When I click a desktop short-cut that needs access to a file on that drive I get a green progress bar that takes about 5 seconds as the HDD spins up.

Green HDD's could be another complication.

Yes, I realise the delay in accessing my external and secondary drives is down to the drives powering up, as I can hear them do so. This seems unrelated to the problem I first stated which also exists on all drives including my local disk C.

Equnax said:

Reinstall windows. Format your hard drive and install a fresh copy. That should resolve your problem.

Your suggestion is almost one step away from buying a new computer... of course formatting and reinstalling will resolve most issues, but will also most likely cause new ones. It takes a hell of a long time for me to reinstall and get a stable system going. Time of which I don't have.

PROBLEM HAS RETURNED out of nowhere! well I was saving a file in photoshop and the windows folder got stuck on reloading the new file's (png) thumbnail ...and now the green bar of death and everything I mentioned in my opening post is back.

this is so frustrating!

Run a full Malwarebytes scan.

Run SFC -SCANNOW Command from an Elevated Command Prompt

Make sure you're not running a bloated AV program. Use Microsoft Security Essentials or Avast 6.

Run a clean boot. In msconfig>Startup uncheck all but AV, then in msconfig>services Hide All MS Services and uncheck all but AV. Reboot several times. Any items which sneak back in should be turned off in their Program Preferences or Unintalled.

Consider a Repair Install

Never be afraid of a Clean Reinstall which is actually better than getting a new computer which are larded with manufacturer's sponsor's bloatware and useless factory Utilities which have much better versions built into Win7. Instead prepare for one by studying the steps and gathering your needed program installers: Reinstalling Windows 7

Anyone out there? Did this ever get solved? I think whatever was going on with OP's computer I've got the exact same business happening (inability to load Computer or Control Panel in explorer, intermittently, and the thumbnail failure, and the foreverloading green bar...) Drivin me nuts... I can start my own thread too but wondered if anyone here who subscribed to replies had any new info! Thanks :)