Windows Stops Responding When You Click a Large AVI File in Windows Explorer

SYMPTOMS

When you click a large Audio Video Interleaved (AVI) file in Windows Explorer, Microsoft Windows may stop responding (hang). Additionally, when you view the Processes tab in Windows Task Manager, you notice that the Explorer.exe process consumes 100 percent of CPU usage for up to two hours or more.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because Windows scans the large AVI file when you click it in Windows Explorer. When you click a large AVI file (for example, when you click a 700-megabyte [MB] AVI file) in Windows Explorer, Windows tries to query the index of the file. If there is no index information in the file, Windows performs a loop to check all portions of the file to build the index. Because of the large size of the AVI file (in this example, 700 MB), it takes a long time for Windows to scan the whole file. Because of this behavior, the CPU usage of the Explorer.exe process reaches 100 percent.

RESOLUTION
1. To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Windows XP.

2. A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

3. If the 1 & 2 fix does not solve the problem, you can unregister the component causing it thus solving the problem completely.

THIS TECHNIQUE IS UNSUPPORTED AND YOU USE IT AT YOUR OWN RISK!

1. Click Start, then Run.
2. Type [regsvr32 /u shmedia.dll] without the parenthesis.
3. Click the OK button.4. After an instant, you will get a dialog with the message "DllUnregisterServer in shmedia.dll succeded.".