Mouse won't click to open files

[yungman]

Sadly, still persists.

I checked CPU 4%, Mem 3.9G where Chrome uses 715M and Firefox 320M being highest.

I checked resource Monitor. The heaviest usage of "Disk" is System. CPU is Chrome and Firefox.

I use task manager to close the Window Explorer, it did close this time and everything go back to normal. I don't have to restart the computer.

I checked the usage again when everything is working, it's the same, CPU 4%, memory 3.9G. I don't think this is telling me anything.

I'll uninstall and reinstall Norton later after dinner.

 

[yungman]

I just think of something. I made sure the laptop was working before I went out. I came back an hour and half later and it got stuck this time. This means the laptop stuck by itself idling as no one is touching it.

Should I try closing all the browsers on this and see whether any of the browser has anything to do with it. I can use another laptop for browser...I am going to do it anyway. I am getting desperate.

 

[meBigGuy]

I wish I had more knowledge of SSD based systems and their file system failure symptoms. It is a different animal from a traditional hard disk due to the shuffling (usage leveling?) algorithms (or whatever they call them).

 

[meBigGuy]

I hate it when I can't resolve an issue.

One possibility is that you have installed an Explorer (not IE) addon, or shell extension.

Nirsoft has utilities to help.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shexview.html
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/what_is_hang.html

This are both worth playing with. what_is_hang looks particularly interesting.

I just loaded shellexview and ran it. Look at the non microsoft extensions (under options). I disabled SecuROM context and Java Helper just to see what would happen.

ANOTHER APPROACH:
type msconfg in the start menu and look at the startup programs. Disable stuff you think you can do without (and keep notes so you can go back and enable them)

 

[yungman]

I hate it when I can't resolve an issue.

One possibility is that you have installed an Explorer (not IE) addon, or shell extension.

Nirsoft has utilities to help.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shexview.html
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/what_is_hang.html

This are both worth playing with. what_is_hang looks particularly interesting.

I just loaded shellexview and ran it. Look at the non microsoft extensions (under options). I disabled SecuROM context and Java Helper just to see what would happen.

ANOTHER APPROACH:
type msconfg in the start menu and look at the startup programs. Disable stuff you think you can do without (and keep notes so you can go back and enable them)

Thanks for sticking with me.
I went into msconfig, I disabled Dolby Profile Selector, Back Monitor Application, Synaptics Pointing Device driver, Adobe Systems, Inc. Adobe Gamma Loader, Microsoft Office OneNote.

I restarted and the computer still works.

What is Nirsoft? I read a little about the shell. Am I suppose to download and run it?

I uninstalled Norton 360 as I am not going to go on line with that computer for now.

Thanks

 

[meBigGuy]

Hmmm ---- don't you need Synaptics Pointing Device driver? Does the touchpad still work?

Can you make this happen reliably by opening lots of files, or any particular files? Or is it pretty random?
I've been assuming you are double clicking on files to open them, not right-click->open
If it happens reliably, you can boot to safe mode and see if it happens there. That would tell us it is definitely caused by a driver that is being loaded.

Regarding Nirsoft. They have two utilities that might tell us something useful.
Shellexview let's you look at Explorer shell extensions and, as an experiment, disable ones that you might not need.
When you run this, click OPTIONS->ignore microsoft extentions, and look at what is left

what_is_hang might tell you exactly is hanging. <--- more interesting

When Explorer hangs, hopefully you can run "what_is_hang" and get a report of where it is hanging.

This could be anything, even your video drivers. It's really hard to tell. So what_is_hang might give us a clue.

 

[yungman]

Hmmm ---- don't you need Synaptics Pointing Device driver? Does the touchpad still work?

Can you make this happen reliably by opening lots of files, or any particular files? Or is it pretty random?
I've been assuming you are double clicking on files to open them, not right-click->open
If it happens reliably, you can boot to safe mode and see if it happens there. That would tell us it is definitely caused by a driver that is being loaded.

Regarding Nirsoft. They have two utilities that might tell us something useful.
Shellexview let's you look at Explorer shell extensions and, as an experiment, disable ones that you might not need.
When you run this, click OPTIONS->ignore microsoft extentions, and look at what is left

what_is_hang might tell you exactly is hanging. <--- more interesting

When Explorer hangs, hopefully you can run "what_is_hang" and get a report of where it is hanging.

This could be anything, even your video drivers. It's really hard to tell. So what_is_hang might give us a clue.

