Windows Stops Responding When You Click a Large AVI File in Windows Explorer (822430)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition

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

Service pack information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Windows XP. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322389 How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Microsoft Windows XP service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

Prerequisites

You must be running Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) or later to install this hotfix. For additional information about how to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322389 How to Obtain the Latest Windows XP Service Pack

Restart Requirement

You do not have to restart your computer after you install this hotfix.

Hotfix Replacement Information

This hotfix does not replace any other hotfixes.

File Information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel. Microsoft Windows XP
   Date         Time   Version         Size    File name
   --------------------------------------------------------
   12-Aug-2003  19:37  5.1.2600.1257   76,800  Avifil32.dll
   12-Aug-2003  19:37  6.0.2800.1257  125,440  Shmedia.dll
Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition
   Date         Time   Version         Size    File name     Platform
   ------------------------------------------------------------------
   12-Aug-2003  19:37  5.1.2600.1257  304,640  Avifil32.dll  IA-64
   12-Aug-2003  19:37  6.0.2800.1257  120,320  Shmedia.dll   IA-64
   12-Aug-2003  19:37  5.1.2600.1257   76,800  Wavifil32.dll x86
   12-Aug-2003  19:37  6.0.2800.1257  125,440  Wshmedia.dll  x86

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section of this article. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about how hotfix packages are named, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

816915 New Naming Schema for Microsoft Windows Hotfix Packages

For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the Standard Terminology That Is Used to Describe Microsoft Software Updates

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/28/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbWinXPsp2fix kbenv kbQFE kbWinXPpreSP2fix kbfix kbbug KB822430 kbAudEndUser kbAudITPRO
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.