Slow or hangs changing directories in Office products

[Zobar]

Running Xp Pro - Office 2003 When I move between directories using Word, Outlook or Excell it takes forever to change. I actually get the "Not Responding" indication, it sits there for a while then finally changes directory. I thought it was just on one computer however, I just installed a new version of Office 2003 on a New HP dual core running Xp and the same thing is happening. It also hangs when I go to attach a file in Outlook as I browse the directorie for the file. I have found if I navigate using the "back arrow" to the root folder, it is a little faster, but it still hangs as soon as I select a new folder off the root.

[cluberti]

Have you run filemon or regmon (or both, from sysinternals) to see what is actually happening on the disk or in the registry while the slowness is occurring? I'd say it's definitely something other than Office causing the issue, if it's happening on multiple machines.

I'd also suggest the standard troubleshooting - autoruns (from sysinternals as well) to disable all non-Microsoft startup items, services, and processes, and shellexview (from nirsoft.net) to disable all non-Microsoft explorer.exe shell hooks. Reboot, and see if the issue continues, and also run regmon and filemon during the time using Office to see if anything is hammering the file system or registry when the issue is occurring.

[rhinoburns]

It is not just you...I believe it's a flaw in MS Office 2003. I also have it on different machines and it's maddeningly slow, excrutiatingly, painfully slow to switch directories.

Robert

Edited October 27, 2006 by rhinoburns