Open-shell-menu: Start menu hangs for a long time on new w10 computer

[dmcdivitt]

Describe the bug
When I click the start button the cursor changes to busy two or three times, flickering, it hangs for a long time, then the menu appears. Shift+click opens the standard tiles menu ok.

To Reproduce
Click the start button.

Expected behavior
The menu should open normally.

Version:

• Open-Shell: 4.1.142
• OS: windows 10 v 1903 build 18362.900

Additional context
This is a new machine at a large state agency. OpenShell was working fine, then started to hang. It looks like it may be trying to read from a path somewhere, eventually times out, then the menu opens.

[dmcdivitt]

To troubleshoot I exited then started by running as administrator. As before, the cursor showed busy two or three times, flickering so to speak, then the menu came right up. Maybe this proves a permission issue exists for a registry key or at a path. Having run as administrator I loaded the configurations again from a file and changed one setting: windows 10 tab, open windows start menu on monitor with the mouse. I set that but don't know what it does.

After running as administrator I exited and invoked normally. Now I have no issues when run normally. I will reboot and if issues return will post another comment.

[bonzibudd]

Do you know if the issue is present on Classic Shell as well, or older versions of Open-Shell? Also I know there was a change in Windows that would cause a delay if the main list was set to "Frequent," I would try changing that to Recent or disabling it.

[dmcdivitt]

This is the first time I saw the problem and I've been using Classic Shell a long time. I always have recent or frequent turned off.

The first time I read my settings file, I read the file, closed the app, and restarted. That's when I had the issue. I rebooted a few times to see if it would disappear. The second time I closed the app, restarted by choosing run as administrator, read the file, closed the app, then restarted as a normal user. I have not had the issue since.

[Yanta0607]

I would like to add that all PCs here experience the same or similar issue.
10 PCs on Windows 10 x64 1809.
After playing a game for a period of time (30 minutes is enough), clicking the Openshell Start button causing it to hang for up to 30 seconds. If you persist in clicking it explorer will crash. If you wait long enough the start menu will open and you will be fine until another gaming session. The issue occurs whether you play games full screen or Windowed, but less frequently when Windowed.
The symptom also presents when the computer has been asleep for a long period of time. At a guess I'd say at least an hour, I haven't tried to measure it exactly.
The problem was present on 1709 as well, so I suspect this issue may have been around when the project was Classic Shell.
Hardware ranges from I5-8600K with 16GB RAM to I9-10940X with 32GB RAM. All PCs use Samsung 970 EVO or Pro boot drives.
In Reference to frequent/recent - I had it set to frequent as I really want the most commonly used programs to show on the menu. I have changed it to recent. Will report back if the problem persists.

[bonzibudd]

I personally haven't had this experience myself, but I think this should be considered for high priority due to the amount of responses. I have actually had this happen a few times, but I consider them anomalies since it seems to work fine 99% of the time for me.

(Deleted this part because 80% was bologna)

[bonzibudd]

Update: I experienced an issue which might be the same as this one.

I think I was watching a movie (fullscreen) on my second monitor and went to open the Start menu. I instantly noticed that it wasn't responding, I had to open Ctrl+Alt+Del and reboot as neither Explorer or Task manager would open.

I can't really provide much technical insight as it's such a generic crash. I will say that I do not have classic IE or Explorer installed on my main machine, so this definitely comes from an issue with the Start Menu, if that were in question.

I hope we can get some further info on this.

[Ibuprophen]

I've never experienced this myself (regarding Open Shell), but It seems to me like something that's tied to limited resources with the RAM and /or the Hard Drive.

At times an individual may not realize this as the OS will prioritize what resources are made available for whatever is running in the foreground and background as well.

To add... The Windows 10 OS is definitely resource required/hungary as opposed to its predecessors.

Just my opinion/thoughts... :-)

~Ibuprophen

[Yanta0607]

@bonizbudd I don't use indexing. I don't use Cortana and have actually removed it from my installation image. The first things I do when I install windows is turn off all indexing, then disable the Windows Search service. I also set exclusion paths in my group policy, even though thats probably redundant. Just habit.

I don't know if that adds any extra context to this issue.

The problem still persists.

[Ibuprophen]

Those are very good suggestions @Yanta0607 :-)

Though, my primary PC has Windows 8.1 Pro, I do have Windows 10 Pro on 1 of Laptops.

I do feel that disabling/removing unnecessary/unused Windows software is a common practice for myself when it comes to both Windows 8.1 & 10.

Also, even though I do uninstall Edge, Cortana, etc... I don't want anyone to feel that they "need to/should" do so if it's something you use.

Just my personal input... :-P

~Ibuprophen

[ge0rdi]

@dmcdivitt @Yanta0607 @bonzibudd
Guys, if you can still replicate the issue, please do following:

Make sure you have latest version installed (4.4.152).

Those hangs may indicate explorer crashing.
So first try to obtain dump from explorer crash using this guide.

If there is no dump created and you can still replicate those hangs, please create ETW trace using this guide.
And send it to my e-mail for analysis.

[bonzibudd]

Honestly I haven't had this issue yet again, except some occasional 1-2 second slowdowns. I'm thinking it might have been more of a hardware problem, but I'll try to keep my eye on it.