explore.exe Extremely high CPU usage from explorer.exe

[Verian]

Hello everyone, I have created an account on the LTT forums just for this problem I have been having with windows. Hope you guys can help me out!

 

Problem

The process "explorer.exe" is using extremely high CPU resources on select threads continuously. Upon starting the computer, I have monitored abnormally high temperature readings from my CPU along with the aforementioned high (100%) usage of threads on the CPU during idle operation. However, very weirdly when task manager is opened CPU usage and temperatures go to normal and stay normal until task manager is closed again. As though the process were avoiding the task managers use. Upon further investigation, and the use of the program Process Lasso to monitor running processes to avoid the use of task manager, it can be seen that the sneaky process using CPU resources is "explorer.exe" ran by the SYSTEM. Using Process Lasso, I am able to navigate to the location of the program explorer.exe and it appears to be the same process located in the C:/Windows directory. However, after using Process Lasso to close the process the CPU usage returns to the normal idle operating load, and the problem does not reoccur until the PC is restarted.

This problem arose out of nowhere, no known software has been downloaded recently, I use this PC mostly for CAD work and Gaming, and do not visit any sketchy sites.

 

Solution Attempts

After discovering this problem I had immediately thought it was a virus or trojan using my systems resources, so I had performed multiple virus and malware scans:

-Bitdefender is my antivirus software of choice, I have performed 'Quick',  'System' and 'Vulnerability' scans of the entire C: drive, some taking overnight to complete. All of which came up clean

-Malwarebytes Premium was also used to perform Quick and Full scans of my C: drive, both coming up clean as well.

-Malwarebytes Rootkit scanner and remover of the C: drive, also coming up blank (thankfully).

-Malwarebytes Adware remover also showing no signs of viruses.

 

After these processes I had also assumed that perhaps Windows was corrupt so I ran the following Windows tests:

-DISM full system check/restore health processes.

-SFC system integrity check.

-Disk Cleanup and Disk Error checker.

-Windows Memory Diagnostics check.

All of these had found no problems, and after restarting in between tests, the problem had still preceded.

 

Disabling of overclocks and cleaning of the PC:

-XMP profiles were disabled.

-CPU overclocks were disabled.

-GPU overclocks with MSI afterburner were disabled.

-PC was fully cleaned and dusted to ensure it was working properly, thermal paste was reapplied and cooler was checked for working condition.

 

PC specifications and Windows information

-CPU: AMD Ryzen 2600

-GPU: PNY GTX 1080

-PSU: 500W EVGA silver

-RAM: 32Gb T-Force 3000mhz 

-M.2 SSD: Intel 660P series M.2 2280 2TB

 

-Windows 11 Pro

-Version: 21H2 

-OS build: 22000.675

 

Any and all help is appreciated  thank you!

Attached are the readings from HWmonitor and Process Lasso

 

[Marko Del Vechio]

Can you check whats happening with file indexing?

Sometimes the data gets corrupt and while trying to rebuild it explorer goes crazy. Had an issue like that before, all it took was to rebuild the indexing cache.

[GoodBytes]

I would just like to note that explore support extensions. One can add menu items, tool bars, thumbnail preview, custom preview pane and more... (some might not be visible). Sadly, there is no management panel for those.

 

Typically, when someone has explorer performance issues, like right click menus taking a long time to show up, or high memory usage or like your case, high CPU usage, it typically is one of those extensions installed that screw up explorer.

 

Personally, I ensure that apps don't put their crap anywhere in explorer. Including A/V, as well as AMD, Nvidia and Intel graphics driver shortcut menu item. I'll find their respective panel in the Start menu, I don't need it there. Same for everything, unless it is really needed.

 

Microsoft has a cool app called Autoruns - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autoruns

Which exposes everything your system loads, including what explorer loads. You have checkboxes to disable the item from being loaded at next start-up.

 

Hope this helps.

[Verian]

On 5/18/2022 at 4:43 PM, Marko Del Vechio said:

Can you check whats happening with file indexing?

Sometimes the data gets corrupt and while trying to rebuild it explorer goes crazy. Had an issue like that before, all it took was to rebuild the indexing cache.

Thank you! This fixed the odd problem, surprised I couldn't find that solution anywhere else online. But rebuilding the index cache for search solved the problem of explorer.exe taking up a stupid amount of resources after startup. Works good as new now!

 

Also, thank you @GoodBytes for the help as well, I used the Autoruns tool as well to confirm that explorer wasn't doing anything weird during startup.

[Verian]

Update: So unfortunately the problem is back, re-indexing the cache no longer works and the same problem proceeds..