Windows XP Home Explorer hangs

My Windows Explorer (Not IE6.0) application now just hangs up whenever I attempt to access ANY folder. Sometimes I can access OK on the first try but after that, no dice. The MS busy cursor just continually rotates and when I bring up the Windows task manager it tells me that the application is "not responding ". If I "Restart" the machine I can sometimes gain access 1 time after that but then it is back to the old non responding grind. This has been going on for over a month.I can shut Exporer down but it always gives me the "non responsive" error window whe I do.
I am not the only person using this computer so I don't know what else may have been downloaded but no one else who logs in to this machine seems to have this problem. I am unable to attach this problem to any particular program or download I may have performed. I have to assume this issue is specific to my login/settings; otherwise the other machine users would be affected in the same way. I have run the latest antivirus .DEF (AVG) and AdAware and Spybot apps but the problem persists. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Perhaps it is merely something easy I may have overlooked ...?

Thank you

 

That certainly sounds like a problem with your profile.

If you can log on as a local administrator or can get someone else to do so, This Microsoft article will walk you thru creating a new profile and transferring most of your personal settings from the one you use now to a new (and hopefully good) one.

 

Newt,
I created a new profile as you suggested using the MS link you cited. The hanging problem was fixed! There are a few new wrinkles now as a result of the new account (MS does NOT make it easy to transition old settings to new accounts painlessly) but nothing is as annoying as the original problem.
Thank you so much for your help!

 

Glad to hear it fixed you up and I absolutely agree that they don't make it easy.