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DanFlag for United States of America

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computer running slow, especially when running windows explorer

All of a sudden, starting today, after I restarted my computer, it's running much slower.  I noticed the processor is working much harder, and everytime I start windows explorer, it just sits there and spins and spins, the blue mouse circle icon. I have restarted numerous times, no help. If I wait about a minute, it does come up.
No recent software updates or any software installs.
When I right click a file in windows explorer, it now takes like 5-10 seconds to give me options, to copy, etc....
I know sys internals has some tools, I'll use some of those to see if it can help me pin point the issue.

Any ideas what could be going on?
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nobus
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you will need to look into all aoptions
does it do the same in safe mode?
did you update all drivers?
was there anything changed - hars or soft - updates, etc?
if these give you no better idea - run diags on ram and disk
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David Johnson, CD
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To David's point, run the Hardware Test application from your computer manufacturer.

Is it in the middle of doing a Windows 10 Update?  Check that.

Also do a thorough virus scan. Your own AV app, then Malwarebytes.  If Windows 10 also Windows defender.  Could be a virus based on your symptoms.
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ASKER

using a samsung SSD 960 PRO 512GB, PCIe.
Using hte samsung magician, the drive condition is "good".
It's about half full., have written 11.4 TB to it, with the newest firmware.

used task manager, and so far this morning, everything seemed to be fine.

I have clicked on "windows explorer" and all of a sudden, my cursor just started "thinking" again, I have attached a 6 second video.
The computer is running slow again, but when looking the task manager, nothing stands out, as none of the processes are over 5% each one.


The other video is with the task manager. The top 4 processes are google chrome, last pass tray manager  and webroot, my AV and the system.  None of the processes are over 4% each one.  So that's weird.

I'll perform some scans, but I doubt it's any malware or a virus, as I can't recall downloading anything that is questionable over the last few days.
WindowsCursor.mp4
TaskManager.mp4
Unless there is an SSD error (that is a good SSD and what I use) , then virus scans are in order
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I narrowed down the problem.  It's chrome causing the issue.  So after a restart, it's works fine, as soon as I open chrome, either 1 tab or 20 tabs, that's when I get the spinning wheel.   I close all my chrome browsers and the spinning wheel stops.

This is not good, as chrome is my main browser, all my favorites, every app/webiste I use is with chrome.

I just checked, and its up to date.  I guess I can uninstall chrome and try to reinstall it?

Google Chrome is up to date
Version 69.0.3497.100 (Official Build) (64-bit)
I have Chrome running fine on my SSD. Uninstall, restart, and when you install, do not install any extensions. Then see if it is faster
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I disabled every extension, I uninstalled chrome, restarted and installed it again, all extensions are disabled, and it's still doing the same thing.
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strange, even with chrome closed, when I click windows explorer, it's very slow to start, maybe 15-25 seconds or so.  The mouse doesn't spin like it does with chrome, it's just slow opening.
You may wish to try a Windows 10 Repair Install and Keep Everything.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

For Windows 10 V1803:

Create a USB Windows Installation key and then run Setup on the USB Key. This will launch the Repair .

Allow it to run and complete and then test again.
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thats very time consuming
It takes about 2 hours on my machine and it is mostly just watching paint dry. Set it up before dinner and two or so hours later (depending on your download speed) it will be done.

It is the easiest way to find / eliminate a needle in a haystack
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I created the usb, booted from the usb, but the optoin to "reset this PC" is not available.   So that's what I need to do, but it's not there.
Start your computer, insert the USB key and rein Setup from the USB key
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ok, I'm doing it within windows
the problem is that it removes all my programs, I have  a LOT of programs, so that's going to take me like days to reinstall and configure everything.
It should not do that. It should give you the option of Keeping Everything. I have done this before without losing a thing.
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yes, I selected to keep my files
Select Keep my File AND Keep my Apps.
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only two options

User generated image
I see. You are running Reset in Windows.

No.

Navigate the USB key and run Setup from the USB key. That will give you a different screen.

If you are nervous, see if a knowledgeable friend can help.
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I tried that already, I don't have a "reset" using the usb key.
From the link above I gave you, select Download (second link) and then Save and save as a USB key.

