model browser crashes hammer - impossible to progress

[THE GOOD CAPTAIN]

so i open up select world model, it loads up a few thousand models, i dont even type anything into filters, then it crashes to desktop. this one is tricky because i haven't even added any new models so it can't be a corrupt model right? was working fine earlier today then it just decided to do what hammer does best and be dysfunctional without reason.

game is gmod if that helps at all.