Win7x64 "Save As" Dialog Causes Hang

[esa1234]

Okay, maybe not the most descriptive of titles, but the problem that I am experiencing is that from any application, opening up the "Save As" dialog box causes the application to hang or freeze for 20-60 seconds. This happens about 2/3 of the time, and it seems to happen in about 1/2 of my applications.

I've found numerous threads regarding this issue, but it seems that the main identifiable resolution is the following MS update.
The April 2010 stability and reliability update for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 is available

I found that link from here:
Windows 7 New Folder Very Slow

Obviously, I've applied that patch, and this installation of Win7 is a fresh install post reformat. Has anyone else continued to observe this annoying behavior? If so, has anyone found a viable means of eliminating the bug?

 

[ccatlett1984]

Are you running your 6 HD's as seperate drives?
I would make sure you have the latest chipset drivers for your motherboard, also check for a bios/firmware update. I would say its probably an issue with the storage management, as the computer is hanging when its figuring out where you can save the file.

 

[esa1234]

Hmm, an interesting thought, but I am as confident as possible in saying that this isn't a BIOS/Controller/Chipset problem. The reason is that this is now my 3rd reformat, even though I only mentioned the last reformat. I am running the most recent version of all drivers and BIOS, etc., and have been doing so all along. This particular issue popped up only recently, just before my last reformat, and it has persisted.

FYI- I am running multiple sets of drives, now, even though my profile lists only 6. Currently, I run 6 drives via an Areca RAID6 + an OS/Apps SSD; however, I also have an additional 4 drives that are non RAID/JBOD via my MOBO's onboard Marvell controller. It makes no difference where I am trying to save a particular file to, even though I don't think that would make a significant difference anyhow. Also, I have tested without my RAID card and all other drives but my OS/Apps. No difference.

Also, I have a separate drive that contains a basic installation of Win7x64. I use this for testing, etc. It has no additional software installed beyond drivers, etc. It exhibits no problems.

I am fully aware that because I have found relatively few complaints regarding this issue following the MS update it is most likely that I 3rd part application is causing this problem. I'm posting here to fish for likely problems.

If it helps, when the dialog hangs, it does so instantaneously. ProcMon & ProcExp, etc. all report nothing unusual. Neither does MS event viewer. Curiously, when the dialog box hangs, ProcMon hangs as well.

 

[brandub]

recreate the problem and open process explorer > open Explorers properties > Threads Tab> look at which thread(dll) is eating CPU as your hang is probably a conflict with some software you have. Report which one here and include any possible culprit stacks

 

[ccatlett1984]

Can you please follow the below guide, and post the results.

How To: Get List Of Installed Apps In Vista/Windows 7 Without Any Software

 

[esa1234]

brandub: there is no conflict and nothing out of the ordinary as far as procexp is concerned. Nothing is consuming anything strange, or else I'd have had an easier time shooting this quirk. Obviously, I've tried killing all possible active processes and services to determine if either has any effect. It matters not, unfortunately.

As far as my list of installed apps....it is attached.

 

[brandub]

brandub: there is no conflict and nothing out of the ordinary as far as procexp is concerned. Nothing is consuming anything strange, or else I'd have had an easier time shooting this quirk. Obviously, I've tried killing all possible active processes and services to determine if either has any effect. It matters not, unfortunately.

I assumed you wouldve checked already but I had to ask just in case.. after reading your installed apps and doing some reading I think your Visual Studio apps (C++) might have something to do with it, check out MS kb 961894
do all the VS apps run ok?
It could also be msvcrt.dll that got screwed with in one of your installations of VS or C++ , try updating all apps/modules, if no result then uninstall all MS VS apps... if things look better then reinstall everything in compatibility mode as administrator. hope this at least points you in the right direction if nothing else...

 

[esa1234]

Uninstalling and reinstalling all VS and C++ libraries, etc. does nothing. I suppose it is worth mentioning that it does happen, on occasion, that "open" dialog boxes exhibit the same "not responding" behavior. Also, I want to make sure I made it clear that it is only the specific program that the dialog box hails from that hangs, and not the entire desktop and other active programs.

Not that I think that it makes any difference in the troubleshoot, but for all I know it is....

Thanks for the input thus far!

 

[brandub]

Hmm, Im surprised its not VS but Im going on vacation next week so if no one else picks up for you then Ill look into it when I get back, good luck esa!

 

[esa1234]

Bump: Does anyone else have any other ideas?

 

[esa1234]

Apologies for double posting, but I've managed to solve this problem, and I thought it worth posting.

In the "My Computer" root directory I had mapped several network locations. I removed the links and the problem disappeared. Simple, and annoying, but it worked.

The odd thing: I've always had those network links present across all the installations of Win7 that I've had. Weird that their presence would cause problems in one installation vs. another. I figure that some seemingly unrelated update triggers a problem.

 

[hammer1234]

I have a brand new Toshiba notebook Tecra with W7 pro 64 bit. I am experiencing the same problem with IE8 Save As dialog box . I have drivers and firmware updated. I have no mapped network drives. I have not installed VStudio. Mozilla Firefox was not running at all until last update. Now it runs but hangs with SaveAs. Of course MS Windows is fully updated ...