Computer help forum: External/USB hard drives freezes explorer

I had a couple computers in the past and this never happened to me before. But is there a chance that the installation could have something to do with it? Would it maybe work out if I reinstall windows?

The Explorer pause, freeze, and more as you use some USB drive is well known. I can bet it can be a shock if it's the first time.

Why does it hit folk when they move to some new machine? The simplest reason is the CODEC that is used as Explorer opens the video file to get some information or thumbnail. Here's some research on that.
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&as_q=explorer+hangs+on+folder+with+avi+files

I hope we don't have to repeat why this happens or that Windows Indexer along with other media apps will cause this to happen.

I don't have enough history to guess what CODEC or if some Nero app is in play. We know the WMP Play To feature is a factor but it is a shame that over a decade of this issue and the OS maker has left us on our own here. It's a shame really.

Again, there is no solid cure except to hunt down what CODEC the content was encoded with (I use MediaInfo or VLC Player for that step) and then find a CODEC that folk report few problems with.

There could be other issues such as the machine's maker forgot a driver and again, installing the OS does not fix that. To fix that we install the drivers, and even then we find the occasional out of date BIOS to matter.

Part of the fun of a custom machine and a fresh Windows install?
Bob

If you look at the complaints from Dell USB 3.0 users, you find many are trying other drivers. Some success, some not. After all that, USB 3.0 is hit or miss. Be sure to check if there is a newer BIOS, driver for the motherboard chipset and in the case of some boards they have a standalone driver for the USB 3.0.
Bob

That does make some sense. I'm not entirely sure, but I'm pretty sure it only does freeze (during playing games) while it's loading a new match and the loading screen comes up. Pretty much whenever something is having to load. And while I try transferring files/folders, it could be that it's freezing up due to the thumbnail bug or something.

It shouldn't be the usb 3.0 bug because the same thing also happens when I plug in 2.0 devices and my 3.0 HD works fine with my friends' 3.0 ports.

I'll run a driver scan to make sure I have all the latest drivers. If that doesn't work, I may end up reinstalling windows with the same disc that I usually install on my other computers. (I used a different instalation disc/version of windows for this computer).

Thanks for all the help you have been, I'll be sure to post results when I get around to it.

Those things are usually trouble. Do this the old fashioned way.