Windows Explorer alternative required.

thor

Any suggestions for an alternative to Windows explorer?
I am running an XP system and have found that whenever I begin to use Windows explorer, it starts to hit cpu usage of 50% or more in no time and has to be killed from task manager to prevent it from slowing the computer down.
I don't know why it is now behaving this way and sometimes it is only intermittent but I would rather use another program for file and folder manipulation(as long as it is free that is)

RussJK

I would suggest that something else is at work on your system, i.e. malware. Also a cleanup of startups won't hurt either.

1. Install Malwarebytes (http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam-download.php), it should have the latest definitions but run an update, then do a QUICK scan (not a Full scan, as it'll take ages and doesn't add much more, and you can always do a full scan later). Clean anything it finds, post a log either way.
2. Run HitmanPro (http://www.surfright.nl/en/hitmanpro), pick 64bit if you have a 64bit OS
3. Run Avast rootkit scanner, use the guide on the page if it finds a rootkit, don't panic at any other gibberish (http://public.avast.com/~gmerek/aswMBR.htm). Only post a log if it finds a rootkit.
4. Run TDSSkiller (http://support.kaspersky.com/downloads/utils/tdsskiller.exe) and just say if it finds something or not.
5. Save Hijackthis to the desktop (http://www.trendmicro.com/ftp/products/hijackthis/beta/HijackThis.exe) then hold down LEFT SHIFT while RIGHT CLICKING on it, and Run as Administrator. Do system scan and save log, then paste the log here. Don't fix anything.

These are just the initial steps. This shouldn't take too long, depending on the speed of the Malwarebytes quick scan. The rest of the steps take a few minutes at most.

debitcardmayhem

Also it might be telling us which AV you have , and also if you have the latest version of Windows search and if it is active, it can cause lots of thrashing.

RussJK

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

Also it might be telling us which AV you have , and also if you have the latest version of Windows search and if it is active, it can cause lots of thrashing.

Good point; we'll see it in the HJT log though if the OP chooses.

John_Gray

Once the "whether or not the OP has a virus"-ness has been sorted out...

As a Windows Explorer replacement I use xplorer2 (that would be squared, if this BBS allowed superscripts). The free version is perfectly adequate for most uses, and gets you back much of the Windows Explorer functionality abandoned or complicated by Microsoft in Vista and Windows 7.

KillerWatt

John_Gray wrote: »

I use xplorer2 (that would be squared, if this BBS allowed superscripts).

You mean like this xplorer²

SteveJW

I use a free program called Freecommander

http://www.freecommander.com/fc_downl_en.htm

Takes a bit of getting used to

You can also run it from a memory stick so no need to instal it on your computer

Hammyman

None of the above address the problem of why Windows Explorer is using 50 times the CPU resources it should be.

John_Gray

KillerWatt wrote: »

You mean like this xplorer²

That's the one! (Did you cheat and cut-and-paste from Word?!)

John_Gray

Hammyman wrote: »

None of the above address the problem of why Windows Explorer is using 50 times the CPU resources it should be.

Not even the virus possibility?

OneADay

Ultraexplorer is what I use as an alternative to microrubbish explorer (if I am using windows - now tend to use Linux all the time)