Windows Explorer Not Responding

juniorgeek · 05 Jun 2012

Hey Everybody,

Has anyone experienced "Windows Explorer Not Responding" ?

I have this problem, its been in my computer since the Vista i used to have, (by default), now i have Windows 7, but the problem is still there.
It happens especially when i am working on my HDD, when i have 2 (or so) windows open and am copying or deleting or Even "just going through the files" in the HDD.. suddenly at some point the Windows Explorer will Stop Responding! Get Stuck and give up two dialog boxes - 1) windows explorer is not responding, windows is trying to check the problem (...slightly different wording) and 2) windows explorer is restarting!!
A person once told me it is to do with my hardware.. but i dont think so, cause this problem only started after 2 years or so of using the laptop with windows Vista.

So, the Question is "what triggers such response?" and "what's the Solution?"

Thanks Friends.

F5ing · 05 Jun 2012

Very well may be hardware. I'd check the health of the hard drive first. You might have an option in your BIOS to see what the HD's SMART values are. You could also use SeaTools | Seagate. Make sure you have all your user data backed up before running extensive tests.

You might also try running sfc /scannow in an elevated command prompt to check/repair system files. See SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker

karlsnooks · 05 Jun 2012

juniorgeek,

First, help us to help you.

Use following procedure to fill out your system specs. Read and follow the procedure. Use SPECCY to gather the info. SPECCY allows you to copy and paste.

Update your SevenForums System Specs
User CP (located on the top menu bar) |
Your Profile | Edit System Spec (left-hand column)

To gather info, use Speccy (my favorite) or SIW or System Info

ADD the word laptop or desktop or netbook to the
“system manufacturer” block, for example,
Toshiba Satellite L305D notebook.

Provide full windows version info, for example:
MS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit

Use the “Other Info” block for Optical Reader,
Mouse, touchpad, wifi adapter, speakers, monitor, etc

Scroll down and click on SAVE CHANGES.
====================================================
Awaiting your post informing of the updated specs.
thanks,
karl

Night Hawk · 05 Jun 2012

Hello there! junoirgeek Welcome to the Seven Forums!

I've neen running into the same problem long before Vista and 7 came along. Often having numerous background processes from 3rd party programs as well as other things trying to save data to the drive can get in the way when trying to move, copy & Paste in particular with a large number of files or with large filas, folders, or trying to browse through while having one or more web browser windows open.

The explorer.exe file gets taxed dealing with any fragmented files regardless of a drive showing 0% fragmentation individual files being stored can be. Since the explorer.exe is the main shell executable file for many things it can stall especially when a Windows install is two or more years old!

Generally when you start seeing this you will also start seeing program stalls and errors as well as each problem starts appearing on it's own. The System File Checker can help find any main files now missing or in need of replacement as FSing advised there as well as the need to fill out some general system information while this is mainly an OS issue.

Errors on the hard drive however certainly won't help any! A hard drive diagnostic tool like the SeaTools or WD Lifeguard diaganostics if you are running a WD drive won't hurt any to run even if only to check for any bad sectors.

Lately after a May 2010 clean install and restoration of a full system image backup later that year it was time to simply see another clean install here when WE and other errors were growing in number! It was time for a complete drive wipe and clean install to solve everything!

Should I also mention the amount of clutter in the system registry after a few years time?! That's often the most commonly overlooked source for various problems!

Layback Bear · 05 Jun 2012

Their are many things that can cause this problem. I would run sfc /scannow from the cmd prompt as admin. first. System File Checker checks and corrects Windows 7 files. Run it two or three times. It can't hurt and may help.

Night Hawk · 05 Jun 2012

I mostly ran into this when copying a large folder with plenty of files let's say one main folder holding 158gb even where the copy and paste process simply locks up. When pressing the control alt delete key combot to end that process I go right back and start it all over and then finally the entire contents would be copied from one drive to another.

Sometimes this would ba after a quick restart of the system mind you which then tends to reset everything if perhaps something else was accessing the same files you were working with and got in the way. Besides certain Windows processes 3rd party apps you might have running in the background like your av program running a scheduled scan could be getting in your way.

