Windows 8 Right click on a file or folder crash explorer.exe windows 8.1

[kamuzu]

hi.
using windows 8.1.
every time i right click on a file or a folder explorer just crash an restart.
i have googled around and found alot of people have this problem with autodesk inverter 2013, but i dont have it.
its quite annoying.
when i click on empty space, everything is fine.
p.s. when i select multiple files or folders, i CAN right click on them.
any idea what could be the problem?

 

[BurrWalnut]

Here are a few resolutions to File (Windows) Explorer crashing issues:

1. If you get the message when accessing Folders that contain pictures/videos, it can sometimes be cured by going to Folder Options > View Tab and put a tick in ‘Always show icons, never thumbnails‘.

2. It is sometimes caused by a third-party extension. ShellExView can be useful to see which shell extensions have been introduced into Explorer. Read about it then scroll down near to the bottom to download the x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) version here http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shexview.html
When you run it, click or tap on the column labelled Company to alphabetically sequence the entries. You have to assume that the Microsoft entries are bona fide, so concentrate on the third-party entries. Is there anything listed that is either unnecessary or unknown? If so, highlight it and click or tap the red spot (top left) to disable it. There shouldn’t be too many of them but you may find it easier to disable them all, then re-enable them (green spot) one at a time and try File Explorer until the culprit is found.

3. If the above didn’t help, read about and then download, unzip and run Process Monitor version 3.05 (it doesn’t need installing), from here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx
Because of the huge number of activities, it can be made easier to understand by de-selecting some of the activities. The activities can be toggled on/off by clicking them on the right-hand side of the Toolbar, they are Registry, File, Networking, Processes/Threads and Profiling. Also, click or tap Autoscroll on the Toolbar to see the current real-time events.

 

[kamuzu]

Here are a few resolutions to File (Windows) Explorer crashing issues:

1. If you get the message when accessing Folders that contain pictures/videos, it can sometimes be cured by going to Folder Options > View Tab and put a tick in ‘Always show icons, never thumbnails‘.

2. It is sometimes caused by a third-party extension. ShellExView can be useful to see which shell extensions have been introduced into Explorer. Read about it then scroll down near to the bottom to download the x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) version here http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shexview.html
When you run it, click or tap on the column labelled Company to alphabetically sequence the entries. You have to assume that the Microsoft entries are bona fide, so concentrate on the third-party entries. Is there anything listed that is either unnecessary or unknown? If so, highlight it and click or tap the red spot (top left) to disable it. There shouldn’t be too many of them but you may find it easier to disable them all, then re-enable them (green spot) one at a time and try File Explorer until the culprit is found.

3. If the above didn’t help, read about and then download, unzip and run Process Monitor version 3.05 (it doesn’t need installing), from here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx
Because of the huge number of activities, it can be made easier to understand by de-selecting some of the activities. The activities can be toggled on/off by clicking them on the right-hand side of the Toolbar, they are Registry, File, Networking, Processes/Threads and Profiling. Also, click or tap Autoscroll on the Toolbar to see the current real-time events.

1.I'm not getting any message. Explorer process just restart.
Its happening on all files and folders, not media specific ones.so we can rule this out.

I will try option number two and three when I will get home .
I haven't installed anything new.i think it started happening after windows update installed a few updates...
Thanks for now.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

[kamuzu]

option 2:
tried disabling all non microsoft, didnt helped.even tried disabling microsoft ones.

option 3:
no "strange process" running

tried reboot into safe mode and when i click a file i get the following error message:

https://db.tt/pOdixpIF

 

[BurrWalnut]

I'm running out of ideas here but to rule out corruption, run the System File Checker (SFC) from an elevated Command Prompt, i.e. press the Windows Logo key+X (or right-click or press and hold off the bottom left corner) and choose Command Prompt/Windows PowerShell (Admin). Type sfc /scannow (note the space) and press Enter. This may take some time and, depending upon your installation of Windows and what is corrupted, you may have to put the DVD in the drive.

