windows explorer crashes on right click

Anonymous
2009-03-30T20:59:37+00:00

Whenever I right click on a file in Windows Explorer I get a message that Windows Explorer has stopped working and then it shuts downto the desktop.  I am running Windows Vista Home Premium on a Gateway GT5228. It has 2 GB of ram and 140GB unused on the hard drive.  I have been running Vista for about a year and the problem just started about a week ago.  I hope somebody has a suggestion because at the moment I can't delete or rename anything.  I have run an antivirus and antispyware programs and have found nothing.  Any ideas will be greatly appreaciated.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

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Ramesh 181.2K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2009-03-30T21:40:54+00:00

Hi ranma100,

Right-click crashes are caused by third-party shell extensions. You may use the excellent ShellExView tool to isolate the problem. For more information, see "Method 2" in article Right-click is slow or weird behavior caused by context menu handlers.


Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Desktop Experience]

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-11-18T10:52:22+00:00

    Hi Ramesh Srinivasan,

    Many thanks for your tip. ShellExView certainly helped in locating the issue. Was about to reinstall windows. Saved my precious time. Thanks once again.

    Best regards,

    Ravi CM

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-10-26T16:10:11+00:00

    Thanks. I just had to use this, too. My Nvidia driver caused a problem, for some reason. It doesn't anymore.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-07-23T16:46:20+00:00

    I had this problem after installing SpyBot.  After uninstalling it, the problem went away.

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-05-23T08:36:06+00:00

    ShellExView is an Excellent tool just like the equally great NK2Edit from the same people, NirSoft.

    My problem started after installing the latest version of Spybot SD.

    I used a simple technique with Shell view in that I sorted on the "File Created Time" column then started to Disable from the latest. No surprises that SpyBot was the latest entry and its descriptor was "Windows Explorer context menu integration"

    Thanks for great advice.

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