Explorer.exe hangs with mouse right click W10

topgundcp · 09 Sep 2015

You should try to isolate the problem first starting with what Hippsie's advice. Download: CrystalDiskInfo6_3_2.zip - CrystalDiskInfo - SourceForge.JP and run to make sure your HD/SSD is in good health then from Admin Command Prompt, run chkdsk /r :C. In addition, since it is a fresh install and Windows automatically install the NVIDIA drivers + shell extension. This extension is known to cause problem with File Explorer. Disable it.

Another possibility is your RAM. Anything before run, will be loaded into RAM first and if there's bad spots on the upper part of the RAM then you'll get this kind of behaviour. Try to run Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool at least 6 passes unless errors occur first.

EDIT: Are you running Windows with SLI ? if yes, Try with one Video card.

splitsecond · 09 Sep 2015

topgundcp said:

You should try to isolate the problem first starting with what Hippsie's advice. Download: CrystalDiskInfo6_3_2.zip - CrystalDiskInfo - SourceForge.JP and run to make sure your HD/SSD is in good health then from Admin Command Prompt, run chkdsk /r :C. In addition, since it is a fresh install and Windows automatically install the NVIDIA drivers + shell extension. This extension is known to cause problem with File Explorer. Disable it.

Another possibility is your RAM. Anything before run, will be loaded into RAM first and if there's bad spots on the upper part of the RAM then you'll get this kind of behaviour. Try to run Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool at least 6 passes unless errors occur first.

EDIT: Are you running Windows with SLI ? if yes, Try with one Video card.

OK thanks for advice. Chkdsk command prompt and restart did not give any error (3 months old SSD). Crystaldisk info 99% good health. Running memtest86, 3 passes without errors. Disabled Nvidias shell extension. Have not tried yet with 1 card without SLI. Any thoughts? Have to wait and see if something did any good when up and running tomorrow... in case no memory errors either.

DustSailor · 09 Sep 2015

DustSailor said:

[...]Without the correct drivers, there will always be the chance that the computer stops responding.[...]

If you aren't provided the right drivers from your manufacturer, I recommend reverting back to the OS you had before. It just isn't worth it. Likely the problem is simply driver/hardware related. If you want WIndows 10, try finding a computer that will support it. Just my recommendation. But it is your choice, obviously.

splitsecond · 09 Sep 2015

DustSailor said:

If you aren't provided the right drivers from your manufacturer, I recommend reverting back to the OS you had before. It just isn't worth it. Likely the problem is simply driver/hardware related. If you want WIndows 10, try finding a computer that will support it. Just my recommendation. But it is your choice, obviously.

I don't think the mobo is unsuitable for w10. Asus has drivers for it, but most of them downloads automatically when installing W10. ASUSTeK Computer Inc. -Support- Driver & Tools - P8Z77-V PRO

larc919 · 09 Sep 2015

HippsieGypsie said:

Hi there. Are you having problems with Explorer as well? If so, what are your symptoms?

For one thing, it starts crashing if I create a desktop folder, resize it narrower than about 5 icons wide and then try to open the folder or File Explorer. 6 icons wide and it usually doesn't squawk, but I got a crash a couple of days ago by merely dropping an icon into a desktop folder and then trying to open the folder. Everything got corrected with a reboot, thankfully. I haven't experienced that sort of problem with any previous version of Windows.

splitsecond · 10 Sep 2015

Hi, looks better after disabling Nvidias extension. At least suspect it had something to do with the probs. Memtest did not give anything, no errors. Tried 10 cold boots 1 min apart with no file expl problems. Continue with follow up as before and if OK 4-5 days (hopefully) maybe it's solved. Thanks for your insight on this!

Update. No "hangs" today. Looking better. Booted 18 times. Gonna stick with W10, always gonna find some solution if it starts bothering again, anyway its not that bad to make a reboot...

topgundcp · 11 Sep 2015

FYI, Explorer.exe is a core file in Windows and also a tough one to debug, The reason is lot of times when explorer crashes, it is not caused by explorer itself. For example:

If you install a 3rd party software and it put an incompatible shell extension for the context menu. It will cause explorer to freeze or crash. I experienced this problem with Acronis True Image 2013.
If you open a folder which contains corrupted Video file in thumbnail view and explorer tries to build a thumbnail for it, it will freeze.
If you have an add-on to Internet Explorer and explorer cannot resolve it. It will freeze or crash.
Explorer also updates Start Screen in Windows 8/10 etc...... ????

We sometimes don't realize important role of explorer. Explorer is constantly sitting in the background monitoring all the activities we are doing with Windows, Constantly update Registry Values, in some case it also creates files etc....

You can download: Process Monitor and run as Administrator, Click on Filter and set it to: "Process Name is Explorer" then try to run something: Firefox, IE10, switch screen etc.... then you'll see how explorer works in the background.

Any way, I am glad you got it sorted. Just keep in mind when NVIDIA updates its driver, it will put back the extension in the context menu and you'll need to disable it again.

splitsecond · 14 Sep 2015

I got explorer.exe hang today after 4 days without probs. It did not help with disabling Nvidia. As a matter of fact, did not to help to disable all context menu items (7) in shellview, it was possible at least to access shellview.

Scannow did not find anything. DISM did not fix anything. Have played games on /off for a few days and no crashes, should not be a HW problem. Have run 3DMarks and everything worked. It's getting really hard to fix this. Maybe will try to install insider W10 latest build to check if the error pops up there. Do you have some other ideas? The same pattern as before. Was OK for a couple of days with many boots, until it hangs after 3-5 days, no hangs in between...reboot solves it again. As said before, even a fresh install did not fix this.

topgundcp · 14 Sep 2015

Are you still having Norton Security installed ? If so, disable it completely. Just use WD for now. In addition, double check if you have the latest firmware on the SSD. And did you also run chkdsk /r on the other 2TB drives ?

splitsecond · 14 Sep 2015

topgundcp said:

Are you still having Norton Security installed ? If so, disable it completely. Just use WD for now. In addition, double check if you have the latest firmware on the SSD. And did you also run chkdsk /r on the other 2TB drives ?

Thanks for advice. Norton uninstalled. Firmware is up to date. Running check disks on 2 Tb's drives, can take a while :).