Windows Explorer won't load and Windows doesn't shut down / restart

chris1994 · 08 Jun 2020

Hey guys, I've been having some weird problems and I have no idea what caused it all, I haven't been changing anything in any properties and there was no major Windows Update that I'm aware of.

First of all, Windows won't shut down anymore or restart, it just gets stuck forever on the shutting down / restarting screen, and I have to do a hard manual shut down or reset.

Secondly, the Windows Explorer won't load any folder anymore. As soon as I try opening a library or the like, it gets stuck on the loading screen. I can't even manually via the task manager shut down the Windows Explorer, if I try something like that, or just otherwise try to brute-force the problem, the whole screen, not just the Explorer, freezes up and I have no other other option than to again manually restart the pc.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Windows 10 Version 1903 (Build 18362.836)

dalchina · 08 Jun 2020

Hi, first start by checking your disk: in this case use a portable program you can run from an external drive.
https://www.softpedia.com/get/PORTAB...-HD-Tune.shtml

Health and Error Scan tabs.

If ok, then from an admin command or Powershell prompt run
chkdsk c: /scan

If ok, similarly run
SFC /SCANNOW

and report the summary result.

Report any failures.

Do you use disk imaging as members so often recommend? E.g. Macrium relfect (free) -> external disk.
This gives you a full backup and a means of restoring Windows and any disk or partition imaged in many circumstances.

chris1994 · 09 Jun 2020

Well it seems to be getting worse.

I wasn't able to start the portable program you recommended. First of all, I had to resort to my laptop to even be able to download it at all, trying that on my desktop made it freeze up again.
Having loaded it onto a usb drive, I was barely able, with multiple tries, to get the program apparently to start on my desktop. I say apparently, because it did seem to start up and was running according to the task manager but I didn't see any window opening and I waited for quite a while, but nothing happened.

As to your other recommendations, I don't quite know how to start that first command, 'chkdsk c: scan'. Powershell said something like invalid command. The second command 'SFC /SCANNOW' didn't yield any failures, according to that one, everything is fine.

And no, I don't use disk imaging. It seems though, that if and when this thing gets sorted out, I should probably start doing it, but until then, I probably can't implement it.

I seem to be able to do most things, like browse the internet, as long I don't ask the Explorer to open any window, then the whole thing mostly goes to shit very quickly and I have no other option than to again manually restart...

dalchina · 09 Jun 2020

Hi, sorry, typo
chkdsk c: /scan

Good that SFC passed.

Here are 3 ways to check your disk:
a. Can you boot to Safe Mode? If unsure how, see the tutorial, or ask Google.
If so, is your system stable? If so, run
chkdsk c: /scan
and
HDTune
b. Boot your PC from a live boot disk which include such utilities. Examples:
Kyhis' boot disk
Bob Omb's boot disk
(Google these)
You'd need access to a stable PC to create these and a flash drive.
c. Remove the disk, connect it to another PC and then test it.
I'd regard that as the least desirable.

Create a new user for test purposes.
Log in as that user.
Do you experience the same problems?

Please provide specs for your PC. Model, aprox age, drivers page, what edition of Windows is supported.
See My computers under my post for a comparison.
Collecting System Specifications in Windows
System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums
- as best you can given problems.

zbook · 09 Jun 2020

See if there is any significant difference turning off Windows fast startup:

Turn On or Off Fast Startup in Windows 10

chris1994 · 09 Jun 2020

Hey, so after running Windows in Safe Mode, I was able to run the HDTune Error Scan on my C: Drive, and after a long time, it came back with 0 problems. I then wanted to try it on my other drives where I store most of my media. Trying to select any other drive though, HDTune itself froze though, and I had to restart again. Powershell also ran into problems checking my other drives.

Sooo, after getting extremely frustrated I decided to shut down again, shut off the power, open up my tower and simply check the plugs of all my hard disks. It seems like they weren't really firm in place and after replugging them all, I restarted the PC, and lo and behold, all the issues were gone *facepalm*

So I guess, sometimes the easiest solutions really elude us... But thank you guys anyway for guiding me towards the problem, I wouldn't have guessed it had something to do with the hard drives

dalchina · 09 Jun 2020

Great- it's odd that this cabling issues has affected several recently. Fault finding with something like this is often about simplification and elimination, but can be impossible without the ability to substitute a known good item.

Some SATA cables, for example, have locking latches.

Try running e.g. Crystal Diskinfo (free) in the background, with reporting against threshold set to alert you of early degradation.

A really good program is Hard Disk Sentinel (SSDs too) - best reporting I've seen by a long long way. (Not free).

Now's the time to set up disk imaging routinely and regularly.
The very act of creating an image verifies the integrity of the data imaged. e.g. Macrium Reflect (free).
You can then recover even if your disk dies or your PC is stolen e.g.