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I have a problem with my computer: I'm using Windows 7 x64, and when I try to acces the Downloads folder, it takes a long time. After waiting for half a minute or more, I can open it, see the contents, copy and move files, etc.

And now, when I open Firefox and I click on the new tab button, it also freezes for a couple of minutes.

Is the hard disk failing? I haven't tried formating the hard disk (lots of information inside), but chkdsk doesn't notice any problem... Should I buy another hard disk inmediatly and reinstall the OS?

mHouses
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6 Answers6

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I don't have a necessary reputation to comment so I'll answer here with my personal experience. I had the same problem, but not just with the Downloads folder. Any action in the operating system was slow. I enabled the S.M.A.R.T diagnostics in the BIOS and it said at boot time that the disk was dying.

Also, what you can do is run a live linux distribution and check your hard drive with specific tools, such as smartmontools. I did it and it confirmed what BIOS said, i.e. that the disk was close to death.

MSX
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You should NOT check for filesystem corruption first (i.e. using chkdsk), especially if the hard drive is failing, it could only make it fail faster.

The first thing to do, is to run a livesystem (CDRom, USB key), (you can also test the disk on another computer if you feel at ease with handling disks) then you can proceed to :

  • A) Identify the problem

    using sudo gnome-disks (see https://askubuntu.com/questions/283559/how-can-i-run-disk-utility-in-terminal-via-a-comand-line)

    • 1- check disk SMART status (should be a green status), if it is failing, jump to B) backup the data
    • 2- run a disk self SMART test (click on fast self test), if it is failing, jump to B) backup the data
    • 3- run a disk read performance test (**), if the performance is abnormal, jump to B) backup the data
    • 4- check kernel error messages (command dmesg) : if there are KEY SENSE errors, jump to B) backup the data

If all the tests are successful, the physical disk is not the culprit, it is probably just a "normal" windows problem.

(**) It is a good professional practice to benchmark your new disks, and save the test results, in order to be able to compare the performance later.

  • B) Backup the data

Using the live system, connect a spare usb key or other disk, then you can make an exact disk-to-disk copy using dd_rescue (https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/80370/how-to-clone-a-ntfs-partition-winxp-from-a-damaged-disk-to-a-new-one), or a disk-to-image using ddrescue (Recovering data from failing hard-drive using ddrescue).

If you have no spare disk, power-down everything, and go buy a new disk (optionally with a larger size).

In any case, don't be optimistic about a failing hard drive (i.e. what if I re-format ?) : if there are smart errors, do not use it.

Community
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JB.
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How many, and how large, are the files in your Downloads folder? Opening that folder triggers your anti-virus software to scan ALL the items in the folder, especially if your "view" of the folder is showing "icons" or "tiles". Change to "list" or "details" view to avoid the virus-scan.

Google-search for 'DOWNLOAD SPECCY' and download the FREE version from the PIRIFORM web-site (not from any other "hits"). Run it, to display the detailed 'SMART' statistics for your disk-drive.

MDK
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It could be that you have a Share or link to a network location somewhere that Windows can't reach for some reason. It will try and after a while time out. That would be your delay.

Try to read your Downloads folder via Dos. Open a DOS box with Windows-R, type "cmd" In the dos box type: "dir Downloads /s"

If your Download folder is read instantly and at high speed now, then your disk is OK and you probably have network timeouts.

Check your Desktop and file explorer (Win-E) to see if you can find network connections. Disable them.

durandal
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I have this issue. It is due to Windows 7 processing all of the files in your download folder for the media info.

In your downloads folder, you are likely to have lots of images, mp3 files, video clips and other items. Windows is opening all of those files to get the resolution and size information for the pictures, the size and bit rate for the video clips for the movies, and the MP3INFO for the mp3 files. IIRC, the MP3INFO is at the end of the file, so that requires that you seek to end of each file to get this information. Windows will also cache the image information, but each time the folder gets updated (each time you do another download), it must re-scan the folder looking for what changed.

Note, the details mode collects lots of information that it doesn't show, so if switching to that mode doesn't speed things up as compared to the icon mode, that is likely your problem.

I have a high end system with a fast SSD and see this problem. I also have hundreds of files taking gigs of disk. On another system that has a slower drive, only dozens of files, and almost no media files, opening the downloads folder happens without any delay.

Walter
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Recently I met the same trouble, I bought Gateway in 2012, and it never quickly works. Couple weeks, it become slower, almost I couldn't stand the speed. Take 1-2 mins to open files(folders) or save them, it always freezes when running the applications.

Couple months ago, i have re-installed windows system, it still doesn't work. Then I ask for our company Tech support.

  1. The memory chip of 2G is too small for 64 bits windows 7.

Solution: add 4G memory chip

  1. A small place maybe one sector on disk is broken

Solution: change a new disk or separate the broken sector.

Chris
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