Windows picture viewer issue

[PetraM]

Hi there!

I've got a small problem and googling around didn't yield any results. So I thought I'd ask you guys if anybody's got a similar problem.

If I try to open an image file on the desktop with Windows Picture and Fax Viewer (the default viewer) it takes about 30 seconds to open the image. If the same file is moved to a folder, it opens normally and fast.

Only Picture viewer has this problem. Opening the image file on the desktop with Paint is very fast. Also the time to open other types of files on the desktop (like pdf) is just as short as in any other folder. Antivirus is not causing this.

The whole thing is a bit annoying since my default download folder is desktop. From there the files get moved around and tidy.

Any ideas?

Thanks a lot and a happy new year to you all,

Petra

[Purcy]

I hope you find a solution or reason for this. I experienced this slowness myself years ago and at that time re-assigned all .jpg files to be opened by Apple Quicktime, which I use for my default .mp3 and video stream player. I think it is a better product.

[GomJabbar]

I did a little searching for you Petra, and I think I may have found the solution to your problem. Let us know how it goes.

WEIRD,

Ok, i've done some more tests and the results are very interesting.

To test the idea of the hd being very defragmented, i copied a picture that was taking forever to open from my desktop, and placed a copy of it on my desktop. As i suspected, the picture still took a very long time to open, 8seconds for a 100k jpg. I placed this picure on a second harddrive, and opened it, and it opened instantaneously.

SO ha HA, eureka, My harddrive C: is pooched then right?..... NO

I re copied the same picture to c:\ instead of just on my desktop, and tried opening it, now it should have took like 8 seconds, but it opened instantly. So WTF! It takes 8seconds to load up on my desktop but go a few directories higher up to C:\ and it opens a picture up instantly.

So then i went back to my desktop, and again, it still took 8 seconds to open the file. So I did this. I created a new folder on my desktop and copied the picture into that folder. It opened right away! So then it must have something to do with other files located in the same folder. So i cleared up my desktop and moved everything into a folder except for that one 8 second picture. When i tried it, it opened instantly........ I also found this 8 second thing also happened in a different directory, so it wasnt just a "desktop" thing.

So then i went about removing each file on the desktop and opening up the picture to pin point what type of file and or files were causing this slow down in the picture viewer.


AMAZING RESULTS!!!

turns out i found out what was causing the slow down. On my desktop I had two links to exe files for games i had uninstalled. so they were dead links. As soon as these were gone, the picture opened up instantly. Ok, so what was slowing down the picture in the other folder? .... turns out i had a link to a network folder that was no longer active. remove this and every picture in that folder opens up instantly.


Conclusion:

When opening up a picture using Windows Picture and Fax Viewer, if there exists within that same directory a dead LNK file, this will cause some slow down with the application.

Why this occurs? Perhaps when loading the application, it first scans the directory to make a note of the available pictures for like a slide show purpose. When encountering a dead link, the program hangs for a period of time.

Give it a try, I bet this isnt just a localized case.

http://www.hardforum.com/printthread.php?t=862053

[PetraM]

Wow!! Amazing results indeed!!! Thanks a lot, GomJabbar. I'll definitely remember this one.

On my desktop I had a link to a folder on the network that I occasionally use. (Too bad though, I had that shortcut there for a reason...) I deleted it and everything opens normally and fast.

Thanks!!

Petra

[GomJabbar]

I'm glad I was able to help someone today.

I still remember you as the first response to my Dune thread - soon after I joined this forum.

[PetraM]

And look at you now - a mighty mod!

Soon after that I ordered my six-book-Dune-saga. Haven't read all of them yet (there's always something more important to be read...)- I'm reading the 5th book now- and I really enjoy them a lot!

Petra

[GomJabbar]

A mod maybe. Mighty? I have my doubts. It's been a fun ride though.

With all the reading and posting I do here, it seems I don't have time for novels these days.