explorer.exe Not Responding ... need expert's advice

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I am many hours into trying to isolate a problem with explorer.exe (or one of its subprograms). I am running Windows 8.1 (6.3.9600.17031) on an Acer laptop that it has operated properly for many months. The problem that surfaced last week is this:

After what appears to be a normal startup (desktop and taskbar look fine), no application can be started from the desktop. Any icon will highlight on a first click, but the application isn't started. Likewise, the Start button and taskbar icons do not work. Task Manager shows explorer.exe as Not Responding. And repeated tests show 'Not Responding' even before clicking on anything.

Yet, if I call up TaskMgr and use the Run menu entry, I can launch any of my applications and they work fine. Everything points to explorer.exe getting stuck. I've attached screen captures.

Things I have done just to make sure I'm on a solid foundation:
chkdsk /f
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

sfc /scannow
mbam.exe /fullscan

No problems are reported.

I realize the bailout choices are Refresh or Reset. But I feel the TaskMgr tools are pointing out the problem and I just can't recognize what it is. In particular, explorer seems to be waiting on itself. Plus, the multiple copies of ThumbnailExtractionHost don't seem right.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Not Responding.pngExplorer waiting on explorer.pngTask Manager.png
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 4530
    CPU
    AMD
    Motherboard
    Nvidia
    Browser
    Pale Moon

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Mint 17.2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Satellite C850D-st3nx1
    CPU
    AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon (tm) HD Graphics 1.40 GHZ
    Memory
    12GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon™ HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    Crucial M500 240GB SSD
    Mouse
    Logitech M525
    Internet Speed
    45/6 - ATT U-Verse
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    None needed. It is Linux.
    Other Info
    Arris NVG589 Gateway; Router - Cisco RV320; Switch - Netgear GS108 8-Port Switch & Trendnet TEG-S50g 5-Port Switch; Access Points - Engenius ECB350, Trendnet TEW-638APB; NAS - Lenovo ix2-4; Printer - Brother HL-2280DW; Air Print Server - Lantronix XPrintServer

    A/V UPS - Tripp-Lite Smart 1500LCD 1500 Va/900 W.
Thanks for your response.

I've attached a screen capture showing the results of Process Explorer. (BTW, the mbam.exe entry in my original post represented a MalwareBytes full scan.)

It took a couple of tries to get these pieces together because the stalled copy of explorer keeps any other application window (except TaskMgr) from displaying. I had to cycle explorer by pressing the windows key a couple of times. It restarted, but stalled within two seconds ... but that was enough of a pause for the Process Explorer window to come up.

That said, I didn't see any clues on the screen. Explorer.exe still seems to be waiting on itself (PID: 1700).

What else should I be looking at?

Process Explorer.png
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 4530
    CPU
    AMD
    Motherboard
    Nvidia
    Browser
    Pale Moon
An update: I've spent more time on this issue (ran CCleaner and found no problems with files or registry) and still no progress. I've also reconfirmed that individual programs can be launched from Task Manager (using Run command) and run fine. Only explorer.exe stalls with the condition shown above.

Based on the captured screens, does anyone have a suggestion of what I should try next?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 4530
    CPU
    AMD
    Motherboard
    Nvidia
    Browser
    Pale Moon
Have you tried chkdsk /r ?
It needs a reboot.

screenshot_177.jpg

Perhaps Windows Memory Diagnostic ?

screenshot_177.jpg
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1.1 Pro with Media Center
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    AMD K140 Cores 2 Threads 2 Name AMD K140 Package Socket FT1 BGA Technology 40nm
    Motherboard
    Manufacturer Gateway Model SX2110G (P0)
    Memory
    Type DDR3 Size 8192 MBytes DRAM Frequency 532.3 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    AMD High Definition Audio Device Realtek High Definition Audio USB Audio Device
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Name 1950W on AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x76
    Screen Resolution
    Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x768 pixels
    Hard Drives
    AMD K140
    Cores 2
    Threads 2
    Name AMD K140
    Package Socket FT1 BGA
    Technology 40nm
    Specification AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon HD Graphics
    Family F
    Extended Family 14
    Model 2
    Extended Model 2
    Stepping 0
    Revision ON-C0
    Instruction
    Browser
    Opera 24.0
    Antivirus
    Avast Internet Security
From my first post:

Things I have done just to make sure I'm on a solid foundation:
chkdsk /f
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

sfc /scannow
mbam.exe /fullscan

No problems are reported. Plus, CCleaner reports no problems found.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 4530
    CPU
    AMD
    Motherboard
    Nvidia
    Browser
    Pale Moon
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