[PatP3005]

I'm using Win XP. I have two internal hard drives, one for operating use and the other for backups. The backup drive is D: Recently, trying to access one particular folder on the D drive will freeze Explorer, requiring the ctl-alt-del to shut it down. I can go into and manipulate files and folders in all the other folders on this drive with no problem. Clicking on the problem folder on the left hand window causes the freeze. Can't access anything in the folder. I've defragged, I've done Registry Mechanic, I've done CCleaner. I've deleted unnecessary stuff on the drive to ensure there is plenty of space available. Even at 50% free space, this folder is causing freezes. I'd appreciate any suggestions.

[Hermitt43]

Have you tried to Rename the offending folder (in the right-hand pane)?

[PatP3005]

Thanks for the suggestion. Renamed it by left clicking D in left hand frame, right clicked offending folder in right hand frame and renamed. Closed Explorer, reopened. Same result. Explorer freezes.

[Hermitt43]

If you can't open the folder by double clicking it in the right hand frame, then I would delete it but only if the files inside that folder are NOT important.
Special Note:
A while back I used Registry Mechanic and was constantly having problems with my PC. I finally discovered R. M. was the culprit so I uninstalled it and my PC problems vanished.

Jim

[PatP3005]

Files in the folder are EXTREMELY important, so deletion is not an option.

Interesting about RM. I've used it for years and have never had a problem. Did you simply uninstall the program and your problems cleared up, or did you have to do some registry repair too?

[Hermitt43]

Originally Posted by PatP3005

Files in the folder are EXTREMELY important, so deletion is not an option.

Interesting about RM. I've used it for years and have never had a problem. Did you simply uninstall the program and your problems cleared up, or did you have to do some registry repair too?

I'm not a computer expert but I'm thinking that folder or a file/files inside of it are corrupted which is why I suggested deletion.
At this point I suggest you wait for one of TSG's experts to drop in and help you with this issue.

Actually, RM had messed up my system so bad that I eventually had to do a clean install of XP.

Sorry I couldn't solve your issue,
Jim

[Phantom010]

You might need to run a chkdsk /r.

To do so, click on Start > Run > type CMD.

Normally it will be defaulted to C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.

To check a different drive, like D drive for example, just type in D:

Then, type chkdsk /r

[Rockn]

Can you view the folder in question from a DOS window? Look for any files with extremely long names. Are you running the Windows or Google file indexing on your computer? Any AV software running on it?

[PatP3005]

Phantom: I ran chkdsk. I took a screen shot of the results. The gist is that it completed all five stages. At the end it says, "CHKDSK discovered free space marked as allocated in the master file table bitmap. Windows has made corrections to the file system." It also indicates that it found 0 KB in bad sectors. I shut down the system then rebooted after about 15 minutes. Opened WE, clicked on D drive, clicked on offending folder, was allowed access. I could hover over a file and get the properties of the file. My ultimate goal is to delete some of the files. I was able to delete one file. Went to the next (heart pounding with excitement) and...frozen. Task Mgr says Not Responding. Ended process. Then I decided to stop SpySweeper. After stopping Spy Sweeper, no problems with accessing the folder and deleting files.

Rockn: My DOS is a little rusty, but when I tried to look at the directory, I typed in "D:\dir QB_Backups /s" In Windows, the folder is QB Backups. I tried it with a space and with an underscore because I couldn't remember DOS's requirements. Either way, it told me there were no files in that directory. Windows indexing is running on my computer (although I really don't want or need it). AV software is Avast and SpySweeper. As you read above, when I killed SS, all was right with the world. Now I'm wondering 1) did CHKDSK fix something and now its okay, and 2) because I had just rebooted the computer SS was doing its annoying start up sweep so it was hogging enough resources to prevent WE from doing what it needed to do. Your opinion?

Jim, Phantom and Rockn: THANK YOU so much for your efforts! Truly appreciated.

[Phantom010]

To disable the Windows indexing service, click on Start > Run > type services.msc

Scroll down to Indexing Service and double-click it.

If the service status is "Running", then stop it by pressing the "Stop" button.

To make sure this service doesn't run again, under "Startup Type:", choose "Disabled."

This should speed up your computer a bit.

[PatP3005]

Thanks Phantom. I was wrong. Indexing wasn't running. I had it set at "Manual." But since I was there, I went ahead and changed it to Disabled.

[Soroti]

I have exactly the same problem with one folder which houses very many videos . The system jams and Explorer is seen to be using 50 (%?) of the capacity with System Idle at 50 . I reckon this is something to do with the folders showing thumbnails of both sub-folders and ordinary files but can't find out how to get rid of the thumbnails . I tried changing the content to videos and then to Pictures ( which the system says is better for large number of files ) but to no avail . Previously I found that moving a block of files from the offending folder to another folder helped . This seems to imply that there is an optimum number / volume of files that can be handled within one folder . Is there anything else that I can do ??

[PatP3005]

Soroti, within days of posting the initial message to this thread, the drive I was having trouble with died. It was an older drive. While I was working it gave a very high-pitched whine for about one minute. When I checked "My Computer", that particular drive had disappeared. Since it wasn't being recognized, I rebooted. The OS found the drive again, but then it disappeared again (after another high pitched whine). This time I shut the system down until I bought a replacement drive figuring I probably only had one or two boots left on it. Hope you have a different problem, or at least can salvage your data.

[Soroti]

The external drive which I have ( 1 T ) is to replace an unstable one . The bulk of data is in one folder which has a series of subfolders and ordinary files ( all videos ) . Other folders are fine and I have no problem in viewing the folders in the problem folder if I catch them quick enough . Opening the folder starts off the " whine" as the fan goes mad and explorer is trying to do something and then it can't get out of the " loop" and stays running noisily . When I try something like HJ Split that just jams and I have to use Cont . Alt + Delete which then shuts out everything leaving only the screen saver and I then have to re-boot . I'm sure its something to do with the volume of that folder and I'll try to move files out into another folder . On the drive there is another large folder ( about a quarter of the size of the problem one ) , and that runs fine . I tried CheckDisc on the Drive ( external) which took over 8 hours to run ( about 800 gig used of the disc) . I'll try de-fragging overnight to see if that helps . I'm sure that I read somewhere in Tech Guys that having thumbnails showing on all files and folders can create a major problem when the system tries to read them

[Soroti]

Hopefuly the problem is now solved . I've found a " Views" icon at the end of the File;Edit;View;Favourites bar and that allows a choice of showing thumbnails , tiles or icons. This does seem to have been a volume issue and by switching from Thumbnails to Tiles the folder opens up easily and with no pressure on the fan and explorer . I'll spread the files among a number of folders to reduce volume and then revert to thumbnails as that is the easiest way of identifying the videos .