XP SP2: 3-4 pauses when double clicking on icons

This rather annoying problem just cropped up today, though I haven't installed any new software in over a week:

Every time I double click on a file to open it (a program, a data file, even a shortcut to a directory) Windows waits 3-4 seconds before opening the file. The busy pointer goes away, I can still use my other programs, but that single process merrily hangs for 3-4 seconds. Same thing happens if I go to Start->Run and then enter a program name there.

Nothing is using the CPU time according to the task manager. The next time I click on the same file, there will be no delay - only the first time for each file. However, if I click on a data file (say a text file to load notepad), notepad will still pause when I click on a *different* text file for the first time.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've done the usual malware scans with AVG, AdAware, SpyBot S+D, and Spyware Blaster.

Look in your processes list and see if anything is eating your RAM.. Sounds like you might have some spywear and or viruses of some sort maybe.

There is nothing there that I wouldn't expect, and that isn't normally there: Firefox, Thunderbird, OpenOffice, AVG, ZoneAlarm.

Task manager lists physical memory as total: 1GB, Available: 450MB, System Cache: 550MB. (approx values)

Is there anything else I should scan with apart from the tools I mentioned?

It might be your antivirus program examining the file before opening it. You can easily check that by temporarily disabling AVG to see if the programs then open normally.

Thanks, I already tried that though. I should mention I also tried defragging, though I don't think that is the cause because there is no disk activity during the pauses.

Oh, I think I have it. The problem only occurs if ZoneAlarm Pro is running. Not sure why this has just started though since I hadn't updated ZA recently (I have just done so and the problem is still there).

More investigation needed I think. Thanks guys for your suggestions.

redduc900 said:

It might be your antivirus program examining the file before opening it. You can easily check that by temporarily disabling AVG to see if the programs then open normally.

Click to expand...

It wouldn't be AVG that Anti-Virus program doesn't use very much at all and is actually a really good program, better then Norton when it comes to system usage & comparable when it comes to keeping your system clean from threats as well as cleaning them up should you get one.

one of our clients we do support for use them in their systems for all their stores and works rather well and have also read many good things about them. I've been thinking of switching from Norton to them. I have used Norton for a long time and has always been good to me. I usually have a pretty fast system so really don't notice it running most of the time, but there are some occasions when I do notice it. But to get something that has equal or better protection & uses much less memory is a very good thing.

OK, this is interesting: if I quit ZoneAlarm Pro the problem stops, and when I start it again the problem returns. However, when I first reboot the problem is not there even though ZA is running. The problem 'pops up' sometime after initial bootup.

Something tells me it is Firefox - or at least Firefox and ZA in conjunction. FireFox was already at 1.5.0.6 - I've just updated ZA but the problem is still there.

tiktok said:

OK, this is interesting: if I quit ZoneAlarm Pro the problem stops, and when I start it again the problem returns. However, when I first reboot the problem is not there even though ZA is running. The problem 'pops up' sometime after initial bootup.

Something tells me it is Firefox - or at least Firefox and ZA in conjunction. FireFox was already at 1.5.0.6 - I've just updated ZA but the problem is still there.

Click to expand...

this maybe something I'm pulling outta my arse but I vaguely recall a tech buddy of mine talking about some incompatability with Firefox & zonealarm, though I want to say he had some other issues with it...but I can't be entirely sure...I'll have to ask him next time I see him...this was like 6 months ago or so though... get rid of zone alarm & then you have no more issues

OK, here is an update: after investigating this for the last week or so it seems iTunes, not Firefox is responsible for these pauses.

The pauses never occur unless iTunes has been started. However, even after closing iTunes the pauses continue until the next reboot. Guess I'll just have to find another application for podcasting (tried Juice/iPodder but couldn't get along with it).

This might be a little help. Change you mouse from double click to single click.

OK, I just tried that right now and it didn't make a difference