Whenever I open any Explorer window on my laptop, the CPU pins and I have to shut it down using the button -- everything freezes and nothing works at all.

Everything else works fine -- multiple IM apps, FF with up to 40 tabs open, etc. But just one Explorer window and that's it.

Windows XP
NOD 32 (up to date)
CA Firewall

your optical drive may be going, if it is removable try taking it out then see if it works

another thing to try is to see if you have any system files that are corrupt try this

Go to Start->Run and type in sfc /scannow and hit OK. Let it scan. If it finds any files missing/corrupted, it may ask for the Windows CD.

knowing that you probably have toms of picture type files and possibly avi files, if the above suggestions don't help as a last resort you can try this but it is more involved.

NOTE: before doing this, you should make a backup of your registry by going to start->run, typing regedt32 , then going to File > Export and saving the registry file somewhere safe.

1. Click Start
2. Click Run
3. Type: regedt32
4. Browse to the registry key (the things that look like folders on the left side of the screen) HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.avi\shellex\PropertyHandler.
5. Delete the Key on the right hand side called "default" by right-clicking and hitting "Delete".

That should be it. If that doesn't work, the following command might help, but it will disable all AVI thumbnail preview capability:

go to Start > Run, type: REGSVR32 /U SHMEDIA.DLL and press OK. To undo this change, simply go to Start > Run, type: REGSVR32 SHMEDIA.DLL and press OK.

I started running an Ad-Aware full system scan just before you posted, so I'll see if that helps. It has a long way to go.

BTW I had to download a new one, so in the process of downloading it I had to save it to a folder, and I was able to do it -- I wasn't even able to save to a folder earlier because as soon as the "save to..." folder opened everything would freeze. So maybe it just needed a rest, who knows.

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EDIT: Just saw your last post:

yeshuas wrote:

If that doesn't work, the following command might help, but it will disable all AVI thumbnail preview capability

You know, I was trying to remember when I had this problem before and it was when I was opening a folder with a lot of jpgs and avis in it and it was on thumbnail view. It was the thumbnail rendering that was the culprit because all I had to do was put it on list or details view and it was fine. I have a feeling that may have been the problem again and I just didn't remember since it was so long ago.

phileysmiley wrote:

I started running an Ad-Aware full system scan just before you posted, so I'll see if that helps. It has a long way to go. BTW I had to download a new one, so in the process of downloading it I had to save it to a folder, and I was able to do it -- I wasn't even able to save to a folder earlier because as soon as the "save to..." folder opened everything would freeze. So maybe it just needed a rest, who knows.

needed a rest have you been workin that puter to hard LOL

Scan came up clean. I think I found the folder that was the culprit. I had them all set to list view (apply all folders) but for some reason a folder with lots of pics and movies was on thumbnail view. I set it to details and hopefully it will stay that way.

all is working ok them I hope (-:

Still locking up whenever I try to save a file.

yeshuas wrote:

Go to Start->Run and type in sfc /scannow and hit OK. Let it scan.

Running now.

I also backed up my files onto an external and deleted some pic/movie folders.

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UPDATE: File check was ok.

Did this

Quote:

NOTE: before doing this, you should make a backup of your registry by going to start->run, typing regedt32 , then going to File > Export and saving the registry file somewhere safe. 1. Click Start 2. Click Run 3. Type: regedt32 4. Browse to the registry key (the things that look like folders on the left side of the screen) HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.avi\shellex\PropertyHandler. 5. Delete the Key on the right hand side called "default" by right-clicking and hitting "Delete".

It's still happening. It's intermittent, but it always happens when I am going to save a file. The "save as" box opens where you navigate to the folder and everything freezes.

That's 6 times now I've had to shut down the laptop with the off button.