New
#1
Windows Explorer, recently updated, now hogging CPU and slowing system
Summary: system bogs down when any windows are opened using Windows Explorer (recently automatically updated, 8/28/2019 version 10.0.18362.267). Details follow.
The icons in my taskbars recently started flashing intermittently and it seemed that my system was slowing down. I followed some directions related to flashing icons on this site and at a MS site. These included running sfc /scannnow. Later running DISM.EXE. (full string was DISM.EXE /Online /Cleanup-image /RestoreHealth). Neither resolved the issue. The DISM was bit scary since afterward the system message was "preparing Windows 10" for quite a long time.
I've removed all attached devices. I'm using a Lenovo Carbon X1 and suspected a connected device might be the culprit. Rebooted the system twice without any connected devices. No change.
It seems that as I open more folders, the system slows and the icons flash or disappear entirely.
Next clue. Opened task manager and found that with few programs open, my CPU was 100% occupied. Found that with any windows open, Windows Explorer using more than 60% of overall CPU. Closed Windows Explorer windows, now at 0% CPU time, and CPU is now at 4%.
Windows Explorer was updated on August 28, 2019 at 2:18PM. There are no other versions shown, so I couldn't revert back to a newer version. Any ideas?