Right click 'Open With' Command missing. Help Please.

Anonymous
2009-09-21T20:08:24+00:00

I realised a few days ago that the right click context menu 'open with' command is missing. However its there at the top of the window on the 'menu bar' or whatever.

Not sure how it happened. Maybe when i installed MS .Net Framework 3 SP1 or maybe when I cleaned registry with CCleaner.

I need to get it back please. Could u tell me how??? thanks.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

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Anonymous
2009-09-22T12:20:29+00:00

Hi, scurvy:

By design, the Open With menu option is not available when you right-click executable files (.cmd, .bat, .pif, .scf, .exe, .com, or .scr), or shortcuts to executable files.

If you've lost the Open With menu option for ALL file types, including non-executable files, follow this steps:

  1. Click Start, All Programs, Accesories, Notepad.
  2. Copy and paste this text:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Open With]

@="{09799AFB-AD67-11d1-ABCD-00C04FC30936}"

  1. Click File, Save As, name the file "OpenWith.reg" (WITH THE QUOTATION MARKS) and click OK.
  2. Now double-click OpenWith.reg, click Continue, Yes, OK, and see if the problem is solved.

P.S: My personal advice is not to use ANY registry cleaner on the system.

Microsoft MVP Windows Desktop Experience

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-01-07T05:20:25+00:00

    Hi Daniel.

    The Problem with Windows 7 is that the "Open with" right click context menu only appears if you have ONLY ONE FILE selected.

    If you have TWO OR MORE files selected, then the right click context menu no longer contains "Open With".

    This is another example of the reduction in productivity that Windows 7 has brought about. When I have browsed to the folder that contains the files I want to work with, lets say jpgs, and this time I would like to open them in Photoshop. Instead of selecting them all and rightclicking "Open With" and choosing Photoshop, as I was able to do in Windows XP etc, I have to either select one file at a time, right click "open with" select Photoshop, then go back to the folder and do the process again for each file, OR, go to Photoshop and drill down to the folder where the files are and open them from within Photoshop (doubling up on the drill down to the folder).

    Reduction in productivity. While this has been reported all over the internet, Microsoft has not decided to even acknowledge that they have removed this functionality, let alone suggested how to get the functionality back and it is now 2011. This has been discussed since WIndows 7 was first released as a BETA.

    Removing functionality IS NOT A STEP FORWARD.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-12-15T09:18:39+00:00

    thanks it's working fine

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-12-04T20:51:01+00:00

    Sorry... meant notepad!

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-12-04T20:49:59+00:00

    Despite "design", would like to invoke Open With for .bat .cmd .exe and .sys files for editing via notebook.

    Please advise.. THANKS

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