Folders and files open very slowly. Inexplicably slow loading folders in Windows
Microsoft strongly recommends that users upgrade to the Windows 10 operating system, which has many advantages over previous versions. But do not forget about the shortcomings, which are more than enough in the new OS of the American corporation. One of the problems with Windows 10 is the slow loading of directories. Folders can open for a long time even on the most modern computers, and the point here is not at all in the hardware, as many people think, but in the features of the operating system.
Why folders take a long time to open on Windows 10
The Windows Vista operating system introduced the Automatic Folder Type Discovery feature, which is required to analyze the contents of a folder and adapt the display of files based on the data received, it migrated to Windows 10. In simpler terms, all files in the operating system can be divided into several types . According to Microsoft, users should store music in one folder, videos in another, and so on. In practice, a small number of users really act like this, and the above function determines the type of files incorrectly, which is why there are problems with the long loading of the folder.
Each of the file types in a separate folder has its own parameters that the operating system seeks to scan in order to display them for the convenience of the user. In total, Windows provides optimization for 4 types of files with the following display options:
- "Video": name, date, type, size, duration;
- "Music": name, song number, title, artist, album;
- "Images": name, date, type, size, tags;
- "Documents": name, modification date, type, size.
The Automatic Folder Type Discovery utility analyzes the files in a folder, suggesting file optimizations to users based on the data it receives. However, if, for example, all types of files are stored in the "Downloads" folder, and it is optimized for "Music", the operating system seeks to obtain parameters from the files to fill in the corresponding columns. This takes a lot of time, causing the folder to open for a long time, because the system has to analyze each file for the presence of the parameters “Song number”, “Artist”, “Album” and others that they may not have.
If a folder is not automatically optimized for the files it contains, it can take from a few seconds to several minutes to load, depending on the amount of data it contains. In such a situation, it is recommended to disable the Automatic Folder Type Discovery feature for a particular folder, which each user can do.
How to fix slow loading folders
Since Automatic Folder Type Discovery works without problems in most cases, it is not recommended to disable it completely by changing registry settings. It is better to turn it off for specific folders, where all the "garbage" falls without sorting. This is done as follows:
Important: If there are other folders in the folder that you don't want to optimize with Automatic Folder Type Discovery, you can immediately apply the assigned actions to them by checking the box "Apply this template to all subfolders".
Are folders opening slowly?
Good day, dear guests!
Have you ever observed such an effect: you have accumulated a lot of different files from the Internet in your Downloads folder and this folder began to open slowly when you go into it? Although it can be any other folder with a lot of files. I observed similar brakes when opening on various computers from my clients and not only. It annoyed me, of course, as well as you, I suppose. And now I will share a method that will increase the speed of opening a folder in Windows (7, 8 or 10).
Why are your folders loading so slowly?
This is a longstanding feature that dates back to Windows Vista. It allows the user to "explain" to Explorer what type of files are contained in certain directories, in order to optimize the way they are displayed.
For example, if you create a Music folder, then copy some mp3 files there, Windows Explorer will automatically optimize it for Music content. That is, when you open a folder, you will notice new columns that were not there before, for example, "Title, artist, album." You can try this out for yourself and see for yourself.
But when the folder is optimized for “Images”, and in fact a bunch of various files are stored inside, of which there are no more than 1% of the actual pictures, then this function turns from a convenient and pleasant feature into an annoying and annoying bug. After all, when a folder is optimized for images, when you open it, Explorer immediately starts sorting through all the files inside to check and update all the thumbnails / thumbnails of all found files, especially if there have been recent changes (adding / deleting).
And if there are downloaded programs inside that your antivirus immediately becomes interested in? Can you imagine how Explorer and antivirus attacked the same folder at the same time? And if there are several thousand files? In such a situation, even a powerful and modern computer can become thoughtful and sweat a lot from such a load, and the old one will generally hang hard :)
First of all, such a disaster is typical for the Downloads folder (Downloads), into which everything is downloaded in a row from the Internet, and hands and feet cannot reach it. Due to automatic content detection, the Downloads folder is for some reason the default type of Images. The question "why so" is better addressed to the developers, and we will better answer the question "How to fix it."
How to speed up the opening of a slow folder?
