Explorer.exe CPU problem

[Joske123]

Hi,

I'm running Vista 32 bit and recently I've been having a number of issues that might be unrelated, but I believe they started appearing at about the same time so I suspect there might be some link between them:
- explorer.exe is constantly using exactly 25% CPU
- the left hand side of my start menu is completely empty and no new recently used programs appear there
- when I make changes in the taskbar or start menu properties screens, the taskbar will freeze and I can't click on it anymore
- the cooling fan is behaving erratically, speeding up and slowing down all the time

I thought it might be a virus, but a full scan by Norton showed nothing (it might be something that's not recognised by Norton though, I don't know). My account is the only one having these problems, the rest is unaffected. I assume I could simply make a new account for myself, but I'd rather try to solve the problem first.

When I close down explorer.exe, the CPU and cooling fan go back to normal. I looked at the process with Process Explorer and noticed that there's a lot of changing going on in the processes dependant on explorer.exe: processes are constantly appearing and going away again. This doesn't happen on other user accounts, the processes underneath explorer.exe are constantly the same there.

I've been looking for a solution for a while now, but found nothing that works. I'm not too familiar with the technical aspects of computers so I might be missing something obvious. Anyway, any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Shadowjk]

Could you please Log in into Safe mode and report back if you have any or the same issues

See http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/123496-safe-mode.html?ltr=S

This will tell us if it is Virus Related

Many Thanks,
Josh

 

[Joske123]

I booted in Safe Mode and the problems remain the same: high CPU usage by explorer.exe on my user account but other accounts are fine...

 

[richc46]

Lets talk bottom line. Try an sfc command. If it shows errors, it means that your account is corrupted; since other accounts are ok. It is time to open a new account.
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html

Download and run malwarebyes.

We can easily trasfer everything to the new account.

 

[Joske123]

I ran malwarebytes and it came up with nothing. I didn't do the sfc thing yet, if I understand correctly it would change or reset some settings and I don't know if I want that.
I guess I'll just go and make a new account as you suggested. If I do that and delete my current one, the problem should be solved right? I mean it can't "spread" to other accounts or something?

In any case, thank you for your help.

 

[richc46]

Actually SFC changes very little. When you received or installed your Vista it was without corruption. Sometimes errors and corruption will occur. In this situation SFC will restore you OS to the pre corrution state that it was originally in. Your documents, pics, music etc will not be touched. Changes that you made to the OS may revert, but then they may be responsobile for your problem. You can start with a System Restore, if you do not like the SFC changes, you can go back. I am not telling you to do the SFC, I am merely saying that based upon all that I know, I would use it on my computer.
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html