Multiple Instances of the 64 Bit Edition slows the Computer down

[Matthias515566]

When using the 64 Bit Edition in multiple Instances, are there alot of problems with the dllhost.exe and it will slow down the whole Computer after some hours. The Menu of all programs will be slower, and the longer the computer will not be restartet the slower run it. Also Loading of Tab-layouts need then alot more time (ca. 1Tab/s). This is not because of the CPU Usage, it run also slow when 95% of cpu are free available.

I thought then i use in future just one instance, but its not really what i need and today i was testing the 32 bit edition.

The 32 bit Edition do not use the dllhost.exe and i created a batch File to start 10 Instances of MC32 Bit and it works very well and the computer go fast like fresh restartet also after hours of use.

Batch File to start multiple instances (Example)

Create some User defined Commands for loading Tab-Layouts:

Code: [Select]

MC.LoadTabs FILENAME="${mcconfigpath}\Layouts\Arbeitsplattform.mctab" REPLACE
MC.LoadTabs FILENAME="${mcconfigpath}\Layouts\Dokumente.mctab" REPLACE
MC.LoadTabs FILENAME="${mcconfigpath}\Layouts\Downloads.mctab" REPLACE
MC.LoadTabs FILENAME="${mcconfigpath}\Layouts\Internetseiten.mctab" REPLACE

Create a new Text File with Notepad2

Code: [Select]

Start "Arbeitsplattform" "C:\Program Files (x86)\MultiCommander\MultiCommander.exe" -AutoRun="Arbeitsplattform" -T="Arbeitsplattform"
Start "Dokumente" "C:\Program Files (x86)\MultiCommander\MultiCommander.exe" -AutoRun="Dokumente" -T="Dokumente"
Start "Downloads" "C:\Program Files (x86)\MultiCommander\MultiCommander.exe" -AutoRun="Downloads" -T="Downloads"
Start "Internetseiten" "C:\Program Files (x86)\MultiCommander\MultiCommander.exe" -AutoRun="Internetseiten" -T="Internetseiten"
Change the Encoding of that file to "Western European (DOS-850)"
Save the file as YourMCstartname.bat
Use this File to start multiple instances of MC with one click.

[Mathias (Author)]

MC by it self do not do anything with dllhost. It comes from 3rd party programs like Shell Extensions or AV or other program that hook them self into the calling process.

MC get Icons, Thumbnail, Context Menus from Windows. and Shell Extensions that you have installed on the machines often uses dllhost since they are hooked into the calling process (In this case MC)
So when you browse a path and MC goes to Windows to get the Icon or thumbnail Windows might forward that to a ShellExtension you have installed and it gets it.
It is not somethings MC have any control over. You can test to turn of icon / thumbnails and see if that is why

When running the 64bit version, Only 64bit ShellExtension are called, and for 32bit version only 32bit shell extension are called.

Also Security Software (AV/ Sandboxing ) also hook them self into the calling process and can block and halt operation until they are done.

A good tool for enable/disable shell extension is ShellExView  http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shexview.html

and with ProcessExplorer from Sysinternals you can see what external dll are injected into the processes.
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/processexplorer.aspx

[Matthias515566]

Also the 32 bit Edition slows the Computer down when using in multiple instances, and the problem have nothing to do with the dllhost-problem.
It is enough when after reboot of system the Multicommander one time was running in multiple instances. Then is the program insufficient and also when it run later in single instance, it will slow the computer down after some hours of use.
When the system insufficient, and you close Multicommander completely, it will be in a short time fast again. But a new single instance of Multicommander should only after a system reboot started, because something for the Multicommander seems permanently insufficient until the system is rebooted. Also starting Multicommander need then more time and loading Tabs is extremely slow.

dllhost-Problem
I have disabled all 64 bit shell extensions and the problem with the dllhost.exe was solved. i guess, the bitdefender shell extensions caused the problem.

[Mathias (Author)]

That is very strange, There is no reason for MC by it self to slow down a machine for no reason.
There is nothing that MC do that will cause that.

I run multiple version my self for weeks before restarting the app. Never seen any issue like that.

But since MC is using services provided by Windows, that other program also can hook them self into (Like Shell Extension , Icon Overlay, Icon extraction, Thumbnail system and more ) Conflicts can cause strange effect.

But I never seen anything like that.

Only similar issue I seen was that a old version chrome caused performance issues for other program when it had been running a long time. (Becuse they used undocumented api wrong), But that was fixed a log time ago. It it affected MC but also other programs.

But what is slow. is MC using lots of CPU? or is it other parts that are slow ?

[Matthias515566]

No, MC using not alot CPU. All Menu Items of all Programs slow down. It need then longer time to show anything from all manu bars and all programs.
And a indicator of the insufficiency are the time which MC need fopr loading a Tab-Layout. After restart it load the tab layouts very fast, almost so fast like in my Virtual-Box Windows XP. (In the Virtual-Box Windows XP the tabs are extremely fast loaded, and there is no problem with slowing down this)
When MC need much time for loading tabs without any reason (no CPU-Usage) then are also the menu bars of all programs slower. And this is also the same problem when only one instance running, but not so extremely hard, when only one instance running is the slow down of other programs just a little bit, not easy to detect. Yesterday i tested running only one instance and detected problems. Today i have decided to run only one instance without starting any other Commander like FC. I will write my results of today testing tomorrow. The problem is only after some work.
Maybe the Graphics Driver cause the problem. This i think because in the Virtual Machine (Windows XP) it run better.
I use a AMD Fusion A6-6310 with Win8.1 64 Bit and Microsoft Office 2016 64 bit. Other installed Programs are for example BC, TC, FC2009, FCXE64.