When you know exactly where the setting is stored, then solving the problem looks like a piece of cake. First, select the problematic folder, such as Downloads. If you have several such folders, then select the parent directory that combines them.
When you have decided on the folder, then right-click on it or on an empty space inside it and select Properties.
On the Settings tab, under "What type of folder do you need?" immediately below point Optimize this folder there is a drop-down list with content types.
Select Common elements. Additionally, you can check the box below Apply the same pattern to all subfolders. Click OK.
The changes should take effect immediately. Go to your me-e-e-slow folder and refresh it with F5 or re-enter. The problem should be gone.
Did the article help solve the issue with hanging folders? Share in the comments.
Folder "Downloads" this is the default location for storing downloaded files using all web browsers in the Windows 10 operating system. That is, when you download a file from the Internet using any browser, the file is automatically saved in the Downloads folder.
If you use Windows 10 as your main operating system, then over the past couple of months, you most likely have accumulated hundreds of other files and programs in your Downloads folder. As a result, the Downloads folder in Windows 10 is likely to open much slower than after the first installation of the system.
It takes a long time to open the Downloads Folder, especially after restarting your computer or if you haven't accessed it for a long time.
To fix the problem, you can follow the guidelines below to open the Downloads folder as quickly as other folders on your computer.
How to fix slow downloads folder opening?
Step 1: Open File Explorer Windows.
Step 2: In the navigation pane of File Explorer, right-click on the Downloads Folder, and then click Properties.
Step 3: In the folder properties, go to the " Setting» by clicking on it.
Step 4: Under the line- Optimize this folder", select in the drop-down menu - " General elements» and check the box - " Apply the same template to all subfolders",see screenshot below.
As you can see, with default settings, Windows 10 treats the download folder as a photo folder and tries to generate thumbnails for each file. In other words, by default, the downloads folder is optimized for images and not other file types.
Step 5: Click the button Apply". And restart your computer.
If you did everything right, the Downloads folder will open as quickly as other folders on your computer.
Instruction
Let's do Disk Cleanup. clean up the system from "garbage". We start the standard cleaning program.
For Windows 7: "Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disk Cleanup" (right click ->
For Windows XP: "Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disk Cleanup"
If your computer has several hard drives (or one is divided into several logical ones), then a window will appear asking which of these drives to clean up. Select the desired system drive on which WINDOWS is installed. (Then it is better to carry out this procedure with all disks of the computer).
Check off all the items proposed in the box, click "OK" - and wait. You may have to wait a long time, depending on the "litter" of the system
Now let's check the computer's hard drive for errors and failures. First close all running programs and remove all external media (flash drives, hard drives, etc.). For Windows XP and Windows 7, the procedure will be the same.
Open the "My Computer" window in the "Explorer". By right-clicking on the system disk or partition of this disk, select "Properties". In the window that opens, go to the "Service" tab, and there click on the "Perform verification" button. A small window will open in which you need to tick the 2 checkpoints presented and click the "Start" button.
A message will appear stating that Windows cannot check the drive that is currently in use and will prompt you to do so after the reboot. Click "Schedule Check Disk" for Windows 7 and "Yes" for Windows XP. Restart your computer. After the reboot, the scheduled disk check will start in text mode. Until it is completed, the operating system will not start. The check will most likely take a long time, so it would be better to run it at a time when the computer is not needed (for example, leave it to check at night).
The next step is to defragment the system disk. We launch the standard disk defragmenter program.
For Windows 7: "Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disk Defragmenter" (right click -> "Run as administrator").
For Windows XP: "Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disk Defragmenter"
In the window that opens, select the disk on which the operating system is installed and click on the "Disk Defragmenter" button. (Then it is better to carry out this procedure with all disks of the computer).
Now let's "cheat" with the size of the paging file.
For Windows XP: "Right click on My Computer -> Properties -> Advanced -> Performance -> Options -> Advanced -> Virtual Memory -> Change".
For Windows 7: "Right click on "Computer" -> Properties -> Advanced settings -> Performance -> Options -> Advanced -> Virtual memory -> Change.
