Solution: Windows Vista Explorer Hangs while Copying Files from External Media

[Posted in Troubleshooting, Windows Vista]






I’m getting numerous e-mails asking for solution of this problem. This problem exists in Vista SP1. The problem occurs when you copy a large file or lots of files from an external media like CD/DVD, flash drives and sometimes from network drives.

In this problem, the explorer window which is being used by the copy process hangs, also the progress dialog box hangs if you try to move it, click on it or if you click somewhere else and returns to it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/vishaal_here/Windows_Explorer_Hangs_While_Copyin.jpg

Although the explorer window and progress dialog box hang, Windows still keeps continue copying the files and when the copy operation finishes, the explorer window and the progress dialog box become available again.

So if you are also facing this problem, use following simple steps and your problem will be solved:

1. Click on “Start button -> All Programs -> Accessories“. Right-click on “Command Prompt” and select “Run As Administrator“. If you are prompted to enter password, enter the password and continue. You can also open Command Prompt in Administrator mode by typing “cmd” in Startmenu Search box and press “Ctrl+Shift+Enter“.

2. Now provide following command:

bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOff

3. Restart your system and now you should not face any problem while copying files.



16 Replies:

  1. Now the point is, why we have to do this manually. They released SP1 and they could fix these problems. Even they will not fix it in SP2, I assume.

  2. ^^ Actually. This problem is machine specific. Some ppl face and some not. The reason behind this problem is DEP (Data Execution Prevention) which is a new security add-on in Vista but many times it creates problems. This method simply turns off DEP and the problem gets fixed. :)

  3. Thanx,

    i was getting tired of this.

    well apreciated :eek:

  4. ^^ Welcome. :)

  5. in xp dep turn on no problem also my cpu support hardware based dep but i face this problem. also in vista i need to reenable hibernation through command line. but they called vista is more user frndlly.

    VG a request. in your aero theme i want to change some thing like minimize and restore logo like default “-” sign. how i can do this cause in that theme minimize button is a triangle. :neutral:

  6. ^^ That was done by design as most of the people wanted the button that way. There is no way to change it unless I change it in my future version. :)

  7. Thanx VG, problem solved

  8. :smile: thanks VG
    gr8 … problem has been fixed.

  9. Glad to know. :)

  10. VG how you create vista theme? :smile:

  11. hey man .. what does that code really do ?
    and by the way .. my vista home premium sp1 explorer hangs when I do ” cut - paste ” from one drive to another … there is no problems at all when do ” copy - paste , then delete original file ” ..

    so any tips ?

  12. ^^ The code turns off DEP service. Regarding to your problem, it might be a hard disk problem. But I’m not sure.

  13. Hi,

    I had broadband connection at my home PC (VISTA) which was configured as a DHCP.

    If i switched on the modem after the system boot up I am not able to browse, to do the browsing i have to restart the machine else i have to switch on the modem before the switch on the machine,

    But i am not faced this problem in win xp.

  14. I have the exact same problem in Windows XP-Pro SP3. Just started out of the blue a few days ago with the front USB sockets. When I insert a USB flash drive it doesn’t autoplay. I open Windows explorer the drive is there, if I copy or move to it, it hangs in the middle of the job. Clicking on the drive in explorer shows it is empty while it itsn’t. Explorer hangs and cannot be closed. USB HDD works perfectly only USB flash drives.

    I have tried what you suggested for Vista, turning off DEP for Windows Explorer (MyComputer>properties>advanced…), but it did not change anything. I have read elsewhere that Explorer is looking for a thread that it cannot find, but how to find this thread and remove it from the registry? In Process explorer I cannot see anything out of the ordinary.

  15. I’ve just bought a new HP Slimline with AMD Athlon 64×2 4600 running Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 and am experiencing the very same problem. The File Copy Progress window just hangs whenever I download files Internet Explorer. The fix described here sadly does not resolve my issue either.

    Vista also crashes (Explorer Restarts) when I try to unzip files using Vista’s in-built zip facility. Windows Vista is totally crap. I want to downgrade to XP!!!

    Surely, moving and copying files is quite an important and fundamental facility within any operating system! How can this not work in Vista!?!? Microsoft have totally failed their customers on this one big time. What a f**kup!!! Are they aware of this issue? Are they doing anything about it???

    :mad:

    Matt, UK
    October 2008

  16. ^^ You can follow instructions given in following tutorial to fix zip file problem:

    http://www.askvg.com/how-to-fix-explorer-freezing-problem-with-large-zip-files-in-windows-vista/


Wanna Reply?



Newsletter:

Subscribe to our daily newsletter and get all the updates directly in your Inbox: