Windows Explorer has 10+ second delay everytime you open/c..

For probably a month now, I've had an annoying problem where anytime I
change or open a directory in Windows Explorer, there is this 10
second delay before it displays the contents of the folder. Explorer
seems to "freeze" during this time (in task manager, it shows "Not
responding") but if you wait the 10 seconds, it returns to normal
behavior. I've scanned for spyware/viruses, and I don't have any.
I'm a pretty experienced user and I "take care" of Windows pretty
good. I don't have any

I've tried searching on Google for a solution, but unfortunately, my
problem sounds too general to do any effective searching ("xp explorer
delay" "xp explorer freeze" etc... those searches can return you quite
a bit of irrelevant results).

Here are some workarounds I've tried:

-Creating a new account. This actually seemed to work for a few days,
but just recently the problem came back again.

-Using an alternative explorer. I've been using ExplorerXP as a
workaround, but any program that uses the "Browse..." button to open a
file (which is quite common), it uses the default Windows Explorer
process to do so, and it has the same delay.

Any XP gurus out there know what's going on, or a way to fix it?

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name CAZADOR-PC
System Manufacturer System manufacturer
System Model System Product Name
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 6 Stepping 2 GenuineIntel ~3211 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. 0606, 10/30/2005
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.
080413-2111)"
User Name CAZADOR-PC\Cazador
Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Total Physical Memory 1,024.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 244.33 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 2.40 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys



