Need to click on taskbar to get Windows 10 to respond

simonc8 · 10 Jul 2019

When I power up the computer and log in the screen seems to hang and if I put the cursor over the task bar it shows the busy circle for minutes after logging in. I've found that if I do a single click in the task bar the screen briefly flashes and the icons redraw and the computer is now ready for action.

Does anyone know why this is? Is there something I could change in the system set up so that the PC would get to ready status without me clicking?

OS is Windows 10 Pro. Computer is Dell Optiplex 3040.

dalchina · 10 Jul 2019

Hi, basic diagnostics:
a. Create a new user for test purposes. Does the same happen?
b. If so, does the same happen in Safe Mode?
c. Try a clean boot. Does the same happen?

If the problem persists, try disabling shell extensions: start with Shellexview (free) - don't disable MS extensions.

simonc8 · 12 Jul 2019

Thanks for these suggestions. I made a new user and it didn't seem to hang, but it did come up with a message about another instance of Cobian (installed back up programme) running - so maybe that was the cause. I have set Cobian to no autostart to see if that will solve it.

Everything I did with the new user seemed to happen really slowly - if I tried to open the Settings window it would be 20 seconds before it actually displayed, and then after any changes it seemed to take ages to respond.

dalchina · 13 Jul 2019

Everything I did with the new user seemed to happen really slowly

- check your task manager..
a. is resource use minimal when PC is nominally idle?
b. how much free disk space is there on C: ?
c. how much free RAM is there?

d. Run
chkdsk C: /scan
from an admin command or Powershell prompt and report the result.

Is there any difference if you do a clean boot?

simonc8 · 15 Jul 2019

Thanks for the follow up. We're away for a few days but I will pursue this when we're back.