Windows 10: Explorer freezes when launching .exe installer file.

Hello,

This is a non existential issue but a really boring one.
Whenever I try to launch an .exe INSTALLER application, wherever I launched it from freezes for around 5 minutes or more before launching the installer.

For exemple when I download a random installer, let's say Firefox. When I proceed to launch it from my "Downloads" folder that specific window will freeze and become unresponsive for 5 minutes, then the installer will launch. Also happens on the desktop.

I can reboot explorer.exe from the Task Manager and it will work fine after, but the installer will still launch with that ~5 minutes delay. If I try launching it again it will freeze.

What I tried so far :

I'm not an expert but I didn't see anything suspicious inside my Task Manager when launching the file. I also scanned my computer using ADWCleaner, MalwareBytes and RogueKiller.
I did a chkdsk upon reboot and I felt I had a success but I will elaborate further down.

I tried using a third party file manager "Total Commander" to launch the .exe, it freezes the program.

If I launch the .exe from the browser itself when it's finished downloading it will freeze the browser. Tried on Chrome and Firefox.



What felt like a success :


When I launched the .exe right after doing my chkdsk it felt like a success because it launched right away, but that was a short lived fix.
Trying again and the problem was back, so I guess that when I launch an .exe installer in the 30s after boot the issue is not present.



What works :


When I boot in safe mode the issue is not present and installers starts right away.

When I launch the .exe file through the command prompt it starts right away.


Some clarifications :

My computer is a powerfull gaming PC (i7 6700k, 16Gb DDR4).
Windows is installed on an SSD.

I do not really know when the issue appeared for the first time, it may have appeared a while ago since I don't install programs that often.

If any of you have already encountered the same issue, or if you have any hints or questions feel free to ask.

Thank you.

:)

 

How to locate an EXE file that I have just installed?

I respectfully suggest that you might be treating the zipped EXE file as if it were a file that does not actually need to be installed. Double-clicking such a file causes the prog to be launched immediately. An example of a non-installable EXE file would be some of the SysInternal files, such as ProcMon and Autoruns.

The file that you quoted, oldcalcwin10.zip, is the same file as in my other post. Double-clicking on that file launches an install dialog. At no time does the calculator itself appear. To launch the calculator, I needed to click on SYSTEM32\calc1.exe

Summarizing:

- Double-clicking an installable EXE file launches the installer.
- Double-clicking a non-installable EXE file launches the program itself.

Note that I have already created a shortcut to calc1.exe on my desktop. "If it works, don't break it!" Therefore, no other helpful suggestions are needed *Smile

Thanks to all the generous volunteers for their responses.
.

 

.exe files

Hi,

The file extension .exe is an executable file format in Windows operating system. To better understand your concern, we’d like to request for an elaborate detail for us to determine what causes this file not to open by answering these questions:

• Resetting Windows 10 is a last resort of troubleshooting. Are you experiencing other issues on your computer?
• What is the program are you trying to launch?
• What troubleshooting steps have you done so far?
• Did you receive any error message when you launch this application?

We’re looking forward to your response.

 

Can't launch file explorer following update to Windows 10

I started with the steps recommended by Kapil Arya. Part way through I switched to your suggestions and the File Explorer launched following a reboot following step3.