[Running Tasks]
Name Path Process ID Priority Min Working Set Max Working Set Start
Time Version Size File Date
system idle process Not Available 0 0 Not Available Not Available Not
Available Not Available Not Available Not Available
system Not Available 4 8 0 1413120 Not Available Not Available Not
Available Not Available
smss.exe c:\windows\system32\smss.exe 1048 11 204800 1413120 8/22/2009
3:12 AM 5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111) 49.50 KB (50,688 bytes)
8/4/2004 12:56 AM
csrss.exe Not Available 1100 13 Not Available Not Available 8/22/2009
3:12 AM Not Available Not Available Not Available
winlogon.exe c:\windows\system32\winlogon.exe 1124 13 204800 1413120
8/22/2009 3:12 AM 5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2113) 496.00 KB (507,904
bytes) 8/4/2004 12:56 AM
services.exe c:\windows\system32\services.exe 1168 9 204800 1413120
8/22/2009 3:12 AM 5.1.2600.5755 (xpsp_sp3_gdr.090206-1234) 108.00 KB
(110,592 bytes) 8/4/2004 12:56 AM
lsass.exe c:\windows\system32\lsass.exe 1180 9 204800 1413120
8/22/2009 3:12 AM 5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2113) 13.00 KB (13,312
bytes) 8/4/2004 12:56 AM
svchost.exe c:\windows\system32\svchost.exe 1352 8 204800 1413120
8/22/2009 3:12 AM 5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111) 14.00 KB (14,336
bytes) 8/4/2004 12:56 AM
svchost.exe Not Available 1452 8 Not Available Not Available 8/22/2009
3:12 AM Not Available Not Available Not Available
svchost.exe c:\windows\system32\svchost.exe 1576 8 204800 1413120
8/22/2009 3:12 AM 5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111) 14.00 KB (14,336
bytes) 8/4/2004 12:56 AM
smc.exe c:\program files\symantec\symantec endpoint protection\smc.exe
1668 8 204800 1413120 8/22/2009 3:12 AM 11.0.3001.2189 1.70 MB
(1,787,200 bytes) 3/30/2009 12:58 PM
svchost.exe Not Available 1784 8 Not Available Not Available 8/22/2009
3:12 AM Not Available Not Available Not Available
svchost.exe Not Available 1940 8 Not Available Not Available 8/22/2009
3:12 AM Not Available Not Available Not Available
ccsvchst.exe c:\program files\common files\symantec shared
\ccsvchst.exe 1996 8 204800 1413120 8/22/2009 3:12 AM 106.3.7.9 105.85
KB (108,392 bytes) 3/30/2009 12:57 PM
spoolsv.exe c:\windows\system32\spoolsv.exe 396 8 204800 1413120
8/22/2009 3:12 AM 5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-0852) 56.50 KB (57,856
bytes) 8/4/2004 12:56 AM
svchost.exe Not Available 668 8 Not Available Not Available 8/22/2009
3:12 AM Not Available Not Available Not Available
nvsvc32.exe c:\windows\system32\nvsvc32.exe 1264 8 204800 1413120
8/22/2009 3:12 AM 6.14.11.8122 160.07 KB (163,908 bytes) 1/15/2009
8:19 AM
pg_ctl.exe Not Available 1596 8 Not Available Not Available 8/22/2009
3:12 AM Not Available Not Available Not Available
rtvscan.exe c:\program files\symantec\symantec endpoint protection
\rtvscan.exe 1904 8 204800 1413120 8/22/2009 3:12 AM 11.0.3001.2198
2.32 MB (2,436,536 bytes) 3/30/2009 12:58 PM
postgres.exe Not Available 196 8 Not Available Not Available 8/22/2009
3:12 AM Not Available Not Available Not Available
postgres.exe Not Available 740 8 Not Available Not Available 8/22/2009
3:12 AM Not Available Not Available Not Available
postgres.exe Not Available 776 8 Not Available Not Available 8/22/2009
3:12 AM Not Available Not Available Not Available
postgres.exe Not Available 784 8 Not Available Not Available 8/22/2009
3:12 AM Not Available Not Available Not Available
postgres.exe Not Available 792 8 Not Available Not Available 8/22/2009
3:12 AM Not Available Not Available Not Available
postgres.exe Not Available 800 8 Not Available Not Available 8/22/2009
3:12 AM Not Available Not Available Not Available
alg.exe Not Available 848 8 Not Available Not Available 8/22/2009 3:12
AM Not Available Not Available Not Available
smcgui.exe c:\program files\symantec\symantec endpoint protection
\smcgui.exe 3260 8 204800 1413120 8/25/2009 6:01 PM 11.0.3001.2189
1.37 MB (1,439,040 bytes) 3/30/2009 12:58 PM
tsvncache.exe c:\program files\tortoisesvn\bin\tsvncache.exe 236 8
204800 1413120 8/25/2009 6:01 PM 1, 6, 1, 16129 601.50 KB (615,936
bytes) 4/10/2009 8:35 AM
rundll32.exe c:\windows\system32\rundll32.exe 2516 8 204800 1413120
8/25/2009 6:01 PM 5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2105) 32.50 KB (33,280
bytes) 8/4/2004 12:56 AM
rthdcpl.exe c:\windows\rthdcpl.exe 3608 8 204800 1413120 8/25/2009
6:01 PM 2.1.1.4 15.32 MB (16,062,464 bytes) 2/20/2009 10:41 AM
ccapp.exe c:\program files\common files\symantec shared\ccapp.exe 2616
8 204800 1413120 8/25/2009 6:01 PM 106.3.7.9 112.85 KB (115,560 bytes)
3/30/2009 12:57 PM
everything.exe c:\program files\everything\everything.exe 2836 8
204800 1413120 8/25/2009 6:01 PM 1, 2, 1, 371 588.50 KB (602,624
bytes) 3/12/2009 5:18 PM
outlook.exe c:\progra~1\micros~2\office11\outlook.exe 3532 8 204800
1413120 8/25/2009 6:07 PM 11.0.6353 191.70 KB (196,296 bytes)
4/28/2004 12:10 AM
winword.exe c:\program files\microsoft office\office11\winword.exe 272
8 204800 1413120 8/25/2009 6:27 PM 11.0.6502 11.50 MB (12,053,704
bytes) 4/1/2005 1:00 PM
evernote.exe c:\program files\evernote\evernote3\evernote.exe 2772 8
204800 1413120 8/26/2009 10:04 AM 3,1,0,1107 4.90 MB (5,138,880 bytes)
3/18/2009 10:45 AM
evernotetray.exe c:\program files\evernote\evernote3\evernotetray.exe
2320 8 204800 1413120 8/26/2009 10:04 AM 2.0.0.66 342.44 KB (350,656
bytes) 3/18/2009 10:45 AM
pidgin.exe c:\program files\pidgin\pidgin.exe 2600 8 204800 1413120
8/26/2009 1:40 PM 2.5.4 44.53 KB (45,603 bytes) 1/12/2009 2:15 PM
svchost.exe c:\windows\system32\svchost.exe 1568 8 204800 1413120
8/31/2009 10:29 AM 5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111) 14.00 KB (14,336
bytes) 8/4/2004 12:56 AM
sabnzbd.exe c:\program files\sabnzbd-0.4.6\sabnzbd.exe 3580 8 204800
1413120 9/1/2009 12:28 PM 0.4.6 320.50 KB (328,192 bytes) 12/11/2008
11:09 PM
firefox.exe c:\program files\mozilla firefox\firefox.exe 3844 8 204800
1413120 9/1/2009 12:47 PM 1.9.0.13 300.49 KB (307,704 bytes) 2/20/2009
11:47 AM
wuauclt.exe c:\windows\system32\wuauclt.exe 6048 8 204800 1413120
9/2/2009 8:29 AM 7.2.6001.788 (winmain_oob/wu_wsuswlc(wmbla).
081016-1330) 50.02 KB (51,224 bytes) 2/10/2009 10:11 PM
gnotify.exe c:\program files\google\gmail notifier\gnotify.exe 2432 8
204800 1413120 9/2/2009 11:01 AM 1.0.25.0 468.00 KB (479,232 bytes)
7/15/2005 2:48 PM
excel.exe c:\progra~1\micros~2\office11\excel.exe 3320 8 204800
1413120 9/2/2009 11:02 AM 11.0.6355 9.61 MB (10,080,960 bytes)
5/18/2004 6:58 PM
explorer.exe c:\windows\explorer.exe 4240 8 204800 1413120 9/3/2009
8:36 AM 6.00.2900.5512 (xpsp.080413-2105) 1,009.50 KB (1,033,728
bytes) 8/4/2004 12:56 AM
explorerxp.exe c:\program files\explorerxp\explorerxp.exe 3448 8
204800 1413120 9/3/2009 5:10 PM 1, 0, 5, 0 996.00 KB (1,019,904 bytes)
9/19/2005 8:32 PM
wmiprvse.exe Not Available 5820 8 Not Available Not Available 9/4/2009
10:21 AM Not Available Not Available Not Available
helpctr.exe c:\windows\pchealth\helpctr\binaries\helpctr.exe 5088 8
204800 1413120 9/4/2009 10:21 AM 5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2108)
751.00 KB (769,024 bytes) 2/10/2009 10:11 PM
helpsvc.exe c:\windows\pchealth\helpctr\binaries\helpsvc.exe 5596 8
204800 1413120 9/4/2009 10:21 AM 5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2108)
727.00 KB (744,448 bytes) 2/10/2009 10:11 PM

