Strange problem with XP

[Ar-Pharazon]

Have had this problem with my current OS XP x64, but also had it with XP pro before this.

The problem is, when I go into Taskbar and Start Menu Properties then hit customize then the clear button to clean the recent documents and programs and whatnot. When I hit the clear button, it takes minutes to finish, even if I just performed this action a few minutes earlier. Then it's slow to close the 2 windows. It didn't always act like this, in the current case and earlier cases, it just "started" doing this at no particular point. It's not connected to any software installation, but I think it might have something to do with one of the many Windows updates, maybe one of the dozens of security patches it's downloaded in the last couple weeks.
Again, it did the same thing on XP pro previously which leads to my theory that Windows it doing this to itself.

Anybody else ever see this behaviour? And any ideas how to correct this? I run Tune-Up Utilities daily and there's nothing wrong that it can find.

 

[USS KG5]

I'd guess a registry error. Tune-up programs used excessively can cause these problems in themselves.

Sometimes Windows does take ages doing things for reasons best known to itself. If it is still working I would not worry too much.

 

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

I've had stranger problems. Just the other day I couldnt type anyhting, and when I pressed a key, instead of giving me the letter, it would give me the shortcut. For example, if I pressed H, it would give me the help menu of the current window, or if I pressed R it would open the Run window.

Why does that happen?

 

[Brian]

^ Sounds like your ALT key was stuck.

 

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

well, thats the most logical explanation, but the problem was more serious. I pressed the ALT button but my computer was having all kinds of problems at the time, like unfinished tasks in the task manager, to non responding programs. No matter what I did, it was stuck in ALT mode I guess

 

[USS KG5]

I've had a similar thing before on a couple of PCs where XP suddenly starts treating left clicks as right clicks.

Just bugs - lovely bugs!

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

^ I've had that on the desktop, a refresh usually clears it up though.

And yeah, I do use tune-up related progs a lot. Previously Norton, and since I went with x64, Tune-Up Utilities. You'd think they could find errors created by themselves, assuming they can be recognized as errors.

 

[USS KG5]

And yeah, I do use tune-up related progs a lot. Previously Norton, and since I went with x64, Tune-Up Utilities. You'd think they could find errors created by themselves, assuming they can be recognized as errors.

Well I think the problem is excessive cleaning of the registry can cause corruption which Windows does fix, but of course it fixes it on access hence funny little pauses at runtime.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

And yeah, I do use tune-up related progs a lot. Previously Norton, and since I went with x64, Tune-Up Utilities. You'd think they could find errors created by themselves, assuming they can be recognized as errors.

Well I think the problem is excessive cleaning of the registry can cause corruption which Windows does fix, but of course it fixes it on access hence funny little pauses at runtime.

The thing is, this never gets fixed. It's been "clearing" the documents for 5 minutes as of right now. And you can't close it via Task Manager.
I want to test my theory it has something to do with one of those, so I might try removing them one at a time and see what happens. I can always reinstall the updates

 

[USS KG5]

so I might try removing them one at a time and see what happens. I can always reinstall the updates

Well worth a try.