The touch pad is still working. Everything is working. It's been almost a day without failure. I just opened quite a few more folders and files. Yes, I double click the left mouse, not by right click and open.

Right now, I uninstalled Norton since yesterday, disable a lot of the programs on startup using msconfig as you suggeted. I only went on web twice. I am using the other laptop to go on internet. I am waiting for it to fail. My plan is to download the Norton and install it either after it fails or wait till tomorrow to see whether things I did makes a difference. If it fail again, I'll get to the Nirsoft. Just one at a time.

Thanks

 

[meBigGuy]

sounds like a rational plan to me.

 

[yungman]

It's still working after 24hrs. I am crossing my fingers. But one thing is I have not been using the computer as much as I can't get on web because I don't have Norton. But I have a lot of folders, files and a few programs opened.

I just reinstalled Norton. We'll see whether it still fail or not.

I also plug in a flash drive and open the drive so if the laptop fail, I can try open one of the file in the flash drive. If I can open the file, then the problem is limited to the SSD drive inside the computer. If it still fail, then the problem is not the SSD drive.

 

[yungman]

It's still working after 20 hours. I have a few folders opened and a few programs opened. I have been using the laptop enough. Now I have reinstalled Norton, I have been on line also.

The laptop restarted this morning by itself, but that's common as there are constant update every few days. One thing strange is I did opened a few folders this morning and they got closed. I am pretty sure I was not dreaming that! But I opened the folders again and everything seems fine. so I am crossing my fingers that the old Norton is corrupted somehow.

I also disable quite a few programs in startup using msconfig, I don't know whether one of them is the problem.

 

[meBigGuy]

You can enable those one by one as time goes by.

 

[yungman]

You can enable those one by one as time goes by.

It's been over 24hrs. Particularly I had the laptop on a stack of test equipment for over 30mins and it got really warm. Still working, so heat is definitely not a problem.

BTW, I have been lifting the laptop and drop it from like 1/2" off the counter to see whether vibration cause problem, seems fine.

I'll wait another 24 hours before I consider it's fix. I think it's the Norton. What make you think it's the Norton from the very beginning?

Thanks

 

[meBigGuy]

Every-time you access a file the AV scans it.

 

[yungman]

Every-time you access a file the AV scans it.

what is AV? Anti Virus? So you think Norton screwed up when it scan the file and folder?

 

[meBigGuy]

anti-virus

 

[yungman]

I am crossing my fingers reinstalling Norton cure the problem. The laptop really works good otherwise, I can't stand the other laptop, it's like a turtle. It's already a 3rd gen I-5, but it's day and night difference. It's a Win8.1, it never work that well. I am thinking about upgrading to Win10, so maybe I can still salvage it. That one is only 3 years old, but both me and my wife don't want to use it.

 

[yungman]

Sadly, it happened this morning. I checked the CPU and memory usage, it's normal. I can still open with right click and open. I tried open files in the remote USB flash drive, it won't open with double left mouse click, but I can right mouse to open.

I went on task manager, I tried end task on the Window explorer and it took a while but it did and after it ended, everything back to normal without restarting.

It is the window explorer that has problem.

 

[meBigGuy]

It could be related to the ssd, but that's hard to be sure about.
It could even be something totally unrelated like the video drivers.

Some would suggest you try to make it happen in safe mode. I wish it were easier to make it happen.

I think it is time for Nirsoft.

I think you should run what_is_hang the next time it happens.
(run it once before the hang to get an idea how it works)

Also, you should run their shellexview and disable non-microsoft extensions that don't look ctitical. (look under OPTIONS to check a box to see only non-microsoft options. ) I also noticed that if you check 32 bit options, it show a different list. So you need to look at both lists.

You can google "shellexview explorer hang" and read what other people have found. (most of them will be about right-click context menu entries, but not all)

Here is what I see with shellexview. I could disable all of these with no issues. (and also the 32 bit extensions)

 

[yungman]

Hi MeBigGuy

Thanks, I definitely try these now. I am reading up Window Explorer, DLL and Shell Extension to try to understand them a little more. The computer has not fail yet.

Thanks

 

[yungman]

I downloaded both Nirsoft program and run it. I left it on and wait for the laptop to fail. I disable the shell for Canon and Sugarsync, but I left Symantic on as that's Norton.

How do you copy and paste the screen shot of the ShellExView like you did? I know I use F8 for WhatIsHang to copy the report.

