Troubleshooting "My Computer" Opening Slowly on Windows XP
If "My Computer" takes a really long time to open on your computer, you are most likely experiencing a well-known issue where Windows hangs while trying to search for network folders and printers before displaying anything to you.
This problem is easily solved, and most of you are probably familiar with the fix already, but we'll go through it anyway.
Open up Folder Options from the Tools menu in Windows Explorer:
Then choose the View tab:
Uncheck the box for "Automatically search for network folders and printers", and close the dialog.
The changes should be immediate, and your problem should be gone.
The Geek is the founder of How-To Geek and a geek enthusiast. When he's not coming up with great how-to articles, he's probably writing at his personal blog. This article was written on 10/30/07 and tagged with: Windows
Great one! But what about this option in Vista? I wasn't able to find it
Another great tip! Thank you very much, I'm a big fan of your how-to!
Great tip!! Disabling virtual drives when not needed and removing CD/DVDs and other removable medias when not needed also speeds it up from my observation…
I'm with Guris… I have this problem, but only when I'm connected to my network at work.
What is the registry entry for this?
One of the best tips ever. Saves a lot of time.
I followed this proceedure with no luck!
Hangs when I click on "my computer" icon from desktop. Others, like s'cut to drives open straight way! Also, folders and drives inside my computer become un-grouped, and
scattered, not as I leave them!
This all seems like a setting issue somewhere in windows!?
Sony vaio, running xp pro sp2,
PLZ HELP - ANYONE!?
Cheers,
Matt.
This little searchlight is really annoying me now!
Read through 20 or so other forums, still no resolution! Off to microsoft - they "should" know something.
Here's hopeing!
Still wanting REAL help from u guy's here!
Cheers,
Matt (AU).
Nice tip
it worked right away
Now if there was only an easy way to get rid of all the pesky startup process - instead of looking and googling them.
Nice trick! Thanks you!
I can not find folder options under tools on my PC
I do not have a folder options under Tools on my PC
You need to open up Windows Explorer, and look at the Menu bar. There should be a tools menu, where you can find the Folder Options.
I'm with Frank on this one. You got a screenshot of what we're supposed to be looking for here? I see the tools menu, but there isn't a "folder options" anywhere. What if I use Firefox? I don't see this option in either browser.
Ah, I definitely need to put up a screenshot… will do that shortly.
By Windows Explorer, I mean that you need to open up My Computer or a folder on your computer. The Tools menu from within that window (which is called Windows Explorer as well) should have the option.
Dude, you saved me from shooting my new NB. Works perfect now. You Da Man! Thanks!!!!!!!
Still no tips on setting this option for Vista users?
Thank you for the added comment and help.
Thanks for the clarification! And thanks for the help!
Hey hey. Found this on another site, haven't had a chance to see if it works yet but makes sense. I recently installed drivers for a web-cam and then found my computer opening slowly intermittently.
Try disabling the 'windows image acquisition' service in Control Panel->Administrative tools–>Services.
Marc, thank you. Been trying all day tofind a fix, registry clean, spyware,defrag etc., etc., nothing worked. Until your idea fixed the problem straight away. Cheers, mate.
Hey Marc….I tried the above fix and it didnt help, but your 'windows image acquisition' fix did the trick. Wondering if it will affect the way I upload pics from my digital camera?
Thanks!
Folder Options is not an option in my Tools menu. Where is it?
I had same slowness problem. Neither unchecking the 'automatically search for networking….' and disabling the 'windows image acquisition' service worked — until the computer was restarted. So I don't know which one did the trick. But the main point is, of course, that in the end it worked!
I disabled WIA and it worked…however, I can't restart it now that I want to use my digital camera! It says "starting" and never starts. I have a good cable, I have Windows XP SP2, I have reinstalled the CD software, and everything else I can think of or read about. Anyone know what to do when WIA won't restart?
Thanks
I was also having a problem locating the tools option on windows Vista and its under organize.
when i open my computer and when i try to open any of the drives they open in separate windows and also when i press on back button from any of the drives another my computer windows window opens i checked the settings under folder options under tools it is in open in separate windows settings only , i also virus scanned my system they were no viruses detected please anyone help me out with this one
I have been dealing with the "search light" issue for months. It takes from 30 seconds to 1 minute to stop searching and find "my computer". I tried your suggestion with no change at all. Any other suggestions?
Thanks for any help you may be able to give.
U rock
Aw man
.I uncheck my auto network folder but it still does no work.Anyone got other tips to make a pc run faster?
For those who do not see folder options go to the control panel.
i have pantium4 pc with 2.0 ghz processor,256mb ram,40gb hard disk and window xp is installed on my computer.i have no antivirus installed on my computer.my pc takes lots of time to open and shutdown.please suggest me some triks to fast my pc
Thank you. This has been annoying me for a long time & the fix worked.
take any discs out of your optical drives
I use explorer 7.0, and i do not have this meny you mentioned.
Can anyone know how to do that in explorer 7.0 ?
thank you in advance
Neither of these fixes worked, and it is driving me nuts, mine can take anything up to 5 mins to open. i have tried everything, and it's not the PC as i have quite a high spec machine. please please please help… Thanks x x
I have had this problem several times on dirrefent pc's and most times the 2 top fixes work. if you have deamon tools or achohol 120% installed, try uninstalling them and deleting c:\windows\system32\drivers\sptd*.sys. sometimes they get corrupt and then hang. if if works just download the new daemon and install it. same engine as alchohol. the other issue i had was my antivirus program (avast). it loads itself as an ide driver so it scans every time you open my computer. no problem there (my current bitdefender does the same), but the pc ground to a crawl for some reason. you can look on google on how to show hidden devices in device manager and under non plug and plug devices you might see a driver there with a ! on it. that might be your problem. otherwise reinstall and see if it goes away. If you have a dual core or quad core pc, then install service pack 3. fixed 1 pc with it so far. major performace difference
It helps a lot!!! Thanks mate!!!!!!
Unchecking "Automatically search for network folders and printers" did NOT work for me, however, disabling "windows image acquisition" did the trick!!!!
Thanks for the tips…. this has been driving me crazy for the last six hours, but now it works!!!!