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.

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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
    2015-08-11T21:14:16+00:00

    I'm having the same problem now on Windows 10. Hope this forum helps...

    And it did! Thanks. Culprit was a context menu handler called 'Internet Shortcut'

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-08-13T12:53:40+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]

    Thanks so much! In my case it was Computer, shell32.dll.

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-08-18T22:23:33+00:00

    Ramesh you smart bastard! I've been killing myself over trying to fix this issue. It ended up being remnants of a program that was uninstalled. Without the program you mentioned I would have had no way in figuring out what it was.

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-08-19T23:20:39+00:00

    Thanks Ramesh!  The ShellExView application worked perfectly and I was able to quickly identify the problem.

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