Task Bar Lock-up - Explorer un-responsive

I'm not sure if my problem is related to the lockup problem, but here goes. After awhile, my computer CPU usuage goes to 100% and stays there until I go to the Taskbar and deselect my True Launch bar as the toolbar used. The explorer (not the entire system) than crashes, restarts, my True Launch bar restarts, and the CPU usuage goes back to normal which is between 4 to 8%.

Windows Version: Microsoft Windows XP Personal version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 1
Internet Explorer Version: 6.0.2800.1106
Pentium 4 1500mhz
512 RAM
TLB version: 2.2
1024 X 768 32 bit display
???

I'm not sure if my problem is related to the lockup problem, but here goes.

I have essentially the same setup, but I've never experienced this problem. What tlb plugins do you use? Is there any other software that you usually have running (maybe just in the system tray)?

shapeshifter,

I have the Drive Space and Weather Monitor tlb plugins. There are quite a few programs running at all times in the system tray. They include AVG virus checker, Agnitum Oupost Firewall, Mailwasher, Directory Opus, Wordweb thesaurus, Webshots, Windows TaskManager, Yankee Clipper III, Dialog Helper, and some others. My Taskbar looks like the jpg below.



While I was typing this, the CPU usuage went to 100% and to get it back to normal, I did as I always do as mentioned in my previous posting. I could be working for 10 minutes or a couple of hours before this problem occurs. I do not see any consistency in it.

katoaristera
Thanks for setup.ini Please try to turn off the option Use system icon cache in the Advanced tab. Let me know about results.

bbfi
When explorer crash Windows XP shows the module name where the error has taken place. Please tell me that module name. It can be tlb.dll if the bug in the TLB or other. Also can you check in the TaskManager what process take 100% CPU time? Press CTRL+ESC to open TaskManager. Also try to close TLB with normal CPU load.
Another question: do you install Weather Monitor version 1.2 clearly or updated it from version 1.1?
And the last question: do you use Virtual Folders?

Wow... I think that is the most system tray icons I've ever seen loaded at once. I use drive space and weather monitor, too, and like I said, I've never experienced this problem. It's possible TLB is conflicting with one or more of the other (I count at least 19?) programs running. You might try shutting the programs down one at a time, then letting your system run for "awhile" to see if the problem persists. If not, the conflict was likely with the last program you shut down. If explorer still crashes after you've eliminated all the (visible) running programs, you could try looking for signs that invisible programs are running in your startup folder, registry, etc. Good luck and let us know what you find out.

Hmm.. Yuri's suggestions make more sense... look into those first

katoaristera
Thanks for setup.ini Please try to turn off the option Use system icon cache in the Advanced tab. Let me know about results.

Bad news ??? ...it was already turned off !
Other ideas ?
Thanks

Bad news <!--emo&??? ...it was already turned off !
Other ideas ?

Hmm... I also notice that Popup menu on mouse hover time exactly equal the time when tooltips opened. Maybe the problem is here. Try to change this option into 400 or 600.

When explorer crash Windows XP shows the module name where the error has taken place. Please tell me that module name.

That info is not shown. After I have the CPU problem and closed True Launch bar, the Taskbar disappears completely, no error messages occur, and about 5 to 10 seconds later, the Taskbar reappears with True Launch bar and CPU usuage back to normal.

Also can you check in the TaskManager what process take 100% CPU time? Press CTRL+ESC to open TaskManager. Also try to close TLB with normal CPU load.

The program that uses 100% is explorer. I tried closing TLB under a normal load and there is no problem at all and the Taskbar remains open. I can reload TLB with no problems also.

Another question: do you install Weather Monitor version 1.2 clearly or updated it from version 1.1?

I don't remember if I uninstall version 1.1 first or just installed 1.2 over it.

And the last question: do you use Virtual Folders?

Yes, I do. The left four icons in my Taskbar are virtual folders. 1) Start menu and program files, 2) My documents, 3) My photos, 4) Some favorite links.

bbfi
hmm... still cannot reproduce I'll try to inspect code for possible bugs. BTW can you remove plugins from TLB for some hours? Just drag them on desktop holding SHIFT key

katoaristera
I'm working during some days with your settings but cannot reproduce the bug I'll continue attempts.
BTW cool custom colors

BTW can you remove plugins from TLB for some hours?

