 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
Windows Forum / Windows XP / Performance and Maintainance / October 2008Explorer.exe causing 100% cpu utilization, need to re-install expl
Greetings, My environment is Windows XP SP2 with Word and Excel 2000. At random intervals my cpu goes to 100% utilization, with explorer.exe at 75% or more. This often happens when I open a Word document or Excel spreadsheet, but it also happens during other regular non-cpu-intensive work. I have tried every fix I have found online, but to no avail. I have confirmed that this isn't spyware. I conclude that explorer.exe is broken and presume the only solution is to re-install it. How is this done? I haven't found any reference to this online, which is amazing. Please note my Thinkpad T43 did not come with an XP CD, so I cannot re-install explorer.exe from that, nor format and re-install XP (I will live with the problem before doing this, so please don't suggest this). Thank you. Jeff > My environment is Windows XP SP2 with Word and Excel 2000. At > random intervals my cpu goes to 100% utilization, with explorer.exe [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > explorer.exe from that, nor format and re-install XP (I will live > with the problem before doing this, so please don't suggest this). No XP CD - likely no fix without involving one. SFC /scannow comes to mind.  SignatureShenan Stanley MS-MVP -- How To Ask Questions The Smart Way http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html I've tried SFC/scannow but didn't find useful information. > > My environment is Windows XP SP2 with Word and Excel 2000. At > > random intervals my cpu goes to 100% utilization, with explorer.exe [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > SFC /scannow comes to mind. Jeff sfc / scannow is able to replace problematic or missing drivers when they originate from Microsoft. Instead of looking in Task Manager try Process Explorer. CPU usage relating explorer.exe in Task Manager may relate to a subsidiary process where explorer.exe is acting as the parent. Thus in Process Explorer just I had Process Explorer and Teatimer showing CPU usage which then got repeated in explorer.exe. However, explorer.exe acts as parent for any number of processes and you may need to dig deeper to find the cause of the CPU usage. For further information about Process Explorer see here: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/SystemInformation/ProcessExplorer.mspx A new addition to Process Explorer is that you can now right click on a process and search Online for relevant information. SignatureHope this helps. Gerry ~~~~ FCA Stourport, England Enquire, plan and execute ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > I've tried SFC/scannow but didn't find useful information. > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] >> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way >> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html Shenan, At first I couldn't get scannow-sfc to run. After reading www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html and doing several of the registry edits and still not getting it to run, I concluded my c:/i_386 folder had corrupt files. I borrowed an XP SP2 disc and then successfully ran scannon-sfc... and I still get 100% cpu with explorer.exe as the culprit. Any ideas what to try next? Thank you. > > My environment is Windows XP SP2 with Word and Excel 2000. At > > random intervals my cpu goes to 100% utilization, with explorer.exe [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > SFC /scannow comes to mind. i've got a similar situation where explorer is using exactly 50% of cpu utilisation. it seems to happen most (but not only) when i launch a word document. if i subsequently close word, explorer still uses 50% of the cpu and the only way to reclaim it is to kill the explorer.exe process. i can even kill the process and leave word running, cpu goes back to 0% even after i re-run explorer. word does show up as a child of explorer in procexp, untill i kill and re-run explorer. i have latest norton and have run a scan. ps it may be 50% and not 100% usage because i have a dual core cpu? it was a rogue word document - first thing i noticed was that it was only one word document causing the problem, when i opened other docs the problem didn't occur. then i noticed that when the problem occurred when i hadn't opened the document, it was because i had viewed the folder (in thumbnail mode) that contained the document. so my solution was to delete the document and berate the person who gave it to me ;) problem solved. (silly windows/office) Jeff Instead of looking in Task Mamager try Process Explorer. CPU usage relating explorer.exe in Task Manager may relate to a subsidiary process where explorer.exe is acting as the parent. Thus in Process Explorer just I had Process Explorer and Teatimer showing CPU usage which then got repeated in explorer.exe. However, explorer.exe acts as parent for any number of processes and you may need to dig deeper to find the cause of the CPU usage. For further information about Process Explorer see here: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/SystemInformation/ProcessExplorer.mspx A new addition to Process Explorer is that you can now right click on a process and search Online for relevant information. You should have a system disk. Read the User guide to see what you need to do to get one. Start here: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-58646 However, your CPU problem will not I suspect be resolved by reinstalling Windows XP. You can virtually never confirm you do not have spyware. SignatureHope this helps. Gerry ~~~~ FCA Stourport, England Enquire, plan and execute ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Greetings, > [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Jeff Thanks, Gerry. I've been using Process Explorer for a few months and it's a great tool, but your suggestions had not occurred to me, so I'll dig deeper. If it turns out that explorer.exe is simply broken, is there a Microsoft website where it can