Windows Explore Slow to Start

Hi all,

Would desperately appreciate some help, as my system has slowed down dramatically.

My system: Vista Home Premium (Version build 6.0, Service Pack 1), running on a Compaq Presario F700 Notebook.

Early today, I loaded some software from some old CD-ROMS from ~ 1997/98 for the earlier versions of Windows (e.g. 3.1). Things like American Heritage Dictionary, Softkey Clip Art.

In order to make the 'Help' function work, I had to download Windows Update KB917607), which is WinHlp32.exe.

Every thing was running normally after loading these. Then I shut down. When I booted up later, things were running dramatically slower.

The appearance of the password prompt and the appearance of the desktop are slower. After the desktop appears, in the lower left corner of the screen, where the start icon is, it is taking ~10 minutes for it to try to complete its 'start up'. Holding the cursor over it, I don't get the arrow, but the cirular motion symbol. (In fact, holding the cursor over the entire bottom of the screen results in the circular motion symbol. Then I get the error message 'Windows Explorer not responding'.)

After ~10 minutes, the 'cirular motion symbol' stops, I can click on the Start icon, then choose 'explore'. Things run OK, but slower. Using the diagnostics provided on the PC, doesn't identify any issues.

In addition to event ID 100, the log also shows event IDs 200, 400, and 402.

Event Detail:
- <Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
- <System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Diagnostics-Performance" Guid="{cfc18ec0-96b1-4eba-961b-622caee05b0a}" />
<EventID>100</EventID>
<Version>1</Version>
<Level>1</Level>
<Task>4002</Task>
<Opcode>34</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x8000000000010000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2009-01-17T21:59:49.833Z" />
<EventRecordID>1461</EventRecordID>
<Correlation ActivityID="{00000000-06C8-0000-8C83-8797EE78C901}" />
<Execution ProcessID="1828" ThreadID="1952" />
<Channel>Microsoft-Windows-Diagnostics-Performance/Operational</Channel>
<Computer>brojon-PC</Computer>
<Security UserID="S-1-5-19" />
</System>
- <EventData>
<Data Name="BootTsVersion">2</Data>
<Data Name="BootStartTime">2009-01-17T21:57:29.656Z</Data>
<Data Name="BootEndTime">2009-01-17T21:59:43.359Z</Data>
<Data Name="SystemBootInstance">402</Data>
<Data Name="UserBootInstance">378</Data>
<Data Name="BootTime">124270</Data>
<Data Name="MainPathBootTime">44693</Data>
<Data Name="BootKernelInitTime">22</Data>
<Data Name="BootDriverInitTime">4404</Data>
<Data Name="BootDevicesInitTime">6569</Data>
<Data Name="BootPrefetchInitTime">63773</Data>
<Data Name="BootPrefetchBytes">445313024</Data>
<Data Name="BootAutoChkTime">0</Data>
<Data Name="BootSmssInitTime">7668</Data>
<Data Name="BootCriticalServicesInitTime">1320</Data>
<Data Name="BootUserProfileProcessingTime">427</Data>
<Data Name="BootMachineProfileProcessingTime">325</Data>
<Data Name="BootExplorerInitTime">21250</Data>
<Data Name="BootNumStartupApps">21</Data>
<Data Name="BootPostBootTime">79577</Data>
<Data Name="BootIsRebootAfterInstall">false</Data>
<Data Name="BootRootCauseStepImprovementBits">0</Data>
<Data Name="BootRootCauseGradualImprovementBits">0</Data>
<Data Name="BootRootCauseStepDegradationBits">0</Data>
<Data Name="BootRootCauseGradualDegradationBits">0</Data>
<Data Name="BootIsDegradation">false</Data>
<Data Name="BootIsStepDegradation">false</Data>
<Data Name="BootIsGradualDegradation">false</Data>
<Data Name="BootImprovementDelta">0</Data>
<Data Name="BootDegradationDelta">0</Data>
<Data Name="BootIsRootCauseIdentified">false</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Jon / DPRC

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Is this update that is causing the problem a critical ? Because before i had the same problem but with non-critical updates, so i uninstalled them and everything became ok.