[Mathias (Author)]

That is very strange.

Never seen anything like that
Since it is about the draw of the UI. then I suspect it is some conflict something that hook into windows. Some program that filters/look at all the UI messages flying around in Windows.  for example Global HotKeys program and such are know to be able to cause issues like that
But also Graphic drives since it is a UI issue. Or extra tools/utils that are running in the backgound for the grahics.
It can be a million things that causes this to happen.
When it is happening again, begin with closeing or killing from taskmanger other processes first that you see are running and see if it locks up the slow down. Then you might find that other process the conflict is aginst.
But if it is a drivers issue that would help.

There is nothing Special in MC that would make this happen.. MC do not do any system hooks or anything crazy like that.

[Matthias515566]

It have to do with Microsoft Excel 2016. When i work a time with Excel, the Speed of Loading Tabs is very slow. When i end Excel, the tab loading speed is fast again. The slow down of the whole system is not easy reproducable, it seems this happens only after longer work. I used also multiple instances again. This problem have nothing to do with multiple instances of MC.

I normally never exit excel, therefore it was not easy to find out.

Edit:
Yesterday i reproduced also the slow down of the whole system. It happens only when MultiCommander and Microsoft Excel2016 running and used at the same time. It seems there is a conflict between Excel 2016 and MultiCommander.

[Mathias (Author)]

I also have Excel 2016 running all the time. Never seen that happen.
Strange...

[Ulfhednar]

FYI I have MC running almost every second my system is on.
I run games, utils, encode video, edit documents with MS office etc etc.
MC is always transparent & seems to have no impact on performance.

If I was seeing as many strange issues as you are, I would be checking the hardware (corrupt or damaged HDD, RAM flaky etc) & running a verification on the Win install -
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki/windows_10-update/system-file-check-sfc-scan-and-repair-system-files/bc609315-da1f-4775-812c-695b60477a93

& making sure Win update patches are up to date + checking for virus activity.

Try things like Memtest www.memtest86.com & your HDD manufacturers test software & see if anything shows up.

[AlanJB]

Matthias515566,

Which version (exactly) of Excel 2016 are you running?  Before build 16.0.6366.2062, Excel had a memory leak.

Just a thought...

Alan

[Matthias515566]

FYI I have MC running almost every second my system is on.
I run games, utils, encode video, edit documents with MS office etc etc.
MC is always transparent & seems to have no impact on performance.

If I was seeing as many strange issues as you are, I would be checking the hardware (corrupt or damaged HDD, RAM flaky etc) & running a verification on the Win install -
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki/windows_10-update/system-file-check-sfc-scan-and-repair-system-files/bc609315-da1f-4775-812c-695b60477a93

& making sure Win update patches are up to date + checking for virus activity.

Try things like Memtest www.memtest86.com & your HDD manufacturers test software & see if anything shows up.

The problem have nothing to do with CPU-Usage. I have always Process-Explorer minimized on, and this problem stay when no program need cpu. I use only with memtest86 tested RAM and have 8GB installed. The modules are from the same manufacturer and same charge and same size.

Matthias515566,

Which version (exactly) of Excel 2016 are you running?  Before build 16.0.6366.2062, Excel had a memory leak.

Just a thought...

Alan

I run at time 16.0.6868.2062


The slowing down of all Menu bars and context menus have maybe nothing to do with the slowing down of the speed of loading tab-layouts. This i know now because i installed a older driver (AMD-Fusion 16.150.2211.0 (16.3.2) and removed the hotfix-beta-driver (16.5.1). The installation of the older non beta driver was only after removing the Hotfix-beta-driver possible. Before i attempted several times to go out from beta, but with the autoupdate is this impossible. Therefore i didnt know a time that i have a beta version installed.

With the 16.150.2211.0 (16.3.2)-Driver are no menu-bars slow. But the speed of loading tab-layouts is still slower when excel used at the same time. After ending excel, the loading go fast again.

For reproducing this you need saved Tab-layouts with more than one tabs. I have in my biggest actual 8 tabs at each side (16 tabs altogether). But this thread is the wrong place for this problem. Maybe sometimes i open a new one. Here are to many false assumptions of me.
Thank you all for help.

[Ulfhednar]

I have seen gfx cards & drivers cause these kind of problems in the past.
Sometimes it is down to the way the driver calls overlays when it is drawing the dialog.

It is really annoying because the drivers keep changing behavior when they are updated, if the manufacturer doesn't note the problem.  You have to find a 'good' version, which can take forever.

[Matthias515566]

The more excel need RAM, the slower load MC Tabs from tab layout.

[Matthias515566]

My Password Manager Alle meine Passworte Passwörter  AMP Cause also a extreme slowing down the speed of loading the .mctab-Files with more than 5 Tabs. When this program normal run is there no problem, but when using its tray-menu (Menu of the tray icon) and have alot passwords saved and going through some categorys, then is the tab layout loading of MC slow, and after closing this program completely (Tray icon no more on task-bar) is the tab loading speed so fast like after a system reboot. This is the fastest error reproduction method. When Excel only normal used (100-200 MB RAM) then cause Excel no trouble. With Firefox ESR64 and Virtualbox can i use full Memory space without problems, only excel make problems when using to much memory, but not so much like the password manager.

Edit: The Excel caused slowing down have maybe to do with externel sources. I use in some projects alot external sources.

The speed of loading tabs have nothing to do with the slowing down of the whole system. This was caused imo through Kutools for Excel.