Win 7 drive hangs when saving files locally, and when saving files in Firefox

[apairofpcs]

I've been having a strange problem with my desktop pc and Win 7 32 bit Ultimate for about 2 months. Intermittently, it seems that any operation relating to Windows Explorer freezes that operation, either showing a "Not-Responding" message in the program's title bar, or forcing me to click the close icon in the upper right corner. This latter action opens a small dialog box that gives me a choice of actions....."Close the program" or "Wait until the program responds." I always close it because it will never respond. No other open application is affected, and if there is no applications open I can open them without any problem. The most common failures occur as stated below:
1. When using Firefox v16.02, or any "recent" version, trying to "save as" a clip on YouTube or any other website while using the Downloadhelper v4.9.10 plug-in at the lower right corner of the browser's status bar, the Save As window freezes and may stay frozen until I close it, or it will enter a "Not Responding" message in the title bar.
2. Right clicking on an image on a page and choosing Save As, can prevent a Save As window from appearing or it can appear and then turn all white with a Not Responding message in the title bar.
2. Clicking on any of my customized Windows Explorer shortcuts on the desktop or in the Quick launch area, will either prevent the window from appearing or allow a window to appear and hang, with the Not Responding message eventually appearing and the entire window turning white.
3. Doing a screen capture using HardCopy Pro and trying to Save As a window to any image file format hangs the Save As window.

I was thinking that any action initiated while the browser is open means the browser and/or the ethernet connection to the internet via my Verizon FiOS ActionTec router, is the problem. However, any operation that involves Windows Explorer has had the problem, not just those related to internet activities and the Save As function.

At no time does the entire pc freeze, lock or hang. I never had to press the Reset button on the front of the case to restart. The only affected program is the one that has the problem. I can't tell you why it started. I have 4 GB RAM, of which only 3.328 GB has been recognized by the 32 bit OS. A 6 hour Memtest86 scan resulted in NO ERRORS after 6 passes. The CPU is an Intel Core 2 Duo 3.00 GHz E8400 Wolfdale. I've done CPU Burn-Ins for a few hours, with a successful completion of each core test. I created a 1,048 MB page file. I have all the latest Windows Update modules. The hard drive where the files I save as are directed, is a Samsung 250 GB SATA with 169 GB free space. Everyday, I use Disk Cleanup and Ultimate Defrag. (by Disktrix). My anti-virus program is AVG Free 2012. I check for updates many times a day. I scan once every two days. Every type of scan I do on my four 250 GB hard drives, renders a virus-free pc. The DVD drive is not connected to the EIDE cable, but a WD 250 GB PATA drive is. My power supply is a 450W Corsair. Every device in Device Manager is using the latest device drivers. I do a chkdsk /f /v on the Win 7 partition a few times a week, with no errors and no bad sectors.

Once in a while, when I have many tabs open in Firefox (I only use one window), this message appears at the system tray, from AVG Advisor. "Total memory used = 219 MB. To correct, close Firefox and then re-open." The value of memory varies a lot. Is this a known Firefox problem, even though I am using it's tabs system? I have the latest version of all of it's plug-ins.

The pc was built from Newegg parts on April 11, 2009. I've never had this problem before. Any ideas?

 

[Mercutio]

Disable or remove AVG, first thing.

 

[ddrueding]

So going into "My Computer" doesn't cause it to hang? Can you navigate to the folder that Firefox is trying to use? I'm thinking something is wrong with a folder or two in your profile.

 

[apairofpcs]

Disable or remove AVG, first thing.

I did this when it first started, even though I've had AVG installed for almost a year. It didn't solve my problem then. The symptom started within the last 2 months. In addition, I have the same version of AVG on my Win 7 64 bit Home Premium edition Toshiba laptop, and it's working fine. AVG has a Free 2013 upgrade and I installed it. But I didn't like the "more modern/less user friendly" interface, so I went back to the 2012 version on the laptop and the desktop.

