XP Pro problem with right click

[Niege]

Running XP Pro SP3 on Athlon 64 x2 3800, 4GB (3.2 usable). Lately when I'm in Windows Explorer, or my disk management utility, when I right click on a file to get those options I get the message that Windows Explorer has encountered an error and must close. The nature of the error is not explained. A few minutes later I get a message saying that Dr. Watson debugger has encountered an error and must close; again, no explanation. Usually I reboot, figuring that an error at that level demands a restart, but it is getting very old to lose that functionality and knowing that something is basically wrong in the OS.

I'm trying to wait until October for Win7 so I don't have to reinstall XP then do yet another clean install. Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Bozo Galora]

So, you are trying to avoid a fresh install of XP in advance of installing the new Win 7 RTM in Oct.?
Well, I have bad news for you - heh
http://windows7forums.com/wind...ht-click-function.html
But the above link has a good tip: run SFC

A very recent thread here in O/S under the "Why Restore" title also has same prob fixed by a sys restore routine.

Try to think back to when you first noticed this and what HW and SW you may have installed at that time. For example - when you install say, an Anti-Virus, it adds context menu items to the shell so that you may run a scan from right clicking a file or folder. Some appz screw these things up with poor integration

You should also try a wireless mouse to see if the mouse drivers are corrupt and causing the error message

Another option is to try changing user group
http://forums.techguy.org/wind...right-click-error.html

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/slowrightclick.htm

Shellexview utility will tell you anything you need to know
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shexview.html

 

[Niege]

Thanks, Bozo Galora! I'll give them a try.

 

[WaitingForNehalem]

Can you do a System Restore?

 

[corkyg]

I had that happen a few days ago. It was the result of some upgrade or shareware try. My right click ceased to work at all in Explorer. So, I did a System Restore to a day earlier when it worked - and that fixed it. Can't hurt to try.

 

[Niege]

Thanks for all your input and support!

I couldn't do a restore because I'd been so busy that I figured out that the problem started before the earliest restore date.

It took quite a while but I think I got it. This link:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/slowrightclick.htm from Bozo Galora did the trick. I used Shellview and did the process of elimination. It turned out that it was from an old disk management program, Powerdesk Pro, that I've used since Win95. It had survived all the OS's and updates until now. I thought it would be something newer than my last reinstall of the program in 2006. My theory is that the latest MS update to XP broke it. To test that assumption I uninstalled the program and reinstalled it. That also took out the right click function for everything.

I'll miss that program right click zip function but... oh, well.

 

[TheKub]

Originally posted by: Niege
I'll miss that program right click zip function but... oh, well.

If by that you mean bundle\compress files XP can do that out of the box. Select files\folders right click, choose send to, and you should have an option to compressed folder. It will do its business and give you a zip file.

 

[Niege]

Thanks, TheKub, I'll check it out. By the way I forgot to add in about Shellview.exe: I found out you don't have to reboot in between disabling and enabling context menu items. Saved a lot of time... at the end.

 

[lockmac]

Originally posted by: Niege
Thanks for all your input and support!

I couldn't do a restore because I'd been so busy that I figured out that the problem started before the earliest restore date.

It took quite a while but I think I got it. This link:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/slowrightclick.htmIt turned out that it was from an old disk management program, Powerdesk Pro, that I've used since Win95.

You are running the same install since windows 95? Hows that treating ya? I don't think any of my systems have ever been upgraded, a clean install is the way to go in my opinion.

 

[Niege]

Actually, I've done a lot of OS installs: 98,98SE,2000,XP. What I meant was that I've been using that particular program from the time I was using Win95.