Right Click Causes Cpu Spike

Sometimes when I right click something, especially printers, my explorer process spikes to 99% and my entire system slows down (mouse lags, etc.) It seems that it is a known bug, but the solution doesn't work for me.

Make sure you aren't using memory/cpu sucking software like that of Nvidia (my memory/cpu death experience was with Nview) and any other stuff that you don't critically need in the context menu.



What are the details of computer's configuration (OS version, cpu type, memory type etc.)
Loadsgood.

Seems I remember the fix was to click Tools>Options>View and set explorer to 'classic view'. 

You're most likely infected by "CoolWebSearch".. It's known to slow down every operating system that it gets a hold of. Make sure that a process is not using up your resources, as well. Explorer tends to "over do it" a few times.

First and foremost:
 ENABLE SYSTEM RESTORE!!!

1.) Boot to safe mode
2.) Scan with your virus scanner
  a.) clean up
   i.) scan again
3.) scan with a spyware scanner
  a.) clean up
   i.) scan again
if(HasNotWorked)
{
  repeat;
}

Oh, and most importantly, make sure to clean up your freaking temporary Internet files. You have no idea how many buggers hide in there waiting to jump out like little ants. Also, disable some UI features that you don't normally use or are of no advantage to you. If you're not running on a network, disable "Automatically search for network folders and printers".
My Documents > Tools > Folder Options : View {Tab} :> Files and Folders {Section}.

Temp files directories:
Start > Run > %temp%
Start > Run > temp

This should get you up to speed. And never save executables to your desktop. Common mistake ...

Good luck!

Isn't this more likely related to the right click problem with Windows Explorer rather than a virus? If you right click a file in Windows Explorer without first selecting it, the CPU usage sky-rockets to a whopping 100% and stays there until you exit the context menu.

Context menu works great here wether i click on a file or not. I still am sticking with the virus problem.

Steve411 wrote:

First and foremost:
 ENABLE SYSTEM RESTORE!!!

If it were a virus, you'd want to disable system restore.


Also, it doesn't have to be a virus.  Do you by any chance have Norton AntiVirus installed? There was an issue a while back about Security Certficates and how Norton would stall because the security certficates expired.  This would effect the context menus making them load slower and would also make Office, especially word, much slower at startup.


mVPstar

mVPstar wrote:

Steve411 wrote: First and foremost:  ENABLE SYSTEM RESTORE!!!

If it were a virus, you'd want to disable system restore.


Also, it doesn't have to be a virus.  Do you by any chance have Norton AntiVirus installed? There was an issue a while back about Security Certficates and how Norton would stall because the security certficates expired.  This would effect the context menus making them load slower and would also make Office, especially word, much slower at startup.


mVPstar

keyword IF. When you scan for viruses some required system files may be infected, so if the scanner deletes them you're screwed. A system restore can easily fix that and not to mention the fact that most modern virus scanners allow you to choose wether you want to create a system restore point or not.

Uninstall any anti-virus or anti-spyware software you have, restart, reinstall. This is a classic symptom of a damaged NAV or Mcafee installation.

http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/Autoruns.html

Download this program (Assuming the above advice didn't fix it), you can find the download link at the bottom of the page.

View -> "Show Explorer Addons", and then remove any unnecessary entries.

Specs:
Dell Inspiron 8600
1.4 Pentium M
512mb DDR1 RAM
64mb GeforceFX Go
Windows XP Pro
Anti-Vir Personal Edition

I first doubt its spyware or viruses, I've been extremely vigilante about that threat.

Tyler wrote:

Isn't this more likely related to the right click problem with Windows Explorer rather than a virus? If you right click a file in Windows Explorer without first selecting it, the CPU usage sky-rockets to a whopping 100% and stays there until you exit the context menu.

Exactly what I'm thinkingand what's happening, but I can't figure out the solution. Especially since I can't find a reliable way to replicate the problem. It seems to consistently occur when I click on printers, but on some occasions, it won't. Though much more rare, it also sometimes happens when I right click other stuff like my hard drives or the desktop.

manickernel wrote:

Seems I remember the fix was to click Tools>Options>View and set explorer to 'classic view'. 

But I like Royale!

Anyways, I'm going to reinstall Anti-Vir and switch it to classic to see whether that works.

Steve411 wrote:

keyword IF. When you scan for viruses some required system files may be infected, so if the scanner deletes them you're screwed. A system restore can easily fix that and not to mention the fact that most modern virus scanners allow you to choose wether you want to create a system restore point or not.

If you have system restore save an infected system file, AFAIK, it's analogous to saving the virus/spyware threat itself.  Even if restoring the file does not restore the viral threat, it will have most likely restored a corrupt system file.



mVPstar

I think far too many technical people lean on the system restore to fix all sorts of problems that any experience would tell you can be fixed by far less destructive means.

This type of thinking is why some firms answer support called with "Reinstall Windows".

Well, things just keep getting more strange. I re-installed my anti-virus, my NVIDIA drivers, unintalled a bunch of unused applications. I ran full system scans with Microsoft Antispyware, Ad-Aware, Spybot, House Call, and Anti-Vir. All found nothing of importance, just a few tracking cookies. I tried switching my view to classic.

None worked. Right clicking a printer (doesn't matter which one) still sent the explorer.exe process through the roof.

Yet, it seems if I left click the icon first before I right click it, the chance of the CPU spiking drops drastically. Like about an 1/10 chance instead more of a 9/10 chance from before.

Manip wrote:

http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/Autoruns.html

Download this program (Assuming the above advice didn't fix it), you can find the download link at the bottom of the page.

View -> "Show Explorer Addons", and then remove any unnecessary entries.

Manip wrote:

Manip wrote: http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/Autoruns.html Download this program (Assuming the above advice didn't fix it), you can find the download link at the bottom of the page. View -> "Show Explorer Addons", and then remove any unnecessary entries. And also download HiJackThis.

mVPstar

Manip wrote:

Manip wrote: http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/Autoruns.html Download this program (Assuming the above advice didn't fix it), you can find the download link at the bottom of the page. View -> "Show Explorer Addons", and then remove any unnecessary entries.

Hm, the only thing out of place was the Display Panning CPL Extention, deskpan.dll, seems to be missing. But (I googled) can't figure out where to obtain this file. And I checked my I386 folder too.

Try HiJackThis! also and post your logfile here.




mVPstar