Maximum PC

knelson276 · 8086 Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 12

This is so frustrating. frequently (and i do mean really often) when browsing my hard drive, moving files, looking for videos, ect. my comp becomes very sluggish to respond. bringing up task manager I'll usually see explorer.exe sitting at 99%. I'll close it, start new task "explorer.exe" and then back to 'my computer" and with in a few min there goes all my CPU cycles. I've heard there's some problem with vista if it cant create a thumbnail of the files in a folder, weather because its corrupt or it just don't recognize the format. is there some way to turn this function off. i could care less about thumbnails. oh and I'm running vista ultimate(ultimate disappointment) on a HP DV 9000 series (dont really think hardware matters in this case but figured couldn't hurt), with 2 500g hard drives and 4 gig ram, proc is a core 2 duo. I would appreciate any help. Thanks

Nastyman · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:16 pm Post subject:

What are you using for anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall? Have you cleaned out the IE cashe lately?

Nasty

knelson276 · 8086 Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 12

currently i'm using AVG free version 8.5.425, windows firewall, theres 40 processes running including firefox, i try to keep a fairly clean computer, if it doesnt have to have it i dont want it robbing cpu cycles. and as long as i'm not browsing the hard drives or external drives even, the little laptop rocks. plays everquest and world of warcraft great. think the problem could be with the antivirus program interfering with windows explorer ablity to acess the files. i have another vista machine using avira antivirus doing the same thing. although it doesnt seem to happen as often.

knelson276 · 8086 Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 12

oh and i'm not activly running any anti-spyware other than the one built in to AVG.

Nastyman · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 5:35 pm Post subject:

It sounds like a virus slipped in there somehow and AVG missed it. The windows firewall I don't trust at all, so I use Zonealarm. Putting yourself behind a router keeps the system clean as well.

I can't see how AVG interferes with file transfers as my system works well transferring files....of course I am using XP and refuse to change because it just works real well for me. I am of the "if it works don't fix it" realm.

Vista has always had problems, do you have the latest service pack installed with all the updates? This was supposed to fix a lot of problems with the system.

Nasty

knelson276 · 8086 Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 12

I'm actually behind a dedicated computer firewall running xp and then thru a firewall built in to the router. i've thought of the virius possibility and ran an online scan and came up with nothing. i've had this problem since the laptop was freshly out of the box. and yes i'd prefer to be running xp as well. one of the first things i did when i got the computer was to buy a copy of xp and install it. was never able to get the audio drivers for xp. since the manufacturer had only released this hardware with vista on it. so after much grumbling i use the restore disk and put vista back on it.

Nastyman · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 5:21 am Post subject:

If you want to pursue installing XP, read these post, they all got it to work:

http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/bizsupport/questionanswer.do?admit=109447626+1257599662015+28353475&threadId=1191711

Nasty

Mods, sorry for breaking the tables but a Tiny wouldn't work here.

knelson276 · 8086 Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 12

Nasty,
Thanks for the info and taking the time. Think I might just start looking online for a copy of xp.

OvenMaster · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 7:45 am Post subject:

I've had a similar problem for years when transferring either a lot of small files (example: a collection of saved web pages) or a handful of big files (example: a couple of CD's worth of .wav files) from one drive to another. Explorer.exe would go up to >95%, the PC would hang, and none of my open windows would close. The only way out was to do a system reset and reboot.

This has been with XP Home. It didn't matter if it was SP1, 2, or 3. My AV has been Avast.

I started watching Task Manager when this happened, and I finally narrowed it down to Avast scanning every single file that was being transferred between drives. Now whenever I move a large amount of file data from one drive to the next, I temporarily pause Avast's Standard Shield. When done, I un-pause it. Problem solved! Very Happy

nsvander · Team Member Joined: 21 Apr 2007 Posts: 387

If you are content in using AVG, you should upgrade to version 9. There were some memory issues with 8.5, and it might help out your situation. Its worth a try anyways.

Nastyman · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 11:47 am Post subject:

AVG 9 has a new feature where after it checks a file it doesn't check that file again, so load 9.0 and scan the drive then try to transfer files...bet it works now. Wink

Nasty

Airheadq · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 7:10 pm Post subject:

Nastyman · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:21 pm Post subject:

AVG takes a total of 5,060K of memory usage spread between 3 sections of AVG running. That is a small foot print verses other processes running on my system.

Nasty

Airheadq · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:32 pm Post subject:

AVG 8 or 9? I checked the memory usage with 9 and it was considerably more than that. Also, I use Xfire and its a known issues where it flags the ads that it uses. Your system will differ from mine, as this is just my experience with the program.

Nastyman · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:50 pm Post subject:

AVG 9 is what I am using. I have it set not to scan unless I say so. Right now it is running three AVG processes combined at 4,348K. Thats it ...honest engine.

Nasty