Downloads folder 'Not responding'

[RVB]

The last couple of days, going into File Explorer, when clicking on my downloads folder it says 'not responding'.
(Windows 10, Dell Optiplex 780, Core2Quad Q8300 processor, 8GB RAM, 1TB Samsung Evo860 SSD, regularly virus scanned by Norton)

Attempting to restart or end the process just crashes the computer, requiring restart.

However, the files in the downloads folder can be accessed via (This PC) (Local Disk C) (Users) (Downloads).

I eventually found the cause of the problem: I had downloaded a Windows 8.1 ISO file a couple of days ago (wife had some issues with W10 compatibility and her printer and wanted an older computer putting back to W8.1 which is compatible with her printer).

Upon removing the W8.1 ISO from my downloads folder, File Explorer and Downloads works fine again.

Any ideas why?
Cheers!

[xeny]

AV scanning the ISO, which on a slow CPU will take some some? If so, it will show up in task manager, and waiting will let the folder start responding agian.

No idea why you have the problem one way not the other though.

[RVB]

xeny said:

AV scanning the ISO, which on a slow CPU will take some some? If so, it will show up in task manager, and waiting will let the folder start responding agian.

No idea why you have the problem one way not the other though.

Thanks for the reply.
The Downloads folder was 'not responding' for a couple of days, so I don't think it was AV or something else reading the files. Task manager didn't show any unusual activity. Waiting for Windows Explorer to respond had no effect even after many minutes.

Despite the old processor, the computer is generally not at all slow; it is usually quick to perform everyday office tasks and the speed difference between it and a modern computer is barely noticeable.
I've previously had a Windows 10 ISO and other sizeable program files in the downloads folder and nothing has ever caused the 'not responding' error before.

[xeny]

RVB said:

Thanks for the reply.
The Downloads folder was 'not responding' for a couple of days, so I don't think it was AV or something else reading the files. Task manager didn't show any unusual activity. Waiting for Windows Explorer to respond had no effect even after many minutes.

Despite the old processor, the computer is generally not at all slow; it is usually quick to perform everyday office tasks and the speed difference between it and a modern computer is barely noticeable.
I've previously had a Windows 10 ISO and other sizeable program files in the downloads folder and nothing has ever caused the 'not responding' error before.

Ouch, I didn't realise a couple of days. I've seen it with large compressed (.zip, .7z as well as iso) files, but it's been a few minutes, albeit on pretty fast hardware. Presumably checking the disk for errors comes up clean? Is the behaviour repeatable?

[RVB]

xeny said:

Ouch, I didn't realise a couple of days. I've seen it with large compressed (.zip, .7z as well as iso) files, but it's been a few minutes, albeit on pretty fast hardware. Presumably checking the disk for errors comes up clean? Is the behaviour repeatable?

When I said 'a couple of days' I meant that I tried several times over a period of a couple of days but Downloads always said 'not responding' and almost any attempt to do anything with it crashed the computer.

I allowed several minutes each of the several times I tried to open downloads - usually only requires a few seconds at most based on my years of experience with this particular computer. I restarted the computer a few times over those few days, including some proper shutdowns (not just restarts) but nothing made any difference when I tried to open downloads.

Hard disk (Samsung SSD) seems fine (using Windows tools plus Crystaldisk = 'good, 99%') and since I removed the W8.1 ISO from downloads everything is back to normal.

Edited by RVB on Tuesday 31st August 13:20