Fix to MY problem for Explorer window at High CPU utilization

Vista Ultimate 64 bit here. Quad Core 2.4 GHz, 8GB ram (I do video and graphics editing and multitrack hard-disk recording ... plus play a couple games :D

All 4 processors, 0% utlization. (I had turned indexing off)
Open Explorer window ... spike, then back near zero.

Open a folder ... just about any folder:
At least two of my processors moved to 40, 50, 60, 70, then 80% utilization.
(average overall CPU, 40% to 50%)

Click in a specific folder, sometimes it would stop. It seemed to be most prevalent when I rolled up a set of subfolders or hovered over one about to open it.

This worked for me, 100% verifiable.

zambamingi said:

If you want a faster way to pinpoint the corrupt file, use the Microsoft tool Process Monitor:
Process Monitor
First, recreate the problem causing explorer to use 100% CPU utilization. Then open up the Process Monitor tool and it will show explorer infinitely trying to do a file operation.
It will show you the exact file it's trying to read over and over again.

Click to expand...

I'd searched all over ... registry entries, avi file searches, etc, to no avail.

Used this Procmon.exe. Sure there were lots of processes. But, suddenly it escalated 10 or 20-fold. At least two of my processors moved to 40, 50, 60, 70, then 80% utilization. I scrolled to bottom (latest entries) and scanned thru list to see that over an over three files continually coming up as not found.

In this folder:
C:\Users\YOUR_NAME_HERE\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts\

I had three shortcuts in there:
- My Web Sites on MSN
- images on www.oneofmysites.net
- images on www.oneofmysites.org

I'm not sure how I inadvertently created these Network shortcuts ... and I haven't researched how this folder is legitimately used or what I may have done wrong there. All I know is this:

Take these shortcuts out, CPU utilization goes to zero (or 1% to 2% with indexing on)
Put them back in, problem recurs (this is repeatable behavior)

I hope my post helps someone. :D

I'll take a look at it when I get home... so much to learn about Vista usage still that is not even funny!