Vista - explorer.exe using 50% CPU time when idle

explorer.exe is using 50% CPU when the computer is idle. This started after
being in hibernation for about 6 hours.

I can log in, but have no use of the task bar. I can click on a program
icon on my desktop and the program opens with no problem. When I mouse over
the taskbar, either nothing happens or my cursor changes into an hourglass.
I cannot use the Windows key on my keyboard either. If I use Task Manager to
stop explorer.exe and then restart explorer.exe - the taskbar works normally
for a while, but explorer.exe is still using at least 50% CPU time when the
computer is idle.

At one time when the coputer asked if I wanted to wait for the program to
end or close program or find a solution, i clicked on details and:

==================
Description:
A problem caused this program to stop interacting with Windows.

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: AppHangB1
Application Name: Explorer.EXE
Application Version: 6.0.6000.16549
Application Timestamp: 46d230c5
Hang Signature: f5c0
Hang Type: 0
OS Version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.768.3
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Hang Signature 1: 0e0c8e5ed35ecb9a57712466f494ead5
Additional Hang Signature 2: cfa2
Additional Hang Signature 3: 2fe8c59d396edec6fd2dfb79f91a3d31
Additional Hang Signature 4: f5c0
Additional Hang Signature 5: 0e0c8e5ed35ecb9a57712466f494ead5
Additional Hang Signature 6: cfa2
Additional Hang Signature 7: 2fe8c59d396edec6fd2dfb79f91a3d31

Read our privacy statement:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?link...3&clcid=0x0409
=====================

If I log on as a different user, I do not have the problems listed above.

I am also using Norton antivirus and no viruses have been found.

Can someone please help me figure out what is wrong?

My core 2 duo does the same (solid 50% used by explorer.exe), but the
other core allows me to operate fairly normally. The abnormal load
being used by explorer.exe is not apparent when logged in as the admin
user.

Another symptom is that the explorer hot links (personal favourites) in
the start menu have all disappeared. Is it a User Profile issue?

I have just installed Nero7, but this is not actually running as far as
I can see

More experimentation needed.


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"TechTed" <TechTed.3ajwbd@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:TechTed.3ajwbd@xxxxxxInteresting. I enabled fast user switching, and immediately my
Core 2 Duo went to and stayed at 50% CPU usage. The culprit
was explorer.exe. I disabled the fast user switching and CPU
usage went back to it's idle 0%-2%. This was for Win XP Pro,
but the similarity is striking. I was planning on using fast
user switching with Vista Ultimate 64bit, but may forget it.
During the 50% CPU usage, the CPU stayed at its full speed,
causing a 10*C increase in core temps.

I have been trying to identify the root cause of this, and it appears to
be the ntuser.dat file. I created a test user, and all the features work
OK there - 2% CPU, all the start menu entries etc - as they do on my
admin user.

Then I copied all the files from the 'bad' user profile to the new user
profile one by one. The problem immediately starts when I copy over the
ntuser.dat file - 50% CPU load etc

I need now to find a utility to repair that, or just overwrite it with
the one from the new user. Obviously I then have to redo all the
personalised entries.

ntuser.dat appears to be a registry hive, but I haven't played too much
yet.

TechTed


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I am also having this issue. I noticed it today (May 8, 2008). I might just
do a system restore, but am not sure if that would help. I'm gonna wait to
see what sort of response there will be here first. It had been up to 95+%,
and had to reboot, as going to My Computer wouldn't even show the contents of
the window.

"cupstack" wrote:

Hi all,

Well, it seems to be working now. Looking at the Windows Task Manager, it
shows 00% CPU usage, and 30,288K under Memory. I'm using Windows Vista Home
Premium on my HP dv9543cl Pavilion Notebook.

What I did. Well, yesterday I installed iTunes. That's when the trouble
started. Stupid Apple installs their Updater programs, and "watcher" for
when you plug in an Ipod (I don't have one.. wish they would put a check
option to include it or not in your install). Anyhow, I uninstalled about
3-4(? can't remember... nor their names, sorry) of their Apple Software from
the Add/Remove Programs under Control Panel. I still have iTunes installed,
but it's not giving any problems, as I'm using it right now.

Anyhow, that's what helped me. Hope you guys get your issues fixed.

P.S. Didn't even have to do a System Restore like I had stated.

P.P.S. Sorry, the "May" date was incorrect, I meant June 8, 2008.

"Agreed" wrote:

This is a real pain. The corrupted user profile remedy is to create a
new user, then copy all the user's files from the 'bad' account to the
new one.

I can confirm that this works, and both cores now run at less than 2%
when logged in.

However, the evil vista account management system means that all the
user preferences have to be re-done, and all the programs they
installed now won't recognise their original data. iTunes is the worst
- it now believes that this is a new pairing, and insists on deleting
the contents of the iPod.

All in all a most disturbing experience. Does anyone have a hive file
analyser, so I can see what was actually wrong with the old profile
(saved as part of the old 'bad' user. I really do not want to import it
into the registry, which appears to be the recommended idea.

TechTed


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These problems are identical to what I'm experiencing. Mine acted up after I
tried to perform a standard update. I'm going to see about creating a new
profile.
One other thing I noticed though, SearchProtocolHost.exe will occassionally
run at ~30%. I'm not entirely sure why or what it even does, so if anyone
has any ideas...you know...a little help here.

"cupstack" wrote:

Found the problem for me at least. Using vista x64. Problem was simply
down to the use of a Dreamscene (animated wallpaper). Switch to using a
static image wallpaper and cpu usage goes straight to 0.


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