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
    2016-03-16T15:14:54+00:00

    Ramesh Srinivasan for King!

    Microsoft was less than helpful as everyone already knows. Down with Gates!

    Any relation to the judge?

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-04-12T15:29:42+00:00

    I am running Windows 10 and tried the ShellExView procedure but with a strange result. I deactivated all 3rd party shell extensions, restarted the windows explorer, tested it (no crash), reactivated 50%, restarted windows explorer, tested (no crash), reactivated 50% of the remaining 50% and so on until finally all formerly deactivated extensions were active again. The context menu didn't crash anymore but with the next restart of my PC the problem showed up again. Any clue what's going on?

    EDIT: I found the cause. Each window is running in it's own process on my PC, so just restarting the windows explorer didn't do the trick. I also had to close and reopen the window that contained the folder I was testing with. I found it was the Mediafire desktop client shell extension in my case.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-10-03T22:12:43+00:00

    Thanks,  it did the trick for me too.

    It was a couple items from an old Nvidia driver and components.

    Thank You!

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-12-03T17:56:15+00:00

    Hi

    I've had the same problem with my Windows 10 tablet and tried the ShellExVIew approach, but even when I disable all the 3rd party extensions, still having the same problem with the context menu. Any suggestions as to how to fix this?

    Thanks :)

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