Right click menu issues..on Drive,Folders and EXE files but not on JPG

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  1. ZoltanGZ
    Posts : 11
    Windows 10 Pro
       New #1

    Right click menu issues..on Drive,Folders and EXE files but not on JPG


    Hello!

    Just joined to try to get a nagging issue solved in Windows 10 Pro 64 bit .. Version 21H2 (OS Build 19044.1466).

    I don't know when this issue quite got started, maybe after an update or a software install, it just seemed to appear recently since I never had this problem before. Went through with the Context Menu isolation scenario in ShellExView etc. and it seemed that disabling some caused a temporary PARTIAL fix but then went back to the same problem.

    The problem is as follows. Anywhere I right click and try to get the properties of a Drive letter, any folder .. no matter whether on the Desktop or other folders, any EXE files I get the Windows Explorer to hang in an endless hourglass (blue circle) until I go to Task Manager and manually end task on Windows Explorer or Restart it.

    The right click works for some reason on JPG/BMP files, MP3/WAV files, MID files and maybe several other file extensions, but not on the ones listed above.

    I ran out of ideas ... did the SFC /scannow .. it is fine .. several other suggested checks .. they all came up negative. Help!
    Thanks,
    Zoltan
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  3. dalchina
    Posts : 42,963
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       New #2

    Hi, assuming you disabled all non-MS context menu entries shown by Shellexview, including 32 bit ones, and still had this problem, note that Shellexview does not necessarily list all of them.

    I suggest you repeat that, then run Autoruns (free from MS).
    Ensure MS entries are hidden (Options)
    Then scroll down for or find the sections headed .................ContextMenuHandlers.....

    Look for any more that aren'y disabled and try disabling those.

    See if you can identify any problem ones.

    Note too that there may be more than one. This can cause confusion in trying to identify them.
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  4. ZoltanGZ
    Posts : 11
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    Right click menu issue .. cont'd


    Dalchina,

    I tried what you suggested ... disabled all of the NON Microsoft and Windows Context Menu items .. still the same problem persists.

    Is it possible that one of the ACTUAL MS or Windows CM items are the culprit, since the issue seemed to occur after a Windows update?

    I looked at the latest DATES of the CM items and disabled the most recent (December 2021) but to no avail.

    Any further suggestions?

    Thanks.
    Zoltan

    P.S. ... There was ONE CM item that belonged to Norton Anti Virus which I could not disable using the Autoruns software .. but seemed to disable it in the ShellExView ... however disabling it in ShellExView did not make any difference! Now there was a Norton update recently .. wonder if that could have messed with this problem?
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  6. dalchina
    Posts : 42,963
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       New #4

    Do you have the same issue in Safe Mode?
    (Leave the context menu entries disabled for now).

    Presumably Norton would not be active in Safe Mode?

    I guess you can't actually see the context menu normally when explorer crashes.

    You might get a clue from your Reliability History, but I think you'll be lucky if it tells you anything useful.
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  7. ZoltanGZ
    Posts : 11
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       New #5

    Never tried Safe Mode in Windows 10 .. not sure I even know how to get into Safe Mode like in the old versions! Any suggestions?

    Now when you mean explorer 'crashes' .. you are calling the hourglass (blue circle .. circling endlessly till Cancelled in Task Manager) a 'crash' ??
    Thanks.
    Zoltan
      My Computer
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  8. dalchina
    Posts : 42,963
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       New #6

    Never tried Safe Mode in Windows 10
    Please feel free to click on Tutorials at the top and in the search box type
    Safe Mode

    or use Google
    How do I use Safe Mode Windows 10

    E.g. Shift + left click Restart and work thru the prompts.

    Now when you mean explorer 'crashes'
    It's as good a word as any other... crash/failure .. something's gone wrong- may indicate a process has terminated/locked up...
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  9. ZoltanGZ
    Posts : 11
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       New #7

    Well I successfully went into SAFE MODE .. and the Right Click menu works on EVERYTHING! Still I haven't a clue what is causing the issue in the normal running mode, since now, although Norton does not seem to be running, I can't simulate the non working Right Click menu in Safe Mode.
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  10. dalchina
    Posts : 42,963
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       New #8

    Good.. then you can try a clean boot in normal mode just to see if that makes any difference.

    Does your Norton program have an option relating to the context menu?
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  12. ZoltanGZ
    Posts : 11
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       New #9

    Norton was not the culprit ...

    I disabled it's context menus, didn't make any difference.
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  13. dalchina
    Posts : 42,963
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       New #10

    And have you tried a clean boot as I suggested?

    You're aiming to strip back what's running when booting normally to approach the SAFE MODE state. Without anything analytical to point to the cause, it's about experimentation and elimination.
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