Presario S4200NX - drag & drop problem

When I drag & drop files with Windows Explorer (XP Home) on my new Compaq
S4200NX computer (just had it a few days), frequently they go into the wrong
folder. It's always one folder above or below the intended folder on the
screen. In one case when I dragged a group of files, it transferred all
except one of them, so I had to drag it a second time. I'm also getting some
very sluggish behaviour in Windows Explorer. There aren't any permanent
freezes, but frequently it hangs for a long time just by clicking on a
folder, perhaps for a minute or so, usually with an hourglass or
intermittent hourglass, but occasionally without the hourglass. This slow
response isn't limited to Windows Explorer, although it's most noticable in
Windows Explorer. In one case Outlook Express hung for several minutes after
first opening it. Moral: have patience, I guess, and just wait... (:

Note: I first noticed this drag & drop problem after getting all of the
updates from Windows Update last night. I didn't notice it before that. This
box apparently came with software that's about a year old and there were a
LOT of updates! The security updates alone came to 45 MB. Then there were a
couple of drivers and a dozen XP updates, and I selected almost all except
the big .NET one.

I'm guessing video/graphics driver problems. Guess I'll have to go looking.
Hope it's not an overclocked processor or motherboard problem. Any
suggestions how to narrow it down?
Euc1id

Euc1id wrote:
When I drag & drop files with Windows Explorer (XP Home) on my new
Compaq S4200NX computer (just had it a few days), frequently they go
into the wrong folder. It's always one folder above or below the
intended folder on the screen. In one case when I dragged a group of
files, it transferred all except one of them, so I had to drag it a
second time. I'm also getting some very sluggish behaviour in Windows
Explorer. There aren't any permanent freezes, but frequently it hangs
for a long time just by clicking on a folder, perhaps for a minute or
so, usually with an hourglass or intermittent hourglass, but
occasionally without the hourglass. This slow response isn't limited
to Windows Explorer, although it's most noticable in Windows
Explorer. In one case Outlook Express hung for several minutes after
first opening it. Moral: have patience, I guess, and just wait...
(:

Note: I first noticed this drag & drop problem after getting all of
the updates from Windows Update last night. I didn't notice it before
that. This box apparently came with software that's about a year old
and there were a LOT of updates! The security updates alone came to
45 MB. Then there were a couple of drivers and a dozen XP updates,
and I selected almost all except the big .NET one.

I'm guessing video/graphics driver problems. Guess I'll have to go
looking. Hope it's not an overclocked processor or motherboard
problem. Any suggestions how to narrow it down?
Euc1id

Before anything try a cycle of maintenance, even if it is a new
computer: Start/All Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Disk Cleanup.
Clean out everything but do not compress old files.

Start/Run/type: msconfig/Startup Tab. Examine each file in the startup
list and disable everything that is not necessary for your use. Use
this site as a guide to the filenames:
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.htm#Select

Lastly, from System Tools select Defragmenter. It might tell you that
you do not need to defrag; ignore it. It might take some time this
first time.

Additionally, you can improve performance greatly by ridding the
computer of visual effects. Start/Control Panel/System/Advanced
Tab/Performance Settings Button. As a trial, select the Adjust for best
performance button. This will remove all of the visual effects but you
will then experience the performance improvements possible. I use
Custom with Smooth edges of screen fonts, common tasks in folders,
visual styles on windows and butttons. You can select what you like,
but will know the performance hit you can expect.

Q

"Quaoar" wrote in message
...
: Euc1id wrote:
: When I drag & drop files with Windows Explorer (XP Home) on my new
: Compaq S4200NX computer (just had it a few days), frequently they go
: into the wrong folder. It's always one folder above or below the
: intended folder on the screen. In one case when I dragged a group of
: files, it transferred all except one of them, so I had to drag it a
: second time. I'm also getting some very sluggish behaviour in Windows
: Explorer. There aren't any permanent freezes, but frequently it hangs
: for a long time just by clicking on a folder, perhaps for a minute or
: so, usually with an hourglass or intermittent hourglass, but
: occasionally without the hourglass. This slow response isn't limited
: to Windows Explorer, although it's most noticable in Windows
: Explorer. In one case Outlook Express hung for several minutes after
: first opening it. Moral: have patience, I guess, and just wait...
: (:
:
: Note: I first noticed this drag & drop problem after getting all of
: the updates from Windows Update last night. I didn't notice it before
: that. This box apparently came with software that's about a year old
: and there were a LOT of updates! The security updates alone came to
: 45 MB. Then there were a couple of drivers and a dozen XP updates,
: and I selected almost all except the big .NET one.
:
: I'm guessing video/graphics driver problems. Guess I'll have to go
: looking. Hope it's not an overclocked processor or motherboard
: problem. Any suggestions how to narrow it down?
: Euc1id
:
: Before anything try a cycle of maintenance, even if it is a new
: computer: Start/All Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Disk Cleanup.
: Clean out everything but do not compress old files.
:
: Start/Run/type: msconfig/Startup Tab. Examine each file in the startup
: list and disable everything that is not necessary for your use. Use
: this site as a guide to the filenames:
: http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.htm#Select
:
: Lastly, from System Tools select Defragmenter. It might tell you that
: you do not need to defrag; ignore it. It might take some time this
: first time.
:
: Additionally, you can improve performance greatly by ridding the
: computer of visual effects. Start/Control Panel/System/Advanced
: Tab/Performance Settings Button. As a trial, select the Adjust for best
: performance button. This will remove all of the visual effects but you
: will then experience the performance improvements possible. I use
: Custom with Smooth edges of screen fonts, common tasks in folders,
: visual styles on windows and butttons. You can select what you like,
: but will know the performance hit you can expect.
:
: Q
:

