Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread
Print Thread
Go To
Off-Topic
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,426
Skyline Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,426
Last night something went wrong with my "My Computer" icon. When I ciick on it it now takes over 2 minutes to open up with the list of my drives, etc. !! Once open, browsing files and folders is unaffected, except if I navigate upwards to 'My Computer' it doesn't display for another 2 minutes.

I've tried deleting and replacing the desktop icon with no luck. I've Googled and found nothing that helps. For the time being, when I eventually got it open, I've dragged shortcuts onto my desktop for drive C, D, and other things I need. These work.

I've tried the usual virus scans, defragging, temporarily switching off my Kaspersky, etc. and nothing helps. Has anyone any suggestions as to how to correct tbis strange and extremely annoying problem?

Thanks
John


Songs web site
YouTube Channel
BIAB 2019
Cakewalk by BandLab
Studio One 4
Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,439
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,439
When you open "My Computer" it accesses ALL attached drives, including ones it thinks are attached but perhaps are not, and ones that are having access problems.

It sounds like you are confronting either a timeout problem accessing a "drive" that is no longer connected or one you are having access problems with.

If you are connected to a network and have a mapped drive letter to a network machine then this may also be a comms problem.

First suggestion: Reboot - preferably a full power cycle (assuming you haven't already)
Second suggestion: Remove all removable drives (external USB drives, thumb drives, SD cards etc.) Don't forget that MFC with the memory device slots...
Third suggestion: Be patient, open My Computer and try accessing every drive letter - if one is slow to respond you have probably identified the problem device.


--=-- My credo: If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing - just ask my missus, she'll tell ya laugh --=--
You're only paranoid if you're wrong!
Off-Topic
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 224
J
Apprentice
Offline
Apprentice
J
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 224
John I hope that someone has a suggestion to fix it for you. Sometimes I think windows just breaks for good and its time to reinstall or use a backup.

Last year I spent £20 to buy acronis home 2010 from amazon, it was money well spent.

Saying that I have an irritating problem with windows 7 in that a link clicked in ie8 wont open as maxamised, have just to live with it, as I don't have a backup of windows where it does work and its too much hassle to reinstall everything including applications.

Try the tech forums on moneysavingexpert some good posters on there. No doubt you have tried system restore.

Last edited by joemardo1; 02/11/11 07:12 AM.

joe
Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 8,987
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 8,987
john, another great source of help is www.majorgeeks.com where you can post the problem and, virtually within minutes, get an answer.

btw, have you tried 'restore'? if it's software-related that may sort it out. no harm in trying.

Off-Topic
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,426
Skyline Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,426
Thanks guys. I've tried a lot of different stuff today - spent hours on it to no avail as yet. I've just unplugged all my USB things, except mouse and keyboard and am going to reboot and see what that does. I'm pretty sure it was something to do with the fact I had a 4GB memory stick attached and it was probably just looking at it in order to put up the 'My Computer' display. The trouble is, I've taken that out and it's as if my computer doesn't understand that. Let's see what a reboot now does.

What I'm left with after that is a restore. What do you think of this:
1. I have an Acronic back up from a month ago.
2. Backup my Windows registry.
3. Fire up Acronis
4. Restore last month's C:\Windows folder (and subfolders)
5. Exit Acronis, reboot.
6. Restore registry from 2.

Is it ok just to restore the Windows directory on its own like that?

John


Songs web site
YouTube Channel
BIAB 2019
Cakewalk by BandLab
Studio One 4
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,880
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,880
John, could you comment more on this, please: "it's as if my computer doesn't understand that"

You didn't activate Ready Boost, did you?


BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Off-Topic
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,426
Skyline Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,426
Matt, I'm not an expert, but if my theory is correct that the trouble somehow started when I had the 4GB USB memory stick in, then I was wondering that even though I removed it perhaps Windows thinks it's still there, and hence is still taking 2 minutes to display "My Computer".
All other aspects of my PC are working fine, except for this crazy delay when I click "My Computer".

John


Songs web site
YouTube Channel
BIAB 2019
Cakewalk by BandLab
Studio One 4
Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,439
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,439
Quote:


All other aspects of my PC are working fine, except for this crazy delay when I click "My Computer".




John, I'm certain that your computer is OK as far as the Windows configs and drivers are concerned, a restore the way you've described is unlikely to resolve anything. The problem is associated with a drive letter that is having access problems.