In the window that opens, select "Specify size" ("Special size" for XP)
Now we multiply the entire amount of your RAM by 1.5 (if it is very small, then by 2). The resulting value is written in the fields "Initial size", and "Maximum size"
(And as an exception, if the computer has 4 gigabytes of RAM and Windows XP is installed, then you can set a small value, for example 512 megabytes)
Disable unused services. "Start -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services". In this large list of all services, we study the names and descriptions of all services. We decide which of these can be turned off without affecting the state of the system. (Specific advice on the expediency of disabling a particular service can be easily found on the Internet). Stop the selected services (double click on the selected service "Startup Type -> Disabled" and click on the "Stop" button)
Disable unused startup items. First, let's go to "Start -> All Programs -> Startup" and remove all unused shortcuts from there. Then we launch the standard system startup setup program: "Start -> Run" and write "msconfig" in the line, go to the "Startup" tab and disable all unused programs. (You can easily find specific tips on the expediency of disabling a particular program at startup on the Internet by typing the name of the program in a search engine)
Disable visual effects.
For Windows XP: "Right click on My Computer -> Properties -> Advanced -> Performance -> Options -> Visual Effects".
For Windows 7: "Right click on Computer -> Properties -> Advanced Settings -> Performance -> Options -> Visual Effects".
In the window that opens, switch the item "Ensure the best performance" -\u003e OK
Disable unused devices.
For Windows XP: "Right click on My Computer -> Properties -> Hardware -> Device Manager".
For Windows 7: "Start -> Control Panel -> Hardware and Sound -> Device Manager"
In the window that opens, disable unused devices (right-click on the selected item -> "Disable")
You can disable unused camera, network card, IEEE 1394 controller, COM and LPT ports, etc. In which case, the disabled device can always be "activated" if needed
We clean the computer from viruses with an antivirus with up-to-date anti-virus databases. You can use both permanently installed anti-virus programs, as well as free "one-time" ones for the current check, such as CureIT from Dr. web,
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Useful advice
Do not store large amounts of data on the "desktop", in most cases this consumes RAM resources, which in turn leads to a slowdown in computer performance. It is better to transfer the information somewhere to "logical" disks or delete it altogether if it is not particularly valuable. Ideally, only shortcuts to folders and frequently used programs should remain on the desktop.
Sometimes it is convenient: insert a disc - and immediately the music, video, game turns on, the program opens, the document opens. This is especially important if the disc is intended for an inexperienced user. How can I make it so that when a disc is inserted, the file will automatically start? We will help you answer this question.
You will need
- - computer
- - disk drive
- - disk
- - mouse
- - keyboard
Instruction
Create on disk C: folder 1. This is where you will then create the autorun file.
Create an autorun.inf file in this folder. To do this, create a text document. If it looks like "Text document.txt", this is what extensions for registered types you have displayed. Rename the file to autorun.inf. Open the file. Type in the following:
open=programm.exe In this file programm.exe is the name of the program that will start automatically. If this one is located in any folder, specify the path to it in the form open=Folderprogramm.exe. Go to step 7.
In the case of hidden extensions (the file created is simply "Text Document"), enter any folder, from the "Tools" menu, select "Folder Options". On the View tab, uncheck the Hide extensions for known file types option.
Click "Start", "Run", in the program launch line, type cmd. will open. Type copy con c:1aurorun.inf there. Press enter. On a new line, enter . Press enter. Then type open=programm.exe. Press enter. Press the combination Ctrl-Z, enter. Close the line. In this file, programm.exe is the name of the program that will start automatically. If this program is located in any folder, specify the path to it in the form open=Folderprogramm.exe.
Copy the resulting file to disk.
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note
Read-only CD-ROMs and DWD-ROMs cannot be written to. In particular, you cannot write the autorun.inf file.
Useful advice
If there is a suspicion that a virus is present on your computer, check the operation of the antivirus. Update it if necessary.
Sources:
- What is windows program startup and how to work with it?
In order for the Windows operating system to work without failures, you must constantly perform a number of simple steps. Some of them can not only fix system errors, but also improve its performance.
You will need
- - CCleaner.
Instruction
First, delete all unused files. Particular attention should be paid to temporary files created when working with Internet applications. Open the list of local drives and go to the properties of the one on which the operating system is installed. In the General menu, click the Disk Cleanup button.
