Problem: Explorer 50% cpu usage


  1. barence
    Posts : 4
    windows 10
       New #1

    Problem: Explorer 50% cpu usage


    Every day, at intermittent times unrelated to anything I do [it happens when I'm doing nothing], Explorer starts running with each core at about 50% cpu usage, and does not stop. Temperatures and fan speeds rise, fans become very noisy.

    Speedfan indicates core temps rise to ~ 70 degrees C, "Temp1" rises to 75 - 80 degrees, fan 1 speed ~ 4000rpm,
    fan 2 speed ~ 2500 rpm.

    I have just installed Windows 10 so it seems it could not be caused by a virus/malware.

    In windows 7 forums some users found the problem was caused by a corrupted file:

    Explorer.exe 50% CPU usage - Windows 7 Help Forums

    Since my problem is intermittent is it unlikely to be caused by a corrupted file?

    I can't use the solution suggested in the W7 forums because when I kill explorer I lose my desktop.

    I ran diskcheck on both my hard drives and it reported no errors found.

    Any suggestions would be welcomed.

    Can someone please explain why a corrupted file would cause explorer to run at 50% cpu usage?
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  3. barence
    Posts : 4
    windows 10
    Thread Starter
       New #2

    Well - I finally did a clean reinstall of Windows 10 and the problem has not returned so far.
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  4. f14tomcat
    Posts : 56,825
    Multi-boot Windows 10/11 - RTM, RP, Beta, and Insider
       New #3

    barence said:
    Well - I finally did a clean reinstall of Windows 10 and the problem has not returned so far.
    That was probably the smartest thing to do! Did you verify you are activated? Are you running RTM or Insider?
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  6. barence
    Posts : 4
    windows 10
    Thread Starter
       New #4

    No, I'm not activated. The story is:

    I upgraded from Windows 7. [I also downloaded W 10.]

    Couldn't get satisfactory display resolution. Couldn't get a W10 driver from manufacturer's website or anywhere else. Rolled back to W7.

    Later found a driver - [hidden on manufacturer's website].

    Tried to upgrade to W10 again. Now got message: W10 incompatible your computer - no driver for your video card - couldn't upgrade.

    Installed W10 from the copy I'd downloaded.

    Installed the driver - [wouldn't install itself- required a trick I got from someone on the web].

    Can't now activate.

    I don't know what RTM and Insider are.
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  7. f14tomcat
    Posts : 56,825
    Multi-boot Windows 10/11 - RTM, RP, Beta, and Insider
       New #5

    barence said:
    No, I'm not activated. The story is:

    I upgraded from Windows 7. [I also downloaded W 10.]

    Couldn't get satisfactory display resolution. Couldn't get a W10 driver from manufacturer's website or anywhere else. Rolled back to W7.

    Later found a driver - [hidden on manufacturer's website].

    Tried to upgrade to W10 again. Now got message: W10 incompatible your computer - no driver for your video card - couldn't upgrade.

    Installed W10 from the copy I'd downloaded.

    Installed the driver - [wouldn't install itself- required a trick I got from someone on the web].

    Can't now activate.

    I don't know what RTM and Insider are.
    Question... where did you get the Windows 10 download? Home page - Windows Insider Program

    If you had a valid license on or win 7, it should have offered you an upgrade, for free, to win 10.

    RTM means the Windows release that was officially put out on July 29th, 2015 to manufactures and the general public who had opted in to receive the free upgrade. Insider is an option to can do to test the OS by getting early releases and updates. The option is under Advanced in the Windows Update Setting.

    If you do not have, did not have, a valid license for the Win 7.... you are basically going nowhere. A valid, installed Windows 7 or 8/8.1, and activated, is required to get to Windows 10, legitimately. Otherwise......
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  8. barence
    Posts : 4
    windows 10
    Thread Starter
       New #6

    Download? From Microsoft, before I rolled back to W7.

    No problems for the time being.

    Cheers.
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