Certain processes cause explorer.exe to use 100% CPU time

[elicoten]

Hi,

I noticed that when doing certain things with the computer, the CPU usage of explorer.exe goes up to 100%. In this case, I was using VLC to output a stream to a file (only a file, not to network or local playback) on my desktop. When it was running/recording I noticed it was going extrememly slowly. I checked task manager to find my CPU usage stuck on 100%. When I looked at the processes responsilbe for this it was actually explorer.exe

I know that this wasn't caused simply because of explorer.exe as when VLC stopped, CPU usage went back to normal. I tried all sorts including removing desktop background and disabling desktop icons, but it didn't help. I then used task manager to close explorer.exe (and apart from the side-effect that it removed the desktop and start menu), the CPU usage switched over the the VLC process and the VLC started processing the stream much quicker. I opened explorer.exe and VLC slowed down, explorer.exe using as many CPU cycles as it could take (CPU usage again stuck to 100%).

What is going on. Could it be anything to do with the fact that I saved the file to the desktop?

Thanks very much for any assistance.

[DJ]

Encoding is processor intensive and it's not uncommon to see this. Of coarse it depends on the source and the output format, but it does not matter where you store it. This may slow down the machine a bit but shouldn't do any harm or lockup the machine.

[ReinerP]

Saving a file on the desktop is not good! Every time the file changes explorer looks at the file and refreshs the display!

[elicoten]

I think the saving file on desktop explanation is probably right. I tried it on another computer and it worked fine, so I'm not quite sure why it should work on that computer and not on mine, but when I saved it in My Documents/My Videos the problem disappeared.

[DJ]

Saving a file on the desktop is not good! Every time the file changes explorer looks at the file and refreshs the display!

The same thing could be said for any directory Explorer has open. So when I said it shouldn't make a difference, I guess it's all in the way you view it. Personally I don't store files on my desktop and seldom have the encoding directory open during the encode. As far as closing Explorer goes, sure this will speed up the process but you take down most of the background process and memory that these use too.

[elicoten]

The funny thing is that if I save it to my desktop, I get the problem.

If a save it to another folder even if I have that folder open the problem still doesn't occur.

Very strange.