Certainly if the problem is related to the Windows configuration then using the current registry will keep the problem, err, current...

Have you rebooted yet? In almost all Windows issues this should be your first step.

You haven't responded as to whether you're on a network with shared drives. This can also be a problem area as a drive letter mapped to another machine across a network with problems or to a machine with comms problems will certainly cause this.


--=-- My credo: If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing - just ask my missus, she'll tell ya laugh --=--
You're only paranoid if you're wrong!
Off-Topic
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 224
J
Apprentice
Offline
Apprentice
J
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 224
Put the usb stick in computer again and if you haven't alrady done so use safely remove hardware from system tray to remove it and see what happens. If doesn't work I'd just do the acronis restore to bring you back to a mth ago, no more point in wasting more hours on this, making sure that you copy any songs you have done in the last mth in the c drive to a different partition or drive on computer, and once acronis is done just copying them back to the right location.


joe
Off-Topic
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,105
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,105
Quote:

Thanks guys. I've tried a lot of different stuff today - The trouble is, I've taken that out and it's as if my computer doesn't understand that. Let's see what a reboot now does.





My guess is if you have taken your own advice on the reboot you are fixed. Let me just make the observation that despite differing opinions on this matter, you need to either eject a USB drive of any type or use the safely remove hardware option on the task bar. The first reason is that you can have an open file or folder on the external drive. This may be in a browsing window or it may be something that is open in a program. Either way, pulling the drive with a file open can cause a corrupted disk which makes the entire disk inaccesible later. This close down with a file open seems to be less of a problem in windows than it was with old DOS applications but it is something that I still see from time to time.

The other side of this is also something that it looks like you were smart enough to figure out on your own. Windows is still looking for the thumb drive. Since you didn't eject it, and it has the driver associated with that USB port it is still looking for it. The reboot should solve that. If it doesn't, before you start doing more complicated things, just do a system retore back to a point before you plugged your memory stick into the usb port. That will put things back the way it was before the problem started. If that doesn't work then you can start looking at other things.


Keith
2025 Audiophile Windows 11 RYZEN THREADRIPPER 3960X 4.5GHZ 128 GB RAM 2 Nvidia RTX 3090s, Vegas,Acid,SoundForge,Izotope Production,Melodyne Studio,SONAR,2 Raven Mti
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,880
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,880
John, do we know what version of Windows this is?

I am familiar with an obscure problem in XP that occurs when you have used too many USB devices in the computer's lifetime, and I have a set of steps to fix the problem if needed. It allows you to remove hidden unused drivers (and there are more than you think). If you hit the limit, odd things happen; I was there once.


BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Off-Topic
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,426
Skyline Offline OP
Veteran
OP Offline
Veteran
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,426
Matt, I don't know about too many different ones in the PCs lifetime, but I've always had about eight or so connected. So maybe that was a factor, I say was, because I lost patience today, zapped the C: (os) drive, reformatted it and reinstalled XP. I think PCs tend to get bloated after a while anyway, and certainly things are a lot quicker now. I've got all my data on D: and E: and also backed up on external drive. I just have to reinstall forty or so applications now!
NB: I didn't go for Windows 7 at this point because I felt that might be a bridge too far, and anyway I'm arranging for the specialist DAW supplier that supplied it to do a 'service' on it soon at which time they're going to move it to Windows 7 and upgrade the memory and other components.
Thanks for helping out.

John


Songs web site
YouTube Channel
BIAB 2019
Cakewalk by BandLab
Studio One 4
Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,880
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,880
Sounds good, John.

What I was mentioning is one example of the "bloated" bit, as you say. It isn't that you had eight USB devices; it is the total of USB devices ever used on this PC, each of which has a driver still loaded, and at some point, the system says "Enough". I suspect more people have this problem than they think.

When you do go to Windows 7, you'll be pleased. I have been running Windows 7 Pro 64-bit since April, and have not had even one BSOD. It's been out long enough that I no longer have problems finding drivers. This is the best OS for me, ever.


BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Off-Topic
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,439
Expert
Offline
Expert
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,439
I always wonder why people insist on swatting flys with sledgehammers...


--=-- My credo: If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing - just ask my missus, she'll tell ya laugh --=--
You're only paranoid if you're wrong!
Off-Topic
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,417
R
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
R
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,417
Sometimes you just want to assure they are dead!


HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini with 16 gig of ram, BiaB 2025, Realband, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 9 32c , Melodyne 5 editor, Presonus Audiobox 1818VSL, Presonus control app.
Off-Topic
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,079
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,079
Quote:

I am familiar with an obscure problem in XP that occurs when you have used too many USB devices in the computer's lifetime, and I have a set of steps to fix the problem if needed. It allows you to remove hidden unused drivers (and there are more than you think). If you hit the limit, odd things happen; I was there once.




I have used many external drives over the years with my XP computer and would be interested in that set of steps, if you could be so kind Matt.
Thanks in advance
Alyn

Off-Topic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,880
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 26,880
To see unused USB devices:

1. Start, Run
2. cmd.exe
3. set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
4. devmgmt.msc
5. in Device Manager, View, Show Hidden Devices
6. expand the USB line

Unused devices will have a grayed-out icon. Delete the ones for devices you no longer use.


BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Off-Topic
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,079
Veteran
Offline
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,079
Thanks a lot, Matt

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Go To

Link Copied to Clipboard
ChatPG

Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.

ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.

PG Music News
Holiday Weekend Hours

Our Customer Service hours this weekend are as follows:

Friday, April 18: 8:00 - 4:00
Saturday, April 19: closed
Sunday, April 20: closed
Monday, April 21: Regular hours

Thank you!

Band-in-a-Box 2025 French Version is Here!

Bonjour à tous,

Band-in-a-Box® 2025 pour Windows est disponible en Français.
Le téléchargement se fait à partir du site PG Music

Pour ceux qui auraient déjà acheté la version 2025 de Band-in-a-Box (et qui donc ont une version anglaise), il est possible de "franciser" cette version avec les patchs suivants:

BIAB 2025 - francisation
RealBand 2025 - francisation

Voilà, enjoy!

Band-in-a-Box 2025 German Version is Here!

Band-in-a-Box 2025 für Windows Deutsch ist verfügbar!

Die deutsche Version Band-in-a-Box® 2025 für Windows ist ab sofort verfügbar!

Alle die bereits die englische Version von Band-in-a-Box und RealBand 2024 installiert haben, finden hier die Installationsdateien für das Sprachenupdate:

https://nn.pgmusic.com/pgfiles/languagesupport/deutsch2025.exe
https://nn.pgmusic.com/pgfiles/languagesupport/deutsch2025RB.exe

Update Your Band-in-a-Box® 2025 to Build 1128 for Windows Today!

Already using Band-in-a-Box 2025 for Windows®? Download Build 1128 now from our Support Page to enjoy the latest enhancements and improvements from our team.

Stay up to date—get the latest update now!

Update to RealBand® 2025 Build 5 Windows Today!

Already using RealBand® 2025 for Windows®? Download Build 5 now from our Support Page to ensure you have the latest enhancements and improvements from our team.

Get the latest update today!

PowerTracks Pro Audio 2025 for Windows is Here!

PowerTracks Pro Audio 2025 is here! This new version introduces many features, including VST3 support, the ability to load or import a .FLAC file, a reset option for track height in the Tracks window, a taller Timeline on the Notation window toolbar, new freeze buttons in the Tracks window, three toolbar modes (two rows, single row, and none), the improved Select Patch dialog with text-based search and numeric patch display, a new button in the DirectX/VST window to copy an effects group, and more!

First-time packages start at only $49. Already a PowerTracks Pro Audio user? Upgrade for as little as $29!

www.pgmusic.com/powertracks.htm

Video: Summary of the New Band-in-a-Box® App for iOS®

Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new Band-in-a-Box® app for iOS®! Designed for musicians, singer-songwriters, and educators, this powerful tool lets you create, play, and transfer songs effortlessly on your iPhone® or iPad®—anytime, anywhere.

Band-in-a-Box® for iOS® :Summary video.

Check out the forum post for more information.

Forum Statistics
Forums58
Topics83,893
Posts771,869
Members39,480
Most Online25,754
Jan 24th, 2025
Newest Members
winniemalone, Jersey Benson, /Brian evangeline, Steirerburli, Robert D Murphy
39,479 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
MarioD 161
DC Ron 105
rsdean 96
WaoBand 85
Today's Birthdays
mike5256
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5