Windows 10 Lag when opening programs

Hi there,

So it's a Win10 slowdown then huh? It would be helpful to know the make/model of the computer you are experiencing these difficulties with so a precise recommendation can be made for your specific computer.

In the meantime here are a few general guidelines for fixing this type of problem:

Work to determine if your problem is hardware or software related (Windows).

**HARDWARE**
1. Check your hard drive with free SEATOOLS drive diagnostic. Run BOTH short and long tests to completion; if SEATOOLS returns any errors, then your hard drive has failed and must be replaced.

2. Check your RAM memory sticks using MEMTEST. Test each RAM stick individually for a minimum of 8 passes; then check all RAM sticks together, again for minimum of 8 passes. If MEMTEST returns any errors, that Stick or Sticks have failed and must be replaced.

**SOFTWARE**
1. Did you remember to run the Win10 Uprade Assistant program from Microsoft prior to your upgrade? If not, you should restore your computer to the factory version of Windows it came with (Win7/8/8.1), and look for drivers and programs that are NOT Win10 compatible and remove them prior to the upgrade. After the upgrade to Win10, you can put those drivers back or the newer versions from the manufacturer of the device; for example check the website for the Graphics Card/Chip you are using and re-download it manually from the site; ensure to check the new Graphics driver has been tested with Win10. Do the same with any removed programs found to be non-compatible with Win10.

2. Have you checked for viruses and malware hiding on your hard drive? Use your built in Anti-Virus program if you are running one, such as Norton, Avast, McAfee, etc. Next, use the free MALWAREBYTES from malwarebytes.org and scan specifically for spyware viruses. Traditional AV programs will not find/remove all of these. They can drastically slow down your system if not removed. Lastly, download FREE Rootkitbuster program from trendmicro.com and check for/remove Rootkit viruses. These hide on invisible partitions on your hard drive and must be found/removed also. There are also new Rootkit viruses that only appear on Win10 computers. These are recent, and if you haven't used a Rootkit checker; they could be hiding on your hard drive and only cause problems with Win10.

3. Try performing a "CLEAN INSTALL" of Win10 on the computer you ran the online upgrade on. This requires you to reset your computer back to the factory version of Windows that came with that computer (Win7/8/8.1). You can accomplish this by using the built-in Recovery partition that's hidden on most modern computer's hard drives. If the partition has been removed by you or it's one of the computers that does not come with the Recovery partition, then the laptop maker usually provides a CREATE RECOVERY MEDIA TOOL with which you can make your own factory Recovery Media (DVD or USB stick). This program works best with DVDs, and that could take from between 1-12 DVD discs to do. DVD discs are cheap in bulk; around $0.20 each. Bear in mind that if you attempt to use the Recovery Partition tool, and you haven't tested your hard drive yet, there's a 50% chance or better that the Reset to the factory version of Windows on your computer will fail. (this is why I listed the **HARDWARE** section first above).

Additional notes:
* Once you test your Hardware, and both your RAM memory and your Hard Drive are found to be healthy, go on to the 2nd section and test your Software.

** When testing Software, this is usually a combination of Windows drivers, 3rd party drivers(from your Computer manufacturer), and Windows System files (the Hive) which includes the Registry. Many factors here can effect your Computer on a Windows upgrade, in fact all 3 of them can occur on the same computer at the same time. Many of my Customers who upgrade do not check the overall health of their computer PRIOR to attempting the upgrade. As soon as they see the Microsoft Win10 notification widget in their System Tray, they stop whatever they are doing and click to get and then run the Upgrade without doing any kind of system preparation. This is usually the Kiss of Death for that computer, unless they have a very well running PC prior to attempting the upgrade. This is rarely the case, as only Tekkies such as Computer Engineers, Technicians, and Computer Programmers are in this category as they spend countless hours cleaning and fine-tuning their computers since they use them to make a living. The analogy here is that Professional Race Car Drivers (NASCAR) spend a lot more time maintaining and fine tuning their race cars prior to doing something like an engine upgrade than the average person does; and since they make their living driving that car, they spend a lot more time making sure it's running properly prior to any kind of major upgrade (which Win10 is).

Let us know how it turns out.
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>

Thanks for the effort BIGBEARJED...
After extensive testing and discussion with MS support, a manager pinned down the problem. It's a bug. Most folks don't use keyboard shortcuts so they're not likely to encounter it.

The lag occurs when STORE or CALCULATOR are running as a background process. MS has submitted the issue to developers. It's likely that a fix will be pushed ... one day.

You betcha! Interesting; well, not the first one reported with Win10 as I've said in the last few weeks of posting on Win10 issues here. The other significant bug is that Win10 Mail (replacement for Windows Live Mail) does not seem to work with 3rd party POP-based webmails such as Cox & Verizon. Other ISP webmails are being tested by other Win10 testers such as myself; we're waiting to see if it's just those 2 ISPs or all of them before we report to MS. And, of course, like you said it could be awhile until they fix it. We testers have a pretty good feeling that there will be a Service Pack out for Win10 to address the many bugs that are just now being reported.

Thanks for getting back to us on your final solution.

Best,
<<<BBJ>>>

Update to the notes below...
The problem returned on 9/18, despite STORE and CALCULATOR not running in the background. Something is interfering with background processes. Yet to be determined.

A guess, try this:
- Make a new account /user on your PC
- Log on to this user

Being on that new account, is there the same lag?

Henk

Update, as of 9/23/15


Experimentation has shown that the lag appears even if CALCULATOR or STORE are not active in background processes. I have replaced the calculator with a simple program, and am running no apps from the store.

Earlier, a reboot seemed to banish the lag, and sleep cycles would cause it. Now, that doesn't seem to be the case. When there is a lag it can be fixed by simply opening the SETTINGS menu or killing the SHELL EXPERIENCE HOST process.

Its probable causes are discussed in this article and its embedded links...
slow windows desktop keyboard shortcuts

Apparently this is a longstanding problem, but I never experienced it prior to W10.

It's disconcerting that an MS employee isn't assigned to regularly peruse Windows forums like these in order to spot problems, and report them to appropriate techs for resolution.

As an example, Windows 8 and 8.1 broke the FAX utility. Early on, a fix was posted to prominent MS forums. Yet MS apparently never picked up on that, nor pushed the easy repair during the lifetime of 8/8.1.

I have seen something like that . After a reboot everything just fine, but after some time everything was slowing down. It appeared to be related to only one user account.
Maybe you could check whether a new user on your pc experience the same difficulty?

Excellent job!
Thanks for letting us know.

Henk

Borate,

Good research on this. Very interesting. It makes sense that MS is not paying attention to long time users who still use and prefer keyboard shortcuts. They are doing everything now for touch (on all device platforms; desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone, even the smart watches they are hawking us to buy).

Good post!

Cheers..
<<<BBJ>>>