After preparing a list of files that can be deleted, select the unnecessary data with checkmarks and click the Ok button. It is recommended to reboot before this in order to release the files created for this session.
Clean up the system registry. If you are not an advanced user, then it is better to use a special utility. Download CCleaner from http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download. Install the program and run it.
Go to the "Registry" menu and click the "Search for problems" button. After completing the analysis of the system registry, click the "Fix" button and select "Fix marked" in the window that appears. Go to the "Tools" menu and open the "Uninstall programs" item. Delete all unused utilities. This will slightly improve the performance of your computer.
Go to "Erase Disk". Highlight the partition on which the operating system is installed. In the "Erase" column, set the parameter "Only free space", and in the "Security" item - "7 passes". Click the "Erase" button and wait for this process to complete.
Increase the swap file size. Open the "Advanced system settings" menu, find the "Settings" button in the "Performance" sub-item and click it. Select the Advanced tab and click the Edit button. Set the paging file size, save the changes, and restart your computer.
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When the computer starts to work not as we would like - to fail, hang, slow down, at least some measures must be taken. The first action of many in this case is to restore the system, or " rollback».
You will need
- Created in advance (manually or automatically) system restore point;
- Computer administrator rights.
Instruction
And finally, for the rollback and you need to click in the "System Protection" tab on "Recovery". Click "Next" (it will only if there is at least one point). In the list that opens, select the control point we need, "Next". Recovery has begun. After reboot, it will report the result rollback a.
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note
The instruction was written for Windows 7 (because the author did not have XP in stock).
Useful advice
Create system restore points as often as possible so that you have more options if you need to roll back.
Tip 5: How much RAM do you need to keep your computer running smoothly?
When you increase the amount of RAM, for example, from 1 GB to 2 GB, the computer starts to work much more fun. And how much memory is needed so that nothing slows down?
Instruction
Typical motherboards contain a maximum of six memory slots. The maximum size of one strip is 32 GB. This means that you can install a maximum of 6 * 32 = 192 GB. If the board is simpler, then there are only four slots. So the maximum is 128 GB.
However, if the system is 32-bit, then the maximum is reduced to 4 GB. Such a system will not see it again. In fact, the available volume for technical reasons is even less - a little more than 3 GB. Switching to 64-bit will remove the restriction, but it will still be possible to install no more than indicated in paragraph 1.
Check which system you have. Press Win + Pause, and you will see an inscription about 64-bit. If not, then you have 32-bit Windows.
But computer performance will not grow with every gigabyte of RAM! Further, it rests on the performance of the remaining components of the system. Therefore, the ideal amount for a modern gaming computer is 8 GB. No more! And for an office computer, 4-6 GB is enough.
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note
Modern versions of Windows 7 and 8.1 are good at handling large amounts of memory. Therefore, if you open the task manager and see that there is not enough free memory, then know that in new systems, free memory is a synonym for mediocrely disappearing.
The low amount of free memory is due to the fact that the system uses part of the memory for cache so that applications get the data they need faster.
Useful advice
Before you go to the store for memory, be sure to make sure you have a free slot. You also need to determine the type of memory in order to buy the right one.
A system crash is never a small problem. It becomes impossible to work at the computer, as it starts to slow down, does not open the necessary programs, hangs. Most often this is due to an infiltrated virus, but there may be other reasons.
You will need
- The affected computer, Internet access.
Instruction
Such a measure as creating an image of the system disk (most often this is drive C) will not hurt either. As a rule, this can be done immediately after installing the operating system. To create a backup, follow this path: Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Backup. The first time you run this function, you should uncheck the box "Always run as a wizard", so you need to do everything yourself. Then again proceed to archiving, but without the wizard. To do this, in the window for selecting disks and folders that you want to copy, find "Documents and Settings", "Program Files" and "Windows". Be sure to check the "System State" item.
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note
Remember the name of the backup file and the path to it, so that you can easily find it if you need to restore it.
Useful advice
Finding a reliable antivirus today is not difficult - there are quite a lot of sites on the network where experienced users share free and paid versions of such software. In addition, almost every provider can offer you, for a fee, the use of a stable and constantly updated antivirus.