Thanks. That's useful. I was able to uncheck about half the boxes in
msconfig/startup. Unfortunately Disk Cleaner does not work on my computer. I
let it run overnight but it made no apparent progress. Windows Task Manager
said it was still running some kind of process at 100% processor usage but
with no end in sight. I suspect that problem may relate to compression
(.zip) files, of which I have several big ones. Compression files are a
known cause of slowdowns with XP in Windows Explorer, perhaps with Disk
Cleaner too(?). I'll try it again after getting rid of all .zip files
possible, although I use them routinely for backups to CD. Defrag works OK.
Check Disk would also be a very long runner on my box, perhaps 24 hours or
more, and I haven't had the time or patience yet.
E

"Euc1id" wrote in message
link.net...
: "Quaoar" wrote in message
: ...
: : Euc1id wrote:
: : When I drag & drop files with Windows Explorer (XP Home) on my new
: : Compaq S4200NX computer (just had it a few days), frequently they go
: : into the wrong folder. It's always one folder above or below the
: : intended folder on the screen. In one case when I dragged a group of
: : files, it transferred all except one of them, so I had to drag it a
: : second time. I'm also getting some very sluggish behaviour in Windows
: : Explorer. There aren't any permanent freezes, but frequently it hangs
: : for a long time just by clicking on a folder, perhaps for a minute or
: : so, usually with an hourglass or intermittent hourglass, but
: : occasionally without the hourglass. This slow response isn't limited
: : to Windows Explorer, although it's most noticable in Windows
: : Explorer. In one case Outlook Express hung for several minutes after
: : first opening it. Moral: have patience, I guess, and just wait...
: : (:
: :
: : Note: I first noticed this drag & drop problem after getting all of
: : the updates from Windows Update last night. I didn't notice it before
: : that. This box apparently came with software that's about a year old
: : and there were a LOT of updates! The security updates alone came to
: : 45 MB. Then there were a couple of drivers and a dozen XP updates,
: : and I selected almost all except the big .NET one.
: :
: : I'm guessing video/graphics driver problems. Guess I'll have to go
: : looking. Hope it's not an overclocked processor or motherboard
: : problem. Any suggestions how to narrow it down?
: : Euc1id
: :
: : Before anything try a cycle of maintenance, even if it is a new
: : computer: Start/All Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Disk Cleanup.
: : Clean out everything but do not compress old files.
: :
: : Start/Run/type: msconfig/Startup Tab. Examine each file in the startup
: : list and disable everything that is not necessary for your use. Use
: : this site as a guide to the filenames:
: : http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.htm#Select
: :
: : Lastly, from System Tools select Defragmenter. It might tell you that
: : you do not need to defrag; ignore it. It might take some time this
: : first time.
: :
: : Additionally, you can improve performance greatly by ridding the
: : computer of visual effects. Start/Control Panel/System/Advanced
: : Tab/Performance Settings Button. As a trial, select the Adjust for best
: : performance button. This will remove all of the visual effects but you
: : will then experience the performance improvements possible. I use
: : Custom with Smooth edges of screen fonts, common tasks in folders,
: : visual styles on windows and butttons. You can select what you like,
: : but will know the performance hit you can expect.
: :
: : Q
: :
:
: Thanks. That's useful. I was able to uncheck about half the boxes in
: msconfig/startup. Unfortunately Disk Cleaner does not work on my computer.
I
: let it run overnight but it made no apparent progress. Windows Task
Manager
: said it was still running some kind of process at 100% processor usage but
: with no end in sight. I suspect that problem may relate to compression
: (.zip) files, of which I have several big ones. Compression files are a
: known cause of slowdowns with XP in Windows Explorer, perhaps with Disk
: Cleaner too(?). I'll try it again after getting rid of all .zip files
: possible, although I use them routinely for backups to CD. Defrag works
OK.
: Check Disk would also be a very long runner on my box, perhaps 24 hours or
: more, and I haven't had the time or patience yet.
: E

FYI:
XP Disk Cleanup utility has a known bug:
812930 - Disk Cleanup Utility Stops Responding
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;812930
which fixed it for me. It works OK now.
Euc1id