I have noticed that when the CPU usage goes to 100%, if I remove the plugins, the CPU usage goes back to normal. Sometimes, explorer crashes and restarts, other times it's okay. I am going to try each of the following separately, Drive Space, Weather Monitor, Mail Monitor and see if the problem occurs with one of them to narrow down the problem. If I remember correctly, I did not have a CPU problem until I added more than one of the plugins.
???

katoaristera
I'm working during some days with your settings but cannot reproduce the bug I'll continue attempts.
BTW cool custom colors

Thanks a lot for your tries and for your compliments. My bar that you can see in attached pic is quite simple but according to me quite useful and nice without taking a lot of space to the screen and memory to the system (which are my first aim).
Concerning the explorer bug, my opinion is this one, according to the following:
1) Many of tlb users suffer this bug, all or most of all I think have Win 2000 or XP (both home and Prof);
2) To me (and think to some others) the bug happens very irregularly:
- sometimes while using virtual folder,
- sometimes while moving some button within places of same bar or within different bars,
- sometimes while using other programs (winamp, other I don't remember);
Therefore, and sorry for my non-technical language, I thik it is not a bug related to some settings in tlb, but a "core-problem" related to some incompatibily somewhere beetwen tlb and Win32 systems.
From now on I will try to register every time exactly which was the action that caused the explorer shut down and keep a journal that I will send to you.
Thanks a lot, I can no more renounce to TLB ???

Yori - BTW can you remove plugins from TLB for some hours? Another question: do you install Weather Monitor version 1.2 clearly or updated it from version 1.1?

Here's an update on my CPU problem. I removed all plugins and there were no CPU problems for half a day. So, after trying TLB without plugins, I decided to try it with Drive Space. This worked fine. I then decided to uninstall Weather Monitor and delete all of its files. I reinstalled version 1.2. Still no problems. I finally added the Mail Monitor and all three are running and I am on day 3.
Therefore, it is possible that the CPU problem was caused by going from Weather Monitor 1.1 to 1.2 without uninstalling it first and deleting all previous files. Also, see my next statement to shapeshifter.

shapeshifter - Wow... I think that is the most system tray icons I've ever seen loaded at once.

Windows XP is so much better than 98 SE. With 98 SE, I could never have all of these plus more than 8 large applications running at the same time. As I type this, (using XP SP1 and with the previous 19 programs in the system tray, along with some that are invisible), the following are opened. Ten (10) IE windows, Outlook Express, ten (10) Opus Directory windows, Word Perfect 10, Microsoft Word 2002, American Heritage Dictionary, Notetab Light, e-Sword Bible, Quick Verse 6.0 Bible, Microsoft Search, Corel Photo Paint, Goldwave Audio Editor, Spider Writer HTML Editor, Copernic Agent Basic, and Microsoft Money. And the three TLB plugins mentioned before are also installed and working now. I could probably open up more, but I feel my point is made. Not only is this a good test for XP, but also TLB and its plugins.

I guess I spoke too soon. A day after I posted my message that all was okay, the CPU problem came back. For three days, all was well, then all of a sudden I've had half a dozen CPU usuage problems. Most of them were fixed by closing down the Weather Monitor. However, today I had to restart the computer because Explorer completely crashed and wouldn't restart by itself!
???

Wow, things have gotten worse. I installed True Launch Bar version 2.2.0.1 beta and since then, when the CPU usage problems occurs, removing any plugins or even TLB causes a complete lockup and I have to restart the computer. Before the beta version, I didn't have to restart the computer. With the previous version 2.2, whenever there was a CPU problem, the removal of either TLB or the plugins would cause Taskbar to restart, then TLB would reappear, and the CPU usage would return to normal. I would hardly ever have a complete crash. Another new problem (since I installed the beta) is that sometimes when I open a virtual folder, the system crashes.
???