One thought about this would be testing the idea by reducing all unnecessary startup items in the msconfig for extras not essentials to see if the problem still comes up on you. This can indicate if this is all due to a 3rd party app or if it persists be then looked at as OS related. And running the SFC tool a few times with the 7 dvd won't hurt any for sure but take a little longer since each run will tend to last several minutes.

FliGi7 · 06 Jun 2012

This is often due to one or more of the following:

Corrupt sectors on hard drive/failing hard drive
Third party codecs installed that cause the explorer process to hang
Corrupt system files, which can be fixed with SFC /scannow

juniorgeek · 06 Jun 2012

karlsnooks said:

juniorgeek,

First, help us to help you.

Use following procedure to fill out your system specs. Read and follow the procedure. Use SPECCY to gather the info. SPECCY allows you to copy and paste.

Update your SevenForums System Specs
User CP (located on the top menu bar) |
Your Profile | Edit System Spec (left-hand column)

To gather info, use Speccy (my favorite) or SIW or System Info

ADD the word laptop or desktop or netbook to the
“system manufacturer” block, for example,
Toshiba Satellite L305D notebook.

Provide full windows version info, for example:
MS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit

Use the “Other Info” block for Optical Reader,
Mouse, touchpad, wifi adapter, speakers, monitor, etc

Scroll down and click on SAVE CHANGES.
====================================================
Awaiting your post informing of the updated specs.
thanks,
karl

Thanks for your consideration

, but i dont get one thing, that what information do you want which would help you on telling me what the cause of "windows explorer not responding" ??

i mean if it is something in particular, i definitely dont have any problems in giving the details..

juniorgeek · 06 Jun 2012

Night Hawk said:

I mostly ran into this when copying a large folder with plenty of files let's say one main folder holding 158gb even where the copy and paste process simply locks up. When pressing the control alt delete key combot to end that process I go right back and start it all over and then finally the entire contents would be copied from one drive to another.

Sometimes this would ba after a quick restart of the system mind you which then tends to reset everything if perhaps something else was accessing the same files you were working with and got in the way. Besides certain Windows processes 3rd party apps you might have running in the background like your av program running a scheduled scan could be getting in your way.

One thought about this would be testing the idea by reducing all unnecessary startup items in the msconfig for extras not essentials to see if the problem still comes up on you. This can indicate if this is all due to a 3rd party app or if it persists be then looked at as OS related. And running the SFC tool a few times with the 7 dvd won't hurt any for sure but take a little longer since each run will tend to last several minutes.

Hey NightHawk, thanks for coming here

remember we discussed about the Physical Memory Usage? i recently installed nfs undercover and well, other than the graphics card, as i only have a default graphics card in my laptop, all the requirements for the undercover are met.. and i have seen a greatly surprising effect... the game didnt work as it should have (meaning that the videos on the start and the icons whatever are very smooth and great but when its turn for the game screen to come on, its only white screen i see and nothing else, p.s. audio is there as if the video would be with the audio..)
well, thats the game, but the great effect was in the task manager the physical memory was down to 455 !!! thats the lowest i have seen.!!
i have uninstalled the game as it didnt work, but have now Carbon, which does though there is something which is giving a slightly slow affect, other than that its great..
so the physical memory is also lower than before by the msconfig.. but the surprise is it went down to 455!!

karlsnooks · 06 Jun 2012

juniorgeek said:

karlsnooks said:

juniorgeek,

First, help us to help you.

Use following procedure to fill out your system specs. Read and follow the procedure. Use SPECCY to gather the info. SPECCY allows you to copy and paste.

Update your SevenForums System Specs
User CP (located on the top menu bar) |
Your Profile | Edit System Spec (left-hand column)

To gather info, use Speccy (my favorite) or SIW or System Info

ADD the word laptop or desktop or netbook to the
“system manufacturer” block, for example,
Toshiba Satellite L305D notebook.

Provide full windows version info, for example:
MS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit

Use the “Other Info” block for Optical Reader,
Mouse, touchpad, wifi adapter, speakers, monitor, etc

Scroll down and click on SAVE CHANGES.
====================================================
Awaiting your post informing of the updated specs.
thanks,
karl

Thanks for your consideration

, but i dont get one thing, that what information do you want which would help you on telling me what the cause of "windows explorer not responding" ??

i mean if it is something in particular, i definitely dont have any problems in giving the details..

I wish you a good and pleasant day!