Solved Suddenly folders load very slowly (blank) green progress bar loads.

[vmp01]

Windows 7 ultimate.
Intel i7 PC.

Suddenly after startup folders load very slowly (or not, blank) green progress bar loads.
Simultaneously the (template) thumbnails in the aero theme selection window goes blank too (they do work just after login).
I have noticed that when I wanted to change the theme, thinking that, that would be the issue.
Even changing it to the classical theme makes no difference.

- The problem starts after a few seconds after logging in.
- The Music and library folders open fine.
- I have set the folder properties to 'general' but that did not help.
- Folder 'Computer' and 'Control Panel' has the same problem .
- Some thumbnails do not work in folders they do on the desktop.

- When I log off or restart then everything works for some seconds.
- I can browse all folders, but soon after the prbolem occurs.
- And sometimes when I wait a while I can access the folder's then the problem starts again.
- In safe mode there is no problem.
- Sometimes when I type a path in the music folder then I can get to the other folders.

- Indexing is disabled on both HD.
- I've done system restore but no effect .
- Disabled services in msconfig in and also set to diagnostic setting and booted, but same result.
- Hardisc checked for errors, also there is enough free space.
- My Pc is quite new, this happened all of a sudden.

An update windows did recently was the .Net framework updates.

Will it have anything to do with that?

I hope you can help me.

 

[Dude]

Because it does not happen in safe mode it seems something is not right. Try enabling indexing, and if the problem remains, do this. Click the Windows Start button and type “index” in the Search box. Indexing Options should appear under programs. Click Indexing Options to bring up the Indexing Options screen. Click the Advanced button on the Indexing Option screen. Click the Rebuild button. Your current Search Indexes will be deleted and rebuilt.

 

[DavidE]

Hello vmp01 and welcome to Seven Forums!

You've done a lot of testing and explained that in your OP, that's great.
Nice info in your System Specs, so that's appreciated here!

If Dude's suggestion doesn't get you fixed, here's my thoughts.

You stated "- Disabled services in msconfig in and also set to diagnostic setting and booted, but same result."
You should not disable any MS services.
If your testing did not do what is in this link, you should try using this tutorial for a clean boot:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ation-conflicts-performing-clean-startup.html

You asked if the ".Net framework updates" could have caused this.
If your System Restore did not revert back to a time before the ".Net framework updates", you can uninstall Windows updates to see if they caused this issue.
You can uninstall any update if you ever think that is the issue...

As your PC is quite new, if you restored/uploaded/added a lot of User data in the "C" drive, maybe things will run slower.
Do you store all User data (Pictures, Videos, Music, Documents, ...) on your "C" drive?
Did you recently add a lot of data to your "C" drive?

You stated "- Some thumbnails do not work in folders they do on the desktop."
I've seen problems where 1 corrupt file can cause problems such as this in Explorer.
It can be difficult to find corrupt file(s)...
As I remember it, I had issues where I eventually found a corrupt video file...

You could also consider a Clean reinstall, and create System Backup Images to make it quick and easy to recover...

I use a 3rd party Program for searches that does not use Windows indexing...
I'm not suggesting this approach, and many here prefer and use Windows search...
I use it because it it easier for me to use, results are reliable, it has never caused me problems, and does not "replace" any Windows functionality - it is an "Add-On" to Windows...

I see many troubleshooting possibilities...

 

[Layback Bear]

vmp01 you have received some great ideas from Dude and David.
Just in case you have changed some of Windows registry default settings this Tutorial by Brink can be helpful.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/236709-services-restore-default-services-windows-7-a.html

 

[vmp01]

Thank you all for your valuable feedback.

I have taken some steps and the problem seem to be less now.
The main step that made the noticable difference was removing the Nvidia
graphics card driver.

So it must be some kind of visual/aero theme related issue.
Hence the weird problem that still exist in the Aero template settings
window.

This problem can be activated and is repeatable. If the problem is activated
then the same problem with the folders (not loading) occur.
Activating the problem:

Just after windows logs-on If I open the Aero theme selection menu all the
icons are visible like this (FIG 1) : www.v-mp.com/Files/forum-images/Aero-theme.jpg

But if I then close the aero templates window and re open it, the top icons
are gone like this (FIG 2): www.v-mp.com/Files/forum-images/Aero-theme.jpg

And the folders and the control panel opening problem starts.

So as long as I don't open the aero template menu, the problem doesn't
occur often (sometimes it does at random).

Here below are the steps that I made.
Note: before removing the Nvidia driver all the aero template icons were
blank. So things are a bit better now.