 

[kamuzu]

I'm running out of ideas here but to rule out corruption, run the System File Checker (SFC) from an elevated Command Prompt, i.e. press the Windows Logo key+X (or right-click or press and hold off the bottom left corner) and choose Command Prompt/Windows PowerShell (Admin). Type sfc /scannow (note the space) and press Enter. This may take some time and, depending upon your installation of Windows and what is corrupted, you may have to put the DVD in the drive.

i cannot even right click on CMD to "run as administrator" :\
windows + X and selecting cmd admin also restart explorer

*edit
Ok.restarted into safe mode cmd.
Running the scan.

*edit 2
Well, the scan showed that there are corrupt files, but cannot correct them.
https://db.tt/Xk7pGmED

I dont have dvd, i have purchased windows 8 online.
Will bootable usb work in this procedure?
*Apparently not
Tried looking and the log, but i have to change the owner, and i cannot do it because i have no right click...

*Edit 3
Ran registry cleaner
Http://www.registryrecycler.com
It found 1100 errors.fixed them.reboot.still having the problen.

I will try restoring from earlier backup.

*edit 4
no useful restore point :\

also tried the solution meantioned here:
http://www.registryrecycler.com/blog/2013/11/file-explorer-crashes-in-windows-8-1-fix-it/
Solution number 2 worked!

Cause and Solution 2

For the first time in Windows 7, Microsoft embedded a new Shell Extension (dlnashext.dll). This extension associates itself with DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance), which is a standard to share data over a closed network. This extension basically performs multimedia operations by integrating remote devices. It could form a conflict with your Windows 8.1 Explorer causing it to crash. You can disable this extension in the following way.

• Go to Start search, type regedit and hit Enter to open Registry Editor
• In the left pane, Navigate through HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE to reach the following key path
• SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Approved
• Now in the right pane, locate the entry named {289AF617-1CC3-42A6-926C-E6A863F0E3BA}
• Double click this entry to Modify
• Set the Value data to 0 and click OK button to save your changes
• Restart the machine to get rid to Windows explorer crashes due to DLNA shell extension

 

[BurrWalnut]

I'm glad you fixed it, well done.

 

[tapydisuza]

This kind of error appears due to system file, to remove such type of error immediately apply any professional windows error repair tool and get rid of this type of error.

 

[Greg Hernandez]

I had this very same problem with my laptop running windows 8.1. If I clicked on File explorer it would sit and look at me for a while, then the screen goes dark, and comes back to the desk top. I could get to my directory by right clicking on the FE icon and selecting a previously opened file and navigating from there. It would not let me rename files and other things. I also noticed that I could not open the iTunes store. I thought I must have some sort of virus so I attempted to run Norton Internet Security and it would not launch, and I could not uninstall Norton because the add/remove software button did nothing.

Fortunately I still have the installation files for Norton, so I merely launched to installation program. It promptly told me that they would have first uninstall the previous version of Norton which they did. I then reinstalled Norton A/V, and scanned my computer for viruses, and removed whatever it found.

Since that moment the I've been reconnected with iTunes store, Norton is working fine.

 

[JLS]

Here are a few resolutions to File (Windows) Explorer crashing issues:

2. It is sometimes caused by a third-party extension. ShellExView can be useful to see which shell extensions have been introduced into Explorer. Read about it then scroll down near to the bottom to download the x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) version here hxxx://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shexview.html
When you run it, click or tap on the column labelled Company to alphabetically sequence the entries. You have to assume that the Microsoft entries are bona fide, so concentrate on the third-party entries. Is there anything listed that is either unnecessary or unknown? If so, highlight it and click or tap the red spot (top left) to disable it. There shouldn’t be too many of them but you may find it easier to disable them all, then re-enable them (green spot) one at a time and try File Explorer until the culprit is found.

Thanks BurrWalnut this found the conflict betweeb File Explorer and Spybot - Search & Destroy (x86) ...
Edited URL

 

[emag]

I used ShellExView and sorted the files by file creation time. The most recent was "IEContextMenu Class" from Norton. Disabled it and all was fine, didn't even have to reboot. I allowed my Norton subscription to expire, the extension was installed the day of expiration. Makes me wonder if this wasn't deliberate, in order to make folks think they really need to buy Norton instead of using one of the other AV programs. Prior to the expiration I was getting popups warning me that my computer would be unprotected. Many people would interpret the right mouse button issue as a 'virus'.

 

[Spearcaddy]

Thank you for the Spybot S&D suggestion - that fixed it for me!!