#123 Memory leak in explorer.exe with StExBar displayed (in certain circumstances)

[Anonymous]

Originally created by: fpandre...@gmail.com

You will LOVE this one....

What steps will reproduce the problem?

1. Update to latest Windows XP SP 2 level. (did not happen until recent
update covering the recent months)
2. Create a "Local Network" network place in "My Network Places".  Click
on it to go there and then go to path that has at least 3 folders
specified after the location name, like so "\\Wolverine2
\softwareengineering\Docs\SSCL".  Note that "\\Wolverine2
\softwareengineering\Docs" does not have a problem.  All sibling folders
of the same depth will demonstrate this problem. With some server
locations, I had to go to a depth of 4 (after the location name).
3. View Windows Task Manager "Processes" tab with Page Faults, PF Delta,
and VM Size columns showing.
4. If you have the problem, you will see PF Deltas around 30 and the VM
Size will be constantly growing.
5. Hide/Deselect the StEx bar from your Explorer window and the PF Delta
and VM size will stabilize.  This is the way it should be.  No growth in
VM size for no reason.

What is the expected output? What do you see instead?

The expected entry in the Task Manager is a PF Delta of near 0, and a
steady VM Size.

What version of the product are you using? On what operating system?

StExBar 1.8.0.252, Windows XP SP2 (or SP3) updated on April 26, 2010.
On another windows machine, I could NOT duplicate this problem until I
updated with WindowsUpdate and then it started happening. 

Please provide any additional information below.

I had seen the problem when viewing a Linux server and a Windows one.  The
strangest thing is that it definitely matters HOW you navigate to the
network location.  If you just type in the address, there is NO problem. 
If you first go to My Network Places and then navigate by clicking on a
Local Network place, you will get it (after going down a few folder
levels).  If you create a shortcut in the explorer bar from your address-
field icon (drag the icon or memorize as a favorite), and click on it
later, it will also exhibit the problem.

Here's the impossible part.  If copy the URL from the address bar when you
are viewing the problem folder location (while it is happening), navigate
somewhere else (My Documents, for example), then PASTE that same copied
URL into the address bar, and hit return, then you will be viewing the
problem folder, BUT WITH NOT PROBLEMS (no growing VM size).  I have showed
this to several people and duplicated in on three machines.  It is just
crazy.  You can then even create a shortcut on the links bar (or save as a
favorite) and this new link will NOT have the problem.  And you can click
back and forth between the two links and see problem/no problem/problem. 
And you will notice that each time it will start a new browser window when
switching, even though that is not my preference.  And you can examine the
two shortcuts and find NO DIFFERENCEs.  However, they work differently. 
Very strange.

Consequences for me:  If I leave an explorer window open (to a networked
server as shown above) with StExBar in effect and leave it over a weekend,
it will at 2 to 3GB to my Virtual Memory and sink my system.  Rebooting is
only option.

PS:  I **LOVE** the StExBar!!!!!  Really.  Very quickly most of our
software dept has started using it.