Removed the following software, but didnt seem to make any noticable
difference

- Did a clean boot
- Did a scan with the free version of Malwarebytes Anti-MalwareMalware
- Removed: Net framework windows updates (latest updates)
- Removed: Anti virus - Eset anti virus software
- Removed: Adobe Acrobat Reader

Doing the next did make some difference:

- Removed: Nvidia driver
- Windows auto detected the graphics card an installed driver version 320.49

---- Then I re installed --------
- Anti virus - Eset latest version.
- Nvidia driver 327.23

@ DavidW7ncus
My OS 'C' drive is a SSD drive. So only Windows is on that.
I install all my data on the 'D' drive.
I have a question about the clean install you suggested. If there is no solution then I will have to do that soon.
Will making an image and applying it after a clean install bring back all the settings that I have now?
So will all the software (that is on drive 'D') work again? like photoshop etc? Or should I install them all again?

All software is installerd on the 'D' drive. So I guess making a image of the 'C' drive will be enough?
How does the clean install work, does windows do that or shoud the previous windows folder be deleted on drive 'C' manually? To avoid double install?

@ Layback bear, somehow I have a feeling that the services has nothing to do with the problem.
It probably has something to do with the aero or visual theme elements.

@ Dude, the index rebuilding option doesn't seem to work. Could it be because the indexing option is disabled in the harddrive properties menu?

 

[DavidE]

If you do a clean install and then restore an image from your current "C" drive, you will restore the problem you have now.
I install all programs on my "C" drive, so i have the OS + Programs on "C".
I use ~ 40 GB for "C".
How much space is used on your "D" for programs?
How many GB is your SSD?
Having programs installed on an SSD makes them "faster", so if you have enough room on "C" it's best to install programs there for better performance.

Read through this tutorial about doing a clean reinstall:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html
It works for Retail as well as OEM and should cover everything needed for a reinstall.
If you do a clean reinstall, you will need to reinstall all programs.

With that said, with the troubleshooting you have done to narrow down the problem someone here may have some ideas to fix the problem.
I'm not sure what to suggest regarding Aero templates or GPU drivers that might help

 

[vmp01]

Thanks for the info DavidW7ncus,

Lets hope someone here might know a fix for the Aero issue.
Due to tight project deadlines it would be great if the problem could be fixed without the need to reinstall all the software. That will take a long time.

 

[andrew129260]

I suggest making a system image after you resolve this issue so you can quickly get running again in the event of a problem.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html

 

[Layback Bear]

Reading carefully through this could be helpful.

By Brink?
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1908-visual-effects-settings-change.html

 

[Arc]

Observe the situation with thumbnail preview off.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11738-thumbnail-previews-enable-disable.html

Is it any better?

No, not asking you to disable thumbnail preview permanently; but this knowledge will help us to understand the source of the issue.

Also, what is the manufacturer of your HDDs?

 

[Layback Bear]

Thank you Arc for your help.

 

[A Guy]

You might want to open Resource Monitor after startup, with all 4 sections expanded. See if there is high CPU, Memory, HDD, or Network usage, and if there is a program using high resources.

Start> In search box type resource monitor> Enter

A Guy

 

[vmp01]

Dear members thanks again for your valuable feedback.

I think I have found the troublemaker!
It's the process named 'dllhost.exe' com surrogate.

Disabling it solves the problem.
It's not always visible in the task manager.

Every time I open the Aero theme menu it shows up for some random period and then disappears.
Just some minutes ago it was using more than 20% system memory.

Everytime I open a folder with thumbnails the memory usage number keeps on counting behind the process in the task manager.
Disabling it brings back the thumbnails in all the folders.

Did a search for 'dllhost.exe' and found many people with similar problems and solutions.

View [SOLVED] Blank icons/white thumbnails + slow My Computer + COM Surrogate crashes'

https://www.google.nl/#q=disable+dllhost

It must be some kind of codec related service that jumps in when visual elements are loaded.
I am reading through the solutions right now.

 

[vmp01]

I think I have found the problem and the solution!

'dllhost.exe' is a thumbnail generator of windows.

On my desktop there was a broken video file.
So just after windows logs on and sees the video file on the desktop the 'dllhost.exe' tries to create a thumbnail of it, but can't so it starts eating all the memory and keeps eating it more and more.

Hence the reason why the system becomes slower and almost halts after some seconds.
And because the 'dllhost.exe' was so busy with that one corrupt video file it couldn't make any other thumbnails like in the folder or the aero theme template icons!

Solution: remove the corrupt video.

I have gone through the different files and finally isolated the video file by putting it in a folder. Turning on the thumbnail view then checking the dllhost memory usage.
By disabling and enabling the 'dllhost.exe' in the taskbar I could reset it to check each file.

Now everything is fine.

 

[Arc]

Its good for you that are able to identify the file for which thumbnail generation was becoming the problem.

Well done.

 

[DavidE]

Glad you found the problem and fixed it!
I did mention in post #3 a corrupt video file as a possibility.

 

[vmp01]

Thanks Arc.

Indeed DavidW7ncus! Thanks

 

[A Guy]

Glad you got it sorted. Indeed we have seen this before, with corrupt images as well.

A Guy