Causes of the problem:
These problems are caused in Windows Vista or in XP by a bad context menu handler. A context menu handler is a shell extension handler that adds commands to an existing context menu (Example: cut, copy, paste, print, Scan with Norton etc). A poorly coded context menu handler may be causing any of the below symptoms. As context menu handlers can be added in different areas (file class, folder, allfilesystemobjects, HKCR\* registry keys), it’s a difficult task for an end-user to pinpoint which shell extension is causing the problem.
Symptoms:
- When you right-click a file/folder, there may be a huge delay before Windows Vista or XP displays the context menu.
- When you try to empty Recycle Bin (from Common Tasks), it opens Quick Finder instead.
- When you click Play All in the Music or Videos folder Common Tasks, nothing may happen.
- When you select multiple files and right click and open / print nothing happens. Whereas, selecting a single file in explorer and right click and open / print, it works fine.
- When you right-click a folder in the Start Menu and choose Open or Explore, nothing may happen. (Whereas, it works fine in Windows Explorer.)
- Error message “Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience” when you right-click a folder.
- Right-click is extremely slow only when the network card is enabled.
- When you right-click on a folder and choose Properties, nothing may happen.
- Your image editing program does not start when you click the Edit button in Windows Picture and Fax Viewer.
- Data Execution Prevention (DEP) error occurs when Windows Explorer or Control Panel is launched.
- Nothing happens when you click Slideshow or Print in the Tasks pane in Windows Vista.
- Unable to launch applications (mainly Windows Installer shortcuts) from the recent programs list in the Windows Vista Start menu.
- Device Manager link in the tasks pane does not work in Windows Vista
Resolution
First, isolate the problem. Observe when the problem occurs. While right-clicking a particular file type? While right-clicking Folders? While right-clicking all file types? As said earlier, context menu handlers can load from any of these areas:
The corresponding Windows Registry Keys and Descriptions is given below:
HKCR \*\shellex\contextmenuhandlers -Files
HKCR\AllFileSystemObjects\shellex\ contextmenuhandlers -Files and file folders
HKCR\Folder\shellex\contextmenuhandlers -Folders
HKCR\Directory\shellex\contextmenuhandlers -File Folders
HKCR\<ProgID>\shellex\contextmenuhandlers -File class
HKCR\Directory\Background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers -Desktop
If any of the symptoms occur when you deal with a folder in Windows Vista or in XP, then you may need to inspect the context menu handlers loaded in these areas (AllFileSystemObjects, Folder, Directory). If it’s only for a .txt file, inspect the file class of .txt file (HKCR\txtfile). Open Windows Registry Editor and backup the selected branch, delete the context menu handlers one-by-one.
Popularity: 11%
Did You Like This Post? Then You Might Find These Also Interesting:
March 1st, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Problem: After highlight text, can not copy/paste, spell check, etc.
Your discussion is interesting but no solution provided. Is this intentional? Ususally, (see) steps to fix follow the analysis. Hope you can provide fix.
Thanks, steve