Windows 10: File manager is broken. Says 'working on it' Green bar, no files.

Wife says she has to walk away and leave it, and it may eventually show files.
It does not list any directories at all on the left pane.

So how to fix, and if not fixable, is there an alternate file manager?

:)

 

Windows 10 February 2016 update caused file associations to reset - bad update

My laptop updated February 10 and has completely broken the file associations. Not only that but the File Explorer does not show any icons and the dreaded green bar on file explorer is so slow that it takes few minutes to complete.

The workarounds of going to Default Apps is not fixing the problem of green bar very slow.

I need the Microsoft Technical Support teams to escalate this issue to L3 to look because although it is happening in-consistently IT IS breaking things.

Also, anyone please let me know how to revert the entire patch or I am reverting the entire Windows 10 update to Windows 8.1 since I have the option of doing that.

Thanks

 

N79 - One broken picture which cant be deleted.

I have this picture file which shows a "broken" sign in my albums. I tried to delete it but it says "System Error".

It has a file name. I check my backup on my PC and sure enough the same file name exist and it works. I tried copying that file back to the phone. It works and doesnt say to replace any duplicates. So now I have two files, same name, one shows, and the other
doesnt show. I cant delete the broken one which is my intention.

I tried looking using the File Manager but file manager doesnt see it.

Its just annoying that it is there....what short of a format will help get rid of it?

Thanks

 

Sometimes rather than fully rebooting I use Task Manager to End Task on Windows Explorer, Processes tab and scroll clear to the bottom. Then I use the 3-finger salute to Sign Out and usually get things started again.

Something else to do in the way of a diagnostic is right-click the drive icon, click Properties, click Tools tab then Error Checking. For the C:/Boot/System drive you'll get a message to shut down [not restart] then boot up then wait for the disk check to begin. If no luck with that maybe a disk diagnostic from the firm that made the drive.

As for an alternate file management to File Explorer [formerly Windows Explorer] I use Total Commander, not free, but have seen Free Commander working fine. Both look different but not hard to get used to.

 

Ok, we rebooted the PC, and file manager worked, showed files immediately.

So is this a bug or a windows feature?*chuckle

Honestly, there must be a bug. It has happened several times recently, but she had not rebooted recently.
Having to reboot means there must be a bug.

 

More than likely, as I've noticed from time to time, is Windows memory management has hit a glitch and the renewal of the loading of Windows clears that up. A lot hinges upon what the user is doing that may require a lot of data stored in RAM/Randam Access Memory. RAM is volatile, whatever is stored in it, being used, will be wiped out when the RAM modules lose power during reboot or shutdown/restart processes, gives a clean start to Windows and programs. Normally when a program is closed the Operating System or itself should remove data from memory, doesn't always happen. Which having to reboot doesn't necessarily indicate any problem but one could run a memory diagnostic such as memtest86 to check or maybe the machines boot process has a built-in memory diagnostic. memtest86 at DuckDuckGo

 

This was a common complaint with the earlier versions of Windows 10. The original RTM release 10240 suffered a lot, Just google Windows 10 "we're working on it" and look at the dates of the reports, mostly they're from 2015. Seems better now, can't say I've had any problems in the Anniversary or Creators update. What version do you have?

 

It is the creators update.

 

Suggest you post a screenshot of your task manager, Processes tab, organising any column of interest from high to low by clicking the column tab header, and also of file explorer when this is happening e.g. using the Snipping tool, or if response makes this impossible, a photo.
To post a screenshot/image please use the Insert Image icon above your post to the left of the video icon. Thanks.

When this happens, do you simply launch file explorer, or are you searching for something using file explorer?

Does this ever happen after a clean boot?
Perform a Clean Boot in Windows 10 to Troubleshoot Software Conflicts Windows 10 Performance Maintenance Tutorials
part 1.

 

It happens at launch of windows explorer.
If you close it and reopen, it wont display any folders on the left, and in the main right pane.
A green bar begins progressing across the top, and it says working on it.
You can interact with the top menus.

 

Hi, if you'd care to respond to para's 1 & 3, that might help, thanks.

Also try checking your disk: download and run Hard Disk Sentinel (trial) and post a screenshot of the result, just to eliminate that possibility.

Then check your file system:

From an admin command or powershell prompt
[Windows key + X, click command prompt (admin)]
chkdsk C: /F
Your PC will need to restart.
Post back the result, which you can get after a restart as follows:
Read Chkdsk Log in Event Viewer in Windows 10 Windows 10 Performance Maintenance Tutorials
or
How to read Event Viewer log for Chkdsk in Windows 10 [Tip] | Reviews, news, tips, and tricks | dotTechdotTech
or
How do I see the results of a CHKDSK that ran on boot? - Ask Leo!