Yeah, I tried monitoring the CPU usage, but there was nothing out of
the ordinary. Even "explorer.exe" did not show any spikes in CPU/
memory. I looked at the event viewer and again, nothing.



On Sep 4, 11:34 am, Leonard Grey <l.g... DeleteThis @invalid.invalid> wrote:
> Open Task Manager to the Processes tab and display the processes in
> decreasing order of CPU usage. Park Task Manager in a corner of your
> monitor. When you feel that Windows is freezing, look over to Task
> Manager and notice which process is occupying most of the CPU's resources..
>
> Look in Event Viewer for possible clues.
> ---
> Leonard Grey
> Errare humanum est
>
> laphlaw wrote:
> > For probably a month now, I've had an annoying problem where anytime I
> > change or open a directory in Windows Explorer, there is this 10
> > second delay before it displays the contents of the folder.  Explorer
> > seems to "freeze" during this time (in task manager, it shows "Not
> > responding") but if you wait the 10 seconds, it returns to normal
> > behavior.  I've scanned for spyware/viruses, and I don't have any.
> > I'm a pretty experienced user and I "take care" of Windows pretty
> > good.  I don't have any
>
> > I've tried searching on Google for a solution, but unfortunately, my
> > problem sounds too general to do any effective searching ("xp explorer
> > delay" "xp explorer freeze" etc... those searches can return you quite
> > a bit of irrelevant results).
>
> > Here are some workarounds I've tried:
>
> > -Creating a new account.  This actually seemed to work for a few days,
> > but just recently the problem came back again.
>
> > -Using an alternative explorer.  I've been using ExplorerXP as a
> > workaround, but any program that uses the "Browse..." button to open a
> > file (which is quite common), it uses the default Windows Explorer
> > process to do so, and it has the same delay.
>
> > Any XP gurus out there know what's going on, or a way to fix it?
>
> >  OS Name   Microsoft Windows XP Professional
> > Version    5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600
> > OS Manufacturer    Microsoft Corporation
> > System Name        <snip extraneous data>