 

[apairofpcs]

So going into "My Computer" doesn't cause it to hang? Can you navigate to the folder that Firefox is trying to use? I'm thinking something is wrong with a folder or two in your profile.

That is correct. It's occurance is very unpredictable. All signs point to some Windows Explorer component, since opening a folder or saving to a folder are controlled by "explorer.exe."

The folder that I'm using to save all downloads or past operations was created by me. It is a standalone folder with no link to Firefox or any other program. It is a sub-folder of my Samsung's root drive. My Firefox user profile folder never sees any files I manually paste or download onto the drive. When the problem first started, I uninstalled Firefox 16.01 and reverted back to v15.00. The problem persisted.

Have you seen this website for older versions of many common applications?.....http://www.oldapps.com It's a place to find out if a recent version of a program is buggy by installing an older version. The programs offered are sorted by OS. too.

Anybody else?

 

[apairofpcs]

That is correct. It's occurance is very unpredictable. All signs point to some Windows Explorer component, since opening a folder or saving to a folder are controlled by "explorer.exe."

The folder that I'm using to save all downloads or past operations was created by me. It is a standalone folder with no link to Firefox or any other program. It is a sub-folder of my Samsung's root drive. My Firefox user profile folder never sees any files I manually paste or download onto the drive. When the problem first started, I uninstalled Firefox 16.01 and reverted back to v15.00. The problem persisted.

Have you seen this website for older versions of many common applications?.....http://www.oldapps.com It's a place to find out if a recent version of a program is buggy by installing an older version. The programs offered are sorted by OS. too.

Anybody else?

In the 2nd paragraph above, the 1st sentence should read "The folder that I'm using to save all downloads or paste operations was created by me."

 

[Mercutio]

Get rid of AVG anyway. It's a bloated mess.

 

[apairofpcs]

Get rid of AVG anyway. It's a bloated mess.

OK, let's say I get rid of it because it's a bloated mess. Is there any other A/V program that is either less bloated or less of a mess? I used Avast for many years and some viruses passed through it's "impenetrable" barrier. The same happened with PC Tools Spyware Doctor, which is not FREE like AVG, Avast and Avira. I've never had a virus get through AVG though. Regardless of the various and sometimes illogical user interface of the FREE programs, I have never had a virus deliver a payload that did irreparable damage.

OK, so how is MS Security Essentials at protecting a pc? It's also FREE. If any A/V program that was not FREE really protected a pc better than any FREE program, then people would be spending all kinds of bucks on such a program. I don't see this happening though. The grapevine is not broadcasting that there is a magical A/V program out there that is la creme de la creme.

 

[Chewy509]

I've found MS Security Essentials to be just as good as any other AV software at detection hit rates. MSSE has been my recommendation for Windows Users for a while now.

PS. No AV solution will be perfect based on current techniques used (particuarily signature matching), so one just selects one and hopes for the best.

 

[timwhit]

My Dad is great at getting his computer infected, I've found the MSE and Malwarebytes Anti-malware to be a good combination.

 

[apairofpcs]

I've found MS Security Essentials to be just as good as any other AV software at detection hit rates. MSSE has been my recommendation for Windows Users for a while now.

PS. No AV solution will be perfect based on current techniques used (particuarily signature matching), so one just selects one and hopes for the best.

"Just as good as any other AV software at detection hit rates" is not encouraging news to me. I'm happy with AVG, although Mercutio isn't and he seems to be "out of town" at the moment. I could use HIS recommendation as a replacement for AVG. By the way, AVG FREE 2012 is much easier to handle than their "moderne" replacement AVG FREE 2013. As far as I'm concerned, it took a step backward in ease of use.

 

[apairofpcs]

My Dad is great at getting his computer infected, I've found the MSE and Malwarebytes Anti-malware to be a good combination.

