explorer.exe eating up resources

[kwhunter]

Explorer is eating up about 70% of my processor usage, all the time.
If I disable it through the task manager's resource monitor, the desktop is unusable.
What can I do to free more of my CPU when I need it?
I run Windows 7 on a Dell Precision T3500 workstation that is a little sluggish.
Thanks for your help

 

[fseal]

Is this a new install? It may be indexing your drive(s) which can take a few hours if you have a lot of stuff, expeciall like videos and images, should go away on it's own after a bit...

 

[kwhunter]

No, it is not new but the initial installation year and a half old. It is something wrong with it and I wonder how can I restore the system to the original configuration?
Obviously I don't have the installation CD/DVD as I would format drive C: and do a clean install.

 

[Orbital Shark]

Hi, welcome to the forums

You may want to perform a full system scan using MalwareBytes and see if it comes up with anything.

Alternatively if your machine came pre-installed with Windows 7 then you can run the manufacturers restore utility. Normally you will get a quick display message when the machine first boots up.

   Note

Most restore utilities offer the option of a non-destructive format which saves all your user files but please read any documentation/on-screen prompts you may have before proceeding

OS

 

[kwhunter]

Thanks OS!
I actually ran restore but it went just a couple weeks back to a point where a major update was installed. And it did not fix my issue.

 

[Orbital Shark]

What make and model is your machine?

 

[kwhunter]

What make and model is your machine?

Dell Precision T3500 workstation

 

[kwhunter]

I ran Malwarebyte's and found just minimal problems that were removed, and explorer.exe still uses up to 70% of my processor's resources slowing down any application I run on the machine.
Any other ideas how to stop that?
Thanks

 

[Desslok]

Launch msconfig, and on the startup tab, disable all, tehn apply, and reboot. See if it is any better. If it is you can one by one re-enable startup items. If not, then on the Services tab, check the "Hide all Microsoft Services" box, then select Disable all, then reboot. If still nothing, try downloading a trial version of System Mechanic and run a full scan. That is a great utility for finding hard to trace "weirdness" and slowness.

 

[deanolfc]

did that today not sure if theres somethink what should be enabled tho , only just installed anti spyware

dam rong section please remove and sorry lol

 

[kwhunter]

Launch msconfig, and on the startup tab, disable all, tehn apply, and reboot. See if it is any better. If it is you can one by one re-enable startup items. If not, then on the Services tab, check the "Hide all Microsoft Services" box, then select Disable all, then reboot. If still nothing, try downloading a trial version of System Mechanic and run a full scan. That is a great utility for finding hard to trace "weirdness" and slowness.

Thanks Desslok
I've done everything you suggested above, ran SM and fixed all issues and I still have the processor running 70% at all time.
The only way to stop it is to disable explorer.exe but then I cannot use the computer.
Maybe I should downgrade to XP?
What a @^%4<+- mess.

 

[Desslok]

[
Thanks Desslok
I've done everything you suggested above, ran SM and fixed all issues and I still have the processor running 70% at all time.
The only way to stop it is to disable explorer.exe but then I cannot use the computer.
Maybe I should downgrade to XP?
What a @^%4<+- mess.

Other things I have seen causing that same issue is the newer versions of Adaware, and also have seen it from having real time ad software running at the same time as antivirus, especially with newer versions of AVG. What AV and adblockers do you have installed?

 

[kwhunter]

[
Thanks Desslok
I've done everything you suggested above, ran SM and fixed all issues and I still have the processor running 70% at all time.
The only way to stop it is to disable explorer.exe but then I cannot use the computer.
Maybe I should downgrade to XP?
What a @^%4<+- mess.

Other things I have seen causing that same issue is the newer versions of Adaware, and also have seen it from having real time ad software running at the same time as antivirus, especially with newer versions of AVG. What AV and adblockers do you have installed?

I only have Symantec Endpoint protection, but the resources eater is explorer.exe, verified.

 

[yowanvista]

[
Thanks Desslok
I've done everything you suggested above, ran SM and fixed all issues and I still have the processor running 70% at all time.
The only way to stop it is to disable explorer.exe but then I cannot use the computer.
Maybe I should downgrade to XP?
What a @^%4<+- mess.

Other things I have seen causing that same issue is the newer versions of Adaware, and also have seen it from having real time ad software running at the same time as antivirus, especially with newer versions of AVG. What AV and adblockers do you have installed?

I only have Symantec Endpoint protection, but the resources eater is explorer.exe, verified.

Do you have any codec packs installed? remove any if they are installed

 

[fseal]

Yes but explorer is the shell and anything integrated into it runs under it. Look at all the DLLs loaded under "Explrer.exe" in the resource monitor. "Task Manager"->"Performance Tab"->"Resource Monitor"->"CPU tab", then fins and check the check box for "Exporer.exe".

If you want to see the list of things NOT installed by default Windows 7. Click on the "Version" column. Everything that does NOT say "6/1/7600.XXXX" is something that you (or someone) has installed on that machine. [edit] This would include installing other MS software such as DX9 etc) [/edit]

Tons of programs integrate themselves into the windows shell. It's very likely not any shipping part of Explorer that's doing this, it would be doing it for everyone. It's more likely something that you have installed that's not behaving well.