Windows Problem
 

My brother came over last night and used my computer while I was asleep so I don't know what he did, but today in Windows Explorer when I right click a file expecting the drop down menu so I can copy the file into another folder, or delete it. I get the hour glass and it sits there...forever. I even tried Ctrl C to copy it to the clipboard...same thing. Any ideas why I that drop down menu won't display?

Thanks for any help!

One of the reasons nobody else touches my main system.

Well, it sounds like it's not that it won't display the options dialog...sounds like it's busy trying to do something else. Hate to even mention it, but does your bro by chance do silly things on computers...like downloading/installing shit?

Have you tried a reboot?

Try Ctrl-Alt-Del and see what processes are running. Sure seems as though that system is busy processing something.

For future use...if you want to let others use your computer, set up a limited user login. By doing so, for the most part you can prevent them from installing anything and doing funky things to your puter.

I checked and my brother hasn't been here. I had to use Ctrl Alt Delete to get out of whatever was happening because with the hour glass up I couldn't do anything. All it showed was the folder I was in and AOL, both said "Running". I can right click an html file and the menu is there so I can view the source. It just seems to not work when I'm in Explorer looking at files. Everything was fine last night. Norton says everything is fine too. I'm |loony| I guess.

My guess would be to reboot as well, but obviously I am sure you tried that already. I would also assume you are using Windows XP? Have you tried using the Restore feature and try to go back a few days with it?

This might help.
When you Ctrl + Alt + Delete, click on the "Processes" tab and take a look at what's running there. Go to http://www.answersthatwork.com/Taskl...s/tasklist.htm and look up a few of the things listed. Look out for anything that you definately don't need running on your computer.
If you are sure there's something unwanted running then right click and end that process.
Be very careful not to kill anything that's important. I've been using the above link for reference for a couple of years and it's always served me well.

Well damn...can't blame it on your bro then :D

Still sounds like something is hogging your resources to the extent that other processes either can't run or are very slow to execute.

Goonie's suggestion to try a restore is definitely an option. As is Gary's to check your running processes to see if something is amiss there.

For the system to have changed that much overnight, I'd be highly suspicious that something has gotten into your system. Do you keep Windoze patched and your spyware/virus scanners up to date?

Well fuck me, I'll never smile again....again. Cable account was suspended 'cause the wifey forgot to pay the cable bill. I took care of it over the phone and everything started working again. I can't believe the cable company would have ANY affect on how my 'puter works OFFLINE, but somehow it did. I'm gonna start drinking....more |cheers|

Believe it or not your NIC has a lot to do with how your system runs. When you were right clicking your nic was getting ready to cmd the systemt to do something with the online data. An since you did not have a great or limited connection, it would wait all day or time out. It's going to be interesting over the next few years when people get fiber nics in their systems and they wonder why they are still pulling down files slowly. Your system will need to be powerful enough to handle that data that's being pushed into it.

Sorry has to edit this as I thought you said you were right clicking on internet files. But either way yes your NIC will effect your systems performance. If you disconnect from the internet and wait for the system to assign a local ip it will run normal.

Figured it had to be busy trying to do 'something'. As Jugg mentioned...in this case, it was trying to get a connection.

Glad it's fixed and wasn't something nasty |thumb