Thanks

 

[Borg]

How do you copy and paste the screen shot of the ShellExView like you did? I know I use F8 for WhatIsHang to copy the report.

There should be a Print Screen button that will capture a screen shot of your display. You can then paste it into an application like Paint. If you use Alt-Print Screen, it will capture just the active application.

 

[meBigGuy]

I use screenshotcaptor. I hit shift-prtscn and can select any region on the screen. Tons of other options also. It is a fantastic program.

 

[OCR]

You can also use the Snipping Tool that comes with Windows.

Here is a snip of my task bar...

 

[OCR]

Here is a snip of what I just posted... lol

 

[yungman]

The laptop acted up again. It won't open folder, won't work with right click and open. BUT it is not hung like before that trying to open the window explorer and show a blank folder. BUT I can still open programs with right click and open...like Word, Spice simulation program.

I check task manager, window explorer is not on it.

I check WhatIsHang, nothing hang, no report when hitting F9.

I disable all the shells that is not Microsoft, it did not help.

I closed all the programs other than the whatIsHang and ShellExView and Task Manager, it did not help.

I just found out that I can open internet browsers by double left click of the mouse. So definitely the mouse or it's drivers are not the problem.

I am leaving the laptop in this condition, please tell me what can I test now that it is not opening the folders. Seems like the window explorer is the problem. Attached are the two screen shot of the ShellExView for 64bits and 32bits.Thanks

 

[meBigGuy]

I assume you mean explorer is not in the application tab of the task manager. It should be in the Processes tab.

what_is_hang won't help if nothing hangs.

It could be that you have disabled too much and are getting new symptoms. Not real likely, but It's hard to tell. I don't see anything on the lists that makes me suspicious.

In shellex view there is an option under options to restart explorer (ctrl-E). What happens when you do that?

It might be worthwhile to try to get it to hang again. No idea why explorer is ignoring mouse clicks.

You can use your browser to try to open the same files. Just type c: in the address bar. That probably works fine.

Go to sounds and see if there is anything weird associated with mouse clicks (that's a long shot)

 

[yungman]

I assume you mean explorer is not in the application tab of the task manager. It should be in the Processes tab.
Yes, I referred to the application tab. I went to Processes tab and end the explorer, not the desktop has no icons! I can only go on the opened browsers!
what_is_hang won't help if nothing hangs.

It could be that you have disabled too much and are getting new symptoms. Not real likely, but It's hard to tell. I don't see anything on the lists that makes me suspicious.
No, I try disabling only after it hanged.
In shellex view there is an option under options to restart explorer (ctrl-E). What happens when you do that?

It might be worthwhile to try to get it to hang again. No idea why explorer is ignoring mouse clicks.

You can use your browser to try to open the same files. Just type c: in the address bar. That probably works fine.
Yes, I can open folder with the browser with double left click, but I cannot run the ShellExView from the browser, it just download again.
Go to sounds and see if there is anything weird associated with mouse clicks (that's a long shot)

Right now I loss everything except the browser, is there any way to start the window explorer without doing the restart? It's getting late, I'll leave the laptop as is and come back tomorrow.

Thanks

Alan

 

[meBigGuy]

reboot

1. Don't ever end the explorer process. It's OK to end an explorer application, but not the main process.

2. It does no good to disable the shell extensions after something has happened. We are trying to find something that triggers a problem. It doesn't help to disable it after it triggered bad behavior.

In shellexview, disable the same things you did before and then ctrl-E to restart explorer with them disabled. Then see if a problem occurs.

 

[yungman]

Ha ha, you told me to look at it, so I took the next step and ended it!

I restarted the computer, keep all the shell that are non MS disable and Ctrl-E. Everything still works. Now just wait.

The Chrome does not work anymore, I had Norton protection on the Chrome, it said Norton crashed and cannot open it. I checked Norton, I am still being protected.

Thanks

 

[ogg]

I have NOT read this entire thread. If no one has told you to back up those files which you want to keep, then they have been remiss. I had a similar problem which was caused by my (Desktop) Hard Drive Crashing. I was using Win7 HomePrem (64) and Windows/Microsoft completely failed to find any problems. I downloaded Western Digital's diagnostics (it was a WD drive) and it immediately diagnosed a failing drive. This may not be relevant, except that when ever you encounter strange behavior, you should worry about backing up your data and programs.