Keep a close eye on your Dad. He's living dangerously, somehow. What kind of sites did you say he's been visiting?

By the way, if I want AVG to work up a sweat once in a while, I'll have it check every file of every type for every form of malware/spyware, and it will find hundreds of "potential threats." AVG's default settings do not allow this level of aggressive scanning. Until AVG fails me, I should stay loyal to it.

Back to my problem, which appears to be "explorer.exe" based. Are there any other avenues of examination that I should consider, to nail the cause?

 

[Mercutio]

AVG has been getting progressively worse since about 2006. It went full on irredeemably bloated in about 2008 and now it's well into "uninstall on sight" territory, just like consumer versions of Norton and McAffee software. Seriously, that is the first thing I'd look at for an unexplained slowdown of any sort.

Security Essentials isn't all that great either, but it's free even for limited commercial use, which means that I still use it.

I prefer Avast among the free options, though some will also suggest Avira. Avast is also getting more bloated, but at the moment it's still tolerable in the freeware version.

The dirty little secret of AV software is that none of it works all that well. The guys with the best detection algorithms are only maybe 40% effective against threats lacking virus definitions, while the also-rans like Norton are down somewhere under 15%.

 

[apairofpcs]

AVG has been getting progressively worse since about 2006. It went full on irredeemably bloated in about 2008 and now it's well into "uninstall on sight" territory, just like consumer versions of Norton and McAfee software. Seriously, that is the first thing I'd look at for an unexplained slowdown of any sort.

Security Essentials isn't all that great either, but it's free even for limited commercial use, which means that I still use it.

I prefer Avast among the free options, though some will also suggest Avira. Avast is also getting more bloated, but at the moment it's still tolerable in the freeware version.

The dirty little secret of AV software is that none of it works all that well. The guys with the best detection algorithms are only maybe 40% effective against threats lacking virus definitions, while the also-rans like Norton are down somewhere under 15%.

Did I mention that I disabled AVG and went through all the basic procedures that failed me, with the result being that they still failed me? I always disable the A/V program I'm using, when all other logical means fail. At this point in time, we're left with a dash of salt over the shoulder, crossing our fingers and carrying a rabbit's foot to ward off viruses, malware and spyware. Paying for any A/V program doesn't help one iota.

 

[Mercutio]

Oh.. Sorry. Right.

Anyway, there has to be something on that machine running in the background and killing your I/O. Does the problem still happen in Safe Mode with Networking?

 

[ddrueding]

AVG has been getting progressively worse since about 2006. It went full on irredeemably bloated in about 2008 and now it's well into "uninstall on sight" territory, just like consumer versions of Norton and McAffee software. Seriously, that is the first thing I'd look at for an unexplained slowdown of any sort.

Security Essentials isn't all that great either, but it's free even for limited commercial use, which means that I still use it.

I prefer Avast among the free options, though some will also suggest Avira. Avast is also getting more bloated, but at the moment it's still tolerable in the freeware version.

The dirty little secret of AV software is that none of it works all that well. The guys with the best detection algorithms are only maybe 40% effective against threats lacking virus definitions, while the also-rans like Norton are down somewhere under 15%.

Seconding all of this.

 

[Chewy509]

Re: AV. I did a short research paper about 2yrs ago on the malware industry, and basically, most malware writers don't give a crap about AV solutions, simply becuase they are so ineffective. The best way of avoiding malware is to be thoughtful about where you go on the internet, and disable most of the plugins that comes with modern web browsers (eg Flash, Java, Acrobat, etc) and use plugins like NoScript, Adblock and Ghostery. Also same with email clients as well (but the email stuff is getting better).

Two comments I won't forget went along the lines of "AV solution companies only exist to take your money, but forget to give you the dance", and "using AV is like wearing a condom on your head, while having sex" (eg, it's not going to stop anything that way). (These were made by virus/worm writers who find real 0-day exploits, not some script kiddies who use a virus making tool to develop malware).