Agree, much nicer play into a game with real players - for example, neighbors on the porch or work colleagues. To play over the network, not only the game itself must support network mode, but also your computer must have certain qualities. First of all, these are healthy network services and working network equipment.
Instruction
Connect your computer to the network, if you have not already done so. To do this, you need a network card (in modern computer oh, it's built into the motherboard) and at least a patch-cord cable to the nearest switch. If you do not have a built-in map in your personal computer e, contact a specialized computer center where you will be provided with all the materials. Laptops usually have built-in network cards.
Check for a network connection. Start the Network Neighborhood service, or the Network and Sharing Center if you are working on the Windows 7 operating system. The network connection shortcut should be active and signed "Connected". If you have a USB modem, then it connects when you click the "Connect" button. Standard modems connected with , connect automatically when turned on computer a.
Enter the necessary network adapter settings - your internal network IP address, default gateway, subnet mask. Disable Windows Firewall and tell your antivirus program that this network connection is trustworthy. Check if the network connection is working by going to the open folder on your computer e from the other computer but the local network. If you can transfer data to each other over the network, then your computer ready to play online.
If your computer incorrectly configured, or has non-working software - an operating system with corrupted system files and constant errors, be prepared that play over the network will not work. The game will “slow down”, and other participants will easily bypass you in the game.
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Many users are wondering how to clean their computer so that it does not slow down and works stably under everyday loads. To do this, you should not only delete all unnecessary files, but also use special services and services.
Surely you may have noticed that some folders in Explorer (or in another program that shows the contents of disks) open for a very long time. You start Explorer like this, select the desired disk, double-click on the folder, and it is empty. And only after a few seconds the first files and folders begin to appear, but even then not all at once. Sometimes it takes up to 10-15 seconds. This is especially true for folders that are frequently used (for example, the Downloads folder). How to get rid of this tedious waiting once and for all?
Why does Explorer take a long time to open folders?
To understand why this is happening, let's take a look under the hood of the operating system and see how it shows the contents of folders in Explorer.
After double-clicking on a folder, you do not immediately get access to it. First of all, an antivirus is included in the work, which checks all contents for viruses. If an infected file is detected during the scan, it is automatically quarantined and you see a corresponding notification.
Then the Explorer itself is included in the work, which begins to read the data of the checked files and display them on the screen. If the folder contains large files (photos or videos), Explorer also creates/updates thumbnails for them so that you can see the contents of the files right in the list without opening them in the appropriate program.
The presence of a huge number of small files in folders increases the waiting time especially. In this case, the antivirus and Explorer can take a very long time to analyze the data.
And only after all this, Explorer gives you permission to start working with the data in the folder.
How to deal with it?
There are three fairly simple steps to fix this problem.
1. Add folders to antivirus exclusions
Thus, the antivirus will simply ignore the contents of such folders.
However, there are a few critical things to understand about some folders.
"Downloads". Checking this folder with an antivirus is simply vital. It is a kind of "quarantine zone" through which files get from the network to the computer. Accordingly, there may be dangerous objects that can harm your data. For example, along with the program downloaded from the warez, a Trojan will get onto the computer.
You do not need to add the "Downloads" folder to the antivirus exceptions.
"Photos"/"Music"/"Video". Collections that are already many years old and which are replenished with new data quite rarely (and when downloading files still end up in the "Downloads" and are checked) can be excluded from the antivirus scan. This will speed up the opening of the folder.
Virtual machines. If you work with virtual machines, then it will not be superfluous to add folders with virtual machine images to the antivirus exclusions. This will speed up the work with them, since these files are incredibly huge and take a particularly long time to check them.
2. Disable thumbnails in Explorer for folders with a lot of data
To do this, simply switch in File Explorer under "View" to "List" or "Table" mode.
This will disable thumbnails and files/folders will appear in File Explorer without additional delay.
3. Divide large folders into several small ones
By dividing large folders into several smaller ones, you can also speed up the display of folder contents in Explorer. Of course, this will not give a huge acceleration, but it will still allow to speed up the display process to some extent. The less data for analysis, the faster the anti-virus will check them, and the Explorer will display them.
For example, you can move unused files/folders to the "Archive" subfolder, and leave only the data for the current work in the main folder. In addition to speeding up, it also simplifies the work with documents.
