Windows 7 explorer really slow to open “Searching for items”

and the green bar of death, taking maybe 10 or 15 seconds before you can use the folder.

Another ‘feature’ of Windows 7 apparently:
http://www.sevenforums.com/performance-maintenance/10330-explorer-slow-large-folders.html

(in case the link goes bad: select the folder -> properties ->customize -> and set type to general (or something other than whatever it is)