Explorer Slows to a Crawl with Large Directories...

[cusimar9]

Has anyone else has this happen?

I have Windows XP Pro on an NTFS 120GB Western Digital 8mb Cache 7200rpm HD. Also have 512mb RAM and Athlon XP1800.

I have one directory with about 5GB in it, and probably about 15GB in subdirectories within it.

I used to have this problem then I thought it went away, but nope its back with vengeance.

Basically when I open the directory to view the files (just listing them and open the occasional one) explorer completely dies and starts using up 100% of the Processor resulting in me having to kill and restart it.

When it restarts everything works fine until I go back into this directory and open up a file then it starts to die again.

Any suggestions?

[Steve R Jones]

Seek out and delete the hidden file: IconCache.db

Located in the folder:
C:\Documents and Settings\YOURUSERNAME\Local Settings\Application Data

[cusimar9]

Ooh whats that file?

And what happens if I delete it?

[r8500]

I'm not sure, but just from the name it looks like it has something to do with caching, and possibly by deleting it you wont be caching pointless junk, and your folders will open at normal speed again.

[Steve R Jones]

The tweak came from www.tweakxp.com

"Windows XP Icon Cache

Are you experiencing icon lag, while browsing thru all your Start icons and programs? Do you have a smaller menu delay and your icons need ages to load? No need to give up.

Just delete the IconCache.db file from your profile directory (usually /Documents and Settings/Username/Local Settings/Application Data)."

The file will get recreated and will continue to grow in size.

[cusimar9]

Great, I'll give it a try

Cheers

[pgriffet]

Are there a lot of video files in the folders ? Explorer has to open each file to prepare the preview and it takes a very long time.
The IconCache.db should not help but it will not harm.

[EldestNorski]

Yes, this smells more like you have thumbnails enabled for this folder and the shell has no common sense about really huge files . . . Or anything else, really! :)

Of course, if this diagnosis is right, there is a catch-22: the normal way to change the view of a folder is to open it and use the view dialog. Of course opening the folder is exactly what you cannot do.

Anybody know the best way to get thumbnails turned off otherwise?

My approach would be to use command line, like this (but I am a known dinosaur!):

1. Make a new temporary folder, say C:\bah -- and check the view to be sure it is reasonable.

2. Open a command line on the problem folder and move the files to the temporary folder you just created using something like:

C:\...> MOVE *.* C:\bah

3. Open the problem folder in Explorer and fix the view

4. Move the files back into the right folder and remove your new temporary folder.

Hope this helps.