"My Computer" folder very slow to open

Long delay before files appear in My Computer in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;819017

This is often caused by slow devices... such as CD/DvD-ROM drives and network drives.  Check the Even Viewer for any messages... on rare occassions, there's actually something useful in there.

A long time ago, Explorer would literally freeze with 100% CPU usage until I forced it out of RAM.  I loaded FileMon.Exe (also useful is RegMon and TDIMon) from SysInternals.Com only to find out that Windows was processing a "My Computer" link in a cyclic fashion...  Deleting the "link" from a console window cured the issue.

I also had an issue where XP would take freak'n ever to shutdown (with 512MB of RAM).  Most would've assumed that it was parsing through the swapfile, but FileMon helped me to discover that XP was actually spending all that extra time parsing through the Recyclebin. (which was quite large at the time)

ckratsch
Effectively, I have a disconnected "memory_card" on the network. It is the printer memory.
Clicking on "Disconnect" produces: "the network connection could not be found" which does not seem surprising because the drive is already disconnected.
What is the next move?
Thank you for your help,
dbessis

I was able to delete the network drive finally. However, the problem is still there.

a cd or dvd with a bad block in the drive can make explorer hang and make windows boot time alot longer

take out all disks

might be a failing hard drive see if there is a diagnostic test for your hdd

Even though you've disconnected the unavailable network drive, there still may be a connection to an unavailable resource that doesn't have a drive letter assigned to it.  I'm guessing you've tried rebooting this computer.  If not, try that.  When you log in, if there are connections to unavailable resources, they should be dropped, or you'll get a dialog box saying that they're unavailable and have the option to not restore this connection in the future.

Also, see my notes above regarding MS Office holding its own separate drive mappings.  Are you using a version of MS Office?  If so, open up an app, go to File > Open, browse to My Computer through that dialog and right click disconnect any unavailable drives there, too.  Having those drives listed in MS Office can continue to cause delays in Windows Explorer.

ckratsch,
I was able to click on "disconnect": the icon evaporated.
However, the problem is still there.
At boot time I also have a strange popup: "Generic Host Process for Win32 Services had to be closed for security reasons". This is linked to svchost.exe.
Could the closing of this application have something to do with my problem?
Thank you for your help,
dbessis

That may very well have something to do with it.  Let me chew on that a bit.

Click Start on the Windows taskbar, and then click Run
In the Open box, type CMD , and then press ENTER
Type Tasklist /SVC , and then press ENTER

that will list all the services using Generic Host Process (svchost.exe). There should be alot of items running

if Generic Host Process was to really close down then i dont think you would even be able to connect to the internet

might be a trojan or virus copying the name of Generic Host Process/svchost.exe.

it would be a good idea to run "sfc /scannow" from the command promt as well just to see if any system files have been replaced

you might need to put in your windows cd. If your have installed sp2 then use a slipstreamed windows sp2 cd

heres a link to tell you more about it (take a look at limiting the dllcache size) http://www.techspot.com/tweaks/wfp/print.shtml

Since you seem to following the route of ckratsch's suggestions, try clearing the checkbox under:

Control Panel  -> Folder Options  ->  "Automatically search for network folders and printers"

reboot and see what it does... if anything.  Good luck... post back if you ever find the solution.  We're curious too. :-)  Oh, I also had found that Ahead software's InCD (read software drivers) had caused freeze-ups on my system, similar to what you've described.

From what I've read here, I don't think my ideas about unavailable network drives necessarily apply.

After different Windows updates, the boot problem  with "Generic Host Process " has disappeared. This is a first good new.
However, the main problem with "My Computer" folder opening very slowly (one minute!)is still there.
What is very strange is the fact that the copy I made of "My Computer" opens instantly with all the inner icons working also instantly!
Thank you for your help,
dbessis

Running in Safe mode with Networking: the problem is NOT there.
Probably a program is the culprit.
dbessis

Finally, I solved all problems: everything is back to normal;
I have updated the HP network software that was the culprit.
many thanks;
dbessis

Which HP network software?  Was it related to the printer memory drive you had?

I use hp psc photosmart all-in-one as a network printer.
Yes, the memory drive I had was the printer memory.

Thanks for clue'n us in.

dbessis,

I've had the same problem a few times in the past year, since installing an HP all-in-one.  Uninstalling the printer software, then reinstalling it will fix it, but seems both unnecessarily time-consuming and "kludgy."

What exactly did you do that resolved this?  Also, what version of the HP software are you using?

garycase,
It seems that I am using the last version of All-in-one software: an ENORMOUS file of 340 MB.
I have downloded it from the HP download site.
Also, the HP tech support is knowladgeable and fast to answer to e-mails. Here is the e-mail address for the HP OfficeJet E-mail Support :
officejet_support_en@mail.support.hp.com
Hope this help,
dbessis

cheers... solution worked great for me too.... Thanks all!!!   Never would have guessed the printer if not for this post.