be downloaded and installed over my existing explorer.exe, or is it not that simple due to explorer.exe's integration into many XP functions? > Jeff > [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > > > > Jeff Jeff Let's not try to cross bridges before we have to. The problem may well not be anything to do with your copy of explorer.exe. SignatureHope this helps. Gerry ~~~~ FCA Stourport, England Enquire, plan and execute ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Thanks, Gerry. I've been using Process Explorer for a few months and > it's a great tool, but your suggestions had not occurred to me, so [quoted text clipped - 58 lines] >>> >>> Jeff Gerry, the problem has just occurred when I opened a Word 2000 doc. Many times its the opening of a Word 2000 or Excel 2000 file that causes this; any possibility of a problem with these products? Now that I've got the 100% cpu utilization, what am I looking for in Process Explorer when I right-click explorer.exe? Which tab and what info will direct me to the possible cause as you previously described it? Thank you. P.S.: I don't know why, but even though I check "Notify me of replies" I don't get any notice. > Jeff > [quoted text clipped - 63 lines] > >>> > >>> Jeff Jeff Explorer is the parent. Inset and under Explorer are the children. When explorer shows 100% does one of the children also show usage of 100%? SignatureHope this helps. Gerry ~~~~ FCA Stourport, England Enquire, plan and execute ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Gerry, the problem has just occurred when I opened a Word 2000 doc. > Many times its the opening of a Word 2000 or Excel 2000 file that [quoted text clipped - 88 lines] >>>>> >>>>> Jeff Gerry, there has never been a child under explorer (no + next to it so it can be expanded... I presume that's what you mean). > Jeff > [quoted text clipped - 94 lines] > >>>>> > >>>>> Jeff Jeff There is no + in Task Manager. There should normally be a - in Process Explorer or + if it is not expanded. The grouping of childen of explorer on my computer is some size so I would expect a group on most computers. It does , however, depend on what software is installed and what is in use at the current time. In yiour previous post you linked 100% cpu to opening a Word document. Word will appear appear as a child of explorer whilst you have word document open. Same applies to an excel document. However, does opening a Word document generate 100% CPU activity for any significant period of time? That would not be normal. SignatureHope this helps. Gerry ~~~~ FCA Stourport, England Enquire, plan and execute ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Gerry, there has never been a child under explorer (no + next to it > so it can be expanded... I presume that's what you mean). [quoted text clipped - 108 lines] >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Jeff Looking in Process Explorer, right now explorer.exe is a child under procexp.exe. I just opened Word and it is also a child under procexp.exe. I had not noticed this before. I just opened three Word documents, attempting to force the 100% cpu, but that didn't happen right now (of course). I just opened four Excel spreadsheets (while keeping the Word docs open) and now have 100% cpu with 75-85% of that going to explorer.exe. Excel is not a child under explorer.exe, but is a child under type32.exe. When this problem occurs, regardless of whether it's Word, Excel or some task that drives explorer.exe and cpu to high utilization, it stays this way until I stop explorer.exe and restart it. I will leave this as is until I hear back from you, as I'm leaving the house for a few hours. I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate your help. > Jeff > [quoted text clipped - 122 lines] > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> Jeff Gerry, I had to open multiple Word and Excel files to get the 100% cpu and 75-85% explorer.exe use. Word is a child under explorer.exe, but Excel is a child under type32.exe. Once this problem occurs, cpu and explorer.exe use stays high until I kill and then restart explorer.exe. I've got to leave the house for a few hours, so I'll leave this as is until I hear from you. I can't thank you enough for your help. Jeff > Jeff > [quoted text clipped - 122 lines] > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> Jeff Jeff type32.exe is a Microsoft component of Microsoft IntellitypePro and a child of explorer.exe on my computer. I would not expect Excel to show as a child of type32.exe; it should show as a child of explorer.exe. Do you use Excel and Word templates? A corrupted template can cause unending CPU usage. Does your anti-virus scan Excel files when they are opened? SignatureHope this helps. Gerry ~~~~ FCA Stourport, England Enquire, plan and execute ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Gerry, I had to open multiple Word and Excel files to get the 100% > cpu and 75-85% explorer.exe use. Word is a child under explorer.exe, [quoted text clipped - 146 lines] >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Jeff Gerry, I have created several Word templates, but just use the default Excel template. Every once in a while Word asks if I want to restore the Normal template, or something like that. Does this, and Excel not being a child of explorer.exe, indicate likely problems with Word and Excel? Should I re-install them? I have the current ZoneAlarm suite and it isn't set to scan Excel or Word > Jeff > [quoted text clipped - 157 lines] > >>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>> Jeff Jeff What versions of Excel and Word are you using? A corrupted Word template could cause the system run out of memory http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/ProbsOpeningWord.htm Does your anti-virus scan the loading of Excel file? SignatureHope this helps. Gerry ~~~~ FCA Stourport, England Enquire, plan and execute ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Gerry, > [quoted text clipped - 181 lines] >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> Jeff |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.