Explorer.exe memory leak troubleshooting

[tlink]

I've noticed a few times that my older laptop gets extremely slow after being on overnight, checking taskmanager shows explorer.exe using over 5gb's of RAM. It's probably something i did but since this laptop is very old (bought in 2012 i think), but how should i approach this issue? how can i find out what is eating away at explorer.exe? it's something that has started recently (think about 2 weeks ago tops). simply ending the explorer.exe process and then starting it again via task manager fixes it but its not really a solution, more symptom control. 

PS: windows 7 64 bit home edition with 8gb working memory.

[Joseph Hartness]

Step 1:

Open task manger

End Task: Explorer

Then click file "Run New Task"

Then type "explorer.exe" in the application run.

Then hit enter.

Hope this helps.

 

Step 2:

When done type in "run" on the bottom left search bar in windows.

When it pops up type %temp%

It will open a file, in that file you need to delete everything in it as it slows down your computer.

Do step 2 daily with each use

[tlink]

Just now, Joseph Hartness said:

Open task manger

End Task: Explorer

Then click file "Run New Task"

Then type "explorer.exe" in the application run.

Then hit enter.

Hope this helps.

 

i already said in OP that that does work but that its not a fix, its symptom control. i don't want to have to restart it every day because the whole pc freezes up because its out of memory and takes literally 10 minutes to open task manager.

[Joseph Hartness]

3 minutes ago, Joseph Hartness said:

Step 2:

When done type in "run" on the bottom left search bar in windows.

When it pops up type %temp%

It will open a file, in that file you need to delete everything in it as it slows down your computer.

Do step 2 daily with each use

 

1 minute ago, tlink said:

i already said in OP that that does work but that its not a fix, its symptom control. i don't want to have to restart it every day because the whole pc freezes up because its out of memory and takes literally 10 minutes to open task manager.

Well then follow my step 2

[tlink]

Just now, Joseph Hartness said:

 

Well then follow my step 2

doesn't work, when i leave it before i go to bed everything is completely fine. somehow it fills up overnight when its inactive.

[Joseph Hartness]

2 minutes ago, tlink said:

i already said in OP that that does work but that its not a fix, its symptom control. i don't want to have to restart it every day because the whole pc freezes up because its out of memory and takes literally 10 minutes to open task manager.

also run defragment drives and disk clean up

[tlink]

1 minute ago, Joseph Hartness said:

also run defragment drives and disk clean up

i have defragmantations scheduled every week so that can't be it. will run a disk cleaner now. ill probably also throw ccleaner at it.

[Joseph Hartness]

1 minute ago, tlink said:

i have defragmantations scheduled every week so that can't be it. will run a disk cleaner now. ill probably also throw ccleaner at it.

And if you go into update device drivers you could download some updates for your hardware.

[tlink]

1 minute ago, Joseph Hartness said:

And if you go into update device drivers you could download some updates for your hardware.

that can't be the problem since i haven't installed any new devices since the problem started. driver support for this machine has ended a long time ago. only thing i can update is nvidia drivers and those are up to date.

[Joseph Hartness]

2 minutes ago, tlink said:

that can't be the problem since i haven't installed any new devices since the problem started. driver support for this machine has ended a long time ago. only thing i can update is nvidia drivers and those are up to date.

Have you tried a bios update from your computer manufactures website?

[tlink]

41 minutes ago, Joseph Hartness said:

Have you tried a bios update from your computer manufactures website?

nope and i won't do that since its the same bios as it came with and never caused a problem before. i won't risk bricking my system unless im absolutely positive that its the cause of the trouble.