Thinkpads Forum

Hello - I've had some problems over the past week my company laptop. About a week ago I noticed very sluggish behavior whenever I tried to browse folders using Windows Explorer. The first time I click on a folder within Windows Explorer (doesn't matter what folder it is), it takes between 15-20 secs for it to open up. The windows hourglass comes up and lasts about 15-20 secs before I can do anything. But any subsequent folders that I open up immediately thereafter are opened up at normal speed (< 1 sec to open). But if I don't use the file explorer system for several minutes and then come back to it then the same problem recurs (long waits 15-20 secs before being able to open folders). This can get incredibly annoying after a while and makes it difficult to work.

I've narrowed the source of the problem to ThinkVantage Access Connections, by doing the following:

• Started Windows in SAFE mode, when doing so all folders open up at normal speed
• Disabled all non-necessary services and files within the startup tab in MSCONFIG
• If I try to browse folders without a wireless connection open, then the folders open up at normal speed. Only when access connections is open and a wireless connection is engaged does the slow folder browsing appear

I've tried to upgrade my Access Connections driver (I previously had v5.02 and then just upgraded to 5.83 today) but the same problem exists. Here are the details of my machine:

• Lenovo T400 (Type 2768 BN/2) Thinkpad
• Windows XP SP3
• Thinkvantage Access Connections v5.83
• Intel WiFi Link 5100 AGN wireless adapter (driver version 13.4.0.9 10/18/2010)

If anyone has any idea on how to fix this I would be grateful.

The first thing I would suspect is a slow antivirus utility. What are you using for A/V or anti-spyware?

I don't remember why exactly I stopped using Access Connections a long while ago, but 'performance' was the heart of it. I get by pretty well without it now.

That said, in your case I might suspect that Windows is trying to check for links to things (a network drive or path, a printer) it can't reach in those 15-20 seconds of delay you experience, and allowing for a timeout to expire. If you can think of any dependencies that your explorer may have for something in the network, you might be able to remove it and stop the delays. I remember cleaning out my registry for something like 'recently opened' files once to try to resolve something like what you describe.