Windows 7 Having a lot of issues with Explorer.exe

[RhinoBlindado]

Hello, so I came back from studying 5 months in another state, and since I came to turn my PC on for the first time since October I found out that the Windows explorer was brainfarting a lot, affecting other functions like the Windows Update, Desintallation/Installation, and other Windows functions, it didn't affect any 3rd party program though.

Some of the things that have been happening:

• Windows Updates freezes at a certain percentage and never finish to install when turning off, thus having to manually shut down the PC. This stopped happening when I got to install the remaining updates
• The installation process of programs takes too long to start
• Desintallation from the Control Panel may freeze the window, don't work at all or take too long and when logging of or shutting down it displays quickly "Too many 16-bit programs are running"
  
• Trying to modifcy certain things (like deleting an empty folder inside "All Programs" in the Start Menu, or trying to change something in the Networking options) crashes the Explorer and afterwards it stops working properly, displaying "The remote procedure call failed and did not execute"

And I didn't experience any of this before, this PC is almost 4 years old, and it has been running smoothly all the way without any significant problem and I've never resintalled Windows.

I suppose the easiest way is to just reinstall Windows, but I'd like to leave that as a Plan C, I got a lot of important files that take a lot of space and I don't know if my other PCs could handle that.

Any Ideas of what to do?

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like your PC is facing multiple issues with Windows Explorer and related functions after a prolonged period of being turned off. Here are some troubleshooting steps you can try before resorting to reinstalling Windows:

1. Run System File Checker (SFC) and Check Disk (CHKDSK)​

• SFC: This tool scans and repairs corrupted system files.
• CHKDSK: Checks the file system and file system metadata of a disk volume for logical and physical errors.

2. Perform a Clean Boot​

• Disables unnecessary startup programs and services to troubleshoot software conflicts.

  3. Update Drivers​

• Ensure all your drivers, especially graphics and chipset drivers, are up to date.

  4. Check for Malware​

• Run a full system scan using reputable antivirus software to rule out malware causing the issues.

  5. Reset Windows Update Components​

• Resetting Windows Update components can sometimes resolve update-related issues.

  6. Check System Integrity​

• Use the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool to check system health and repair any issues.

  7. Check Event Viewer​

• Look for error messages in the Event Viewer to identify specific issues or error codes related to Windows functions.

  8. Create a New User Profile​

• Create a new user profile to see if the issues persist. This can help determine if the problem is specific to your user account.

  9. System Restore​

• Consider using System Restore to revert your system to a previous point where it was functioning correctly.

  10. Third-Party Software Conflicts​

• Disable or uninstall any recently installed third-party software that may be causing conflicts with Windows functions.

  Backup Important Files:​

  Before proceeding with any troubleshooting steps, ensure you have a backup of all your important files to prevent data loss in case anything goes wrong during the process. If after trying these steps the issues persist, then you might need to consider reinstalling Windows as a last resort. If you decide to reinstall Windows, ensure you have a backup of your important files before proceeding. Feel free to try these steps and let me know if you need further assistance!