The last time I did this (60 days ago) it worked fine.
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yes, that's exactly what I did
Back out and do not do that then. I am away and will have to look at a test machine when I return,

I sure do not get the Reset screen you showed above.
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Here's a short video of all the options when I boot from the bootable usb drive
IMG_3527.zip
Do not boot from the drive.

What I suggested to do is Open the Drive (so use Windows Explorer), see the list of file, one of them is Setup.exe. Run Setup.exe .

I suggest getting a knowledgeable friend to help you with this.
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I did NOT boot from my OS drive, or my C drive.  I used a flash drive, a usb flash drive which windows installed the windows 10 creation tool, like you said.

so now you're saying to go back to windows and try it using windows, which I did, that's what the above screenshot is from.

I'll try one other thing.
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I ran the update assistant in windows, like you said, and it said "thank you for updating to the newest version of windows", and there was only a close button, that's because I'm already on the newest version and there is nothing to upgrade.
I guess I am not being clear.

Open the link above.

The first link will tell you nothing to upgrade.
The second link offers you to download the file.

Download and save to a USB key.

Do NOT restart.

Open Windows Explorer, navigate to the USB key and from the files on the USB key, run Setup. Exe.

Please (for your own safety) get someone to help you.
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This was the only link you provided; https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
there are not two links in any of your posts.

I might not be a guru, but I know what I'm doing, I just don't have the rest option.

I run it in windows without rebooting, I have not tried that option yet.
There actually are two links (buttons) in the link above. Use the Second one, create a USB key and run Setup from it.

User generated image
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got it, i needed to run the setup on the usb flash drive in windows.  I got the option you were referring to, it's just that you have to go through that process to get that option.  Why wasn't it built into windows when you reset windows within windows.  oh welll.   Its going through the process now.
I am not sure why it was not built in, but now you have the process going properly. Mostly now just watch it and then keep us posted
did you ever try a system restore to a date it was ok?
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Yea, I tried a system restore, there are no restores, don’t know why, but I will check to make sure I turn on that feature
Did the repair install complete?  

And if so, is Chrome working properly?
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the repair did NOT help, it's still doing it..... :(

I guess my only solution will be to reformat, but it's going to take like 2-3 if not more days for me to put back all my applications and especially all the configuration for each application... grr.......  I don't know if I have any other choice?

For some reason, my system restore was turned off.....
It is probably a Windows User Profile issue which cannot be fixed with a Repair Install. So yes, back up fully and reinstall Windows
did you try another user profile??
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I did not, I will try that in a few minutes
Hello Dan,

Testing a new profile is quite easy. Backing everything up, deleting your own profile, and making it again is almost as much work as simply reinstalling Windows. That is because  95% of the work is setup .  I leave it to you but the best answer here may be to start again.
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nope, I tried another profile, but it still does the same thing, so that's weird
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John, yes, you are right, if I were to make a new profile, it's almost as much work as just starting fresh, which actually would speed things up.
so I think tomorrow will be the day where I document my apps, configuration, etc.... and make some backups, and then do the fresh install.

I'm debating though, I do have an acronis image backup from last week, so I'm debating if I should restore to last Thursday, I would just lose my work for the last 5 days.
I would back everything up and the install fresh
if you copy your data now, you can add it back after the you install the old Acronis backup
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copy what data, I guess I would have to copy the entire profile, but I can't think of everything I did since last Thursday.
Maybe it would be better to do a fresh install, things always run faster initially and hopefully that will help me to not install so many programs well.
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>>  copy what data  <<  that's up to you to decide
you can have 100 Gb of data, but have accessed only 1 GB the last few days -  so that's what you need to copy
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Well, I fixed the problem with the spinning wheel, but now I discovered a larger problem :(
So by uninstalling lastpass application, that solved my issue.

But now, when I try to use GP management, AD domains and trusts, or users and computers,  the msc doesn't work.  When opening the control panel, that throws errors at me as well.

I think it's time for a fresh install.
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Thanks guys for your help, I just did a reformat, and installed the OS from scratch, it was time :)
Thanks for the update