Windows 7 Start Menu / Right-Click Issue

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BrotherJ

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I recently installed Windows 7 RC and I was checking out MPCs Tweaks and Tips 20 Windows 7 Tweaks & Tips – Every Secret Uncovered to Date | Maximum PC when I encountered this problem. One of the tips required me to right-click on explorer.exe in my Start Menu...... and Windows 7 wouldn't let me.
To elaborate, the context menu appears briefly but before I can say "boo" it disappears again. Further attempts revealed to me this happens on nearly every icon in the start menu. Not only that, it will occasionally crash explorer.exe and immediately restart it.
I checked my start menu options, disabled and reenabled the "allow context menus, dragging, and dropping" option.
I logged onto my guest account in case it was specific to my profile.
I have booted into safe mode, thinking hardware issue...same thing.
I downloaded a nifty program called ShellExView which allows me to see Shell Extensions and disable any or all context menu items...no help and I disabled every one.
I went to the advanced features of my system properties and disabled every Windows appearance and aero bell and whistle (though I'm sure booting in safe mode earlier had already accomplished this).
I have googled the heck out of this and found no one experiencing the same issue...I don't even know what key words to look for any more.
This is a clean installation on a Dell Inspiron E1705, with an Intel Core2 2.0GHZ dual core processor (virtualization supported), 2GB RAM, and an ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 with latest drivers installed via Windows Update.
This is the only issue I have encountered with Windows 7 in the 2 days I've had it installed. I can disable the option to have context menus in my start menu...but I mean, c'mon. Who the heck would do that?
Someone please tell me that I've missed a check box somewhere?
 
Solution
4
I adjusted my memory timing/voltage to stock and it doesn't solve the issue.

^_^ I suppose a call to Microsoft would help?


EDIT:

PROBLEM SOLVED

Upon a re-burn and re-install of Windows 7; I traced the error down to program installation. The Zune 3.0 x64 software install was causing an issue. Installing it under Vista compatibility mode solved this issue. I do notice with some program installs it causes an instability in the explorer.exe. A quick visit to task manger > processes : ending the msiexec.exe process seems to bring it back together.

- Thank you for the help.
- Agent Smith
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I have a similar problem, but unfourtunatly I have not found a solution yet

From time to time the start-menu and all context-menus does not show, they just shows a millisecond and disapperas directly. At first I had to restart windows to get rid of the problem but sometimes it helps to just click ctrl+alt+delete and then cancel a few times. Also it is impossible to move open windows, when I try it may move a bit and then it just jumps back to the original position. Also some programs for example Internet Explorer cannot be closed correctly.

Maybe you or anyone else might have solved it already?
 
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Sorry for bringing a dead topic to life...

Same issue with me.
Right-clicking and sometimes just opening folders in my documents causes explorer.exe to crash, and immediately restart itself. Same issue in safe mode; I've tried re-installing the OS and burning it onto another DVD; I get the same issue.

System:
[Custom Built]
Windows 7 Ultimate x64 RC [Build 7100]
4GB DDR2 677MHz
Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 2.33GHz
500GB SATA II
nVidia GeForce 8600 GT

All latest drivers from Windows Update. I also tried removing all of the Windows Update to see what the issue is. I didn't get the issue once I did that; however I shutdown and started up this morning to the same issue.

After Binging or Googling this; the same issue was common on XP - however ShellExView solved this. I also have tried excluding explorer.exe from the DEP. However it won't allow me since i'm running x64.

Anyone got an answer yet?

EDIT: I have just received an error message:
Link Removed due to 404 Error
 
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I don't have much for ya but it sort of seems like an x64 incompat somewhere are you sure it started immediately on install AVG used to cause an occasional explorer crash that was similar in XP has this ever occurred pre anti virus
 
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I don't use AVG; it sucks too much. It has occurred before I installed my anti-virus programs.
I use too many anti-virus programs but I know they're not the cause.

I disabled the "Enable context menus and dragging and dropping" on the start bar. That seems to have fixed it for now.

If the issue continues to occur I figure I'll switch up some of the Services that are running.

EDIT: I figure this bit of info could help...
My motherboard has a bad DIMM slot.; I only have 4 slots and i'm using them all with 1GB matched chips. I bumped the voltage to 1.9v and got the timings to 4-4-4 12 as they are said to run.
The bad DIMM slot hasn't caused major issues except for a few blue screens with issues in the page file area. Turning off page file solved the BSODs.
 
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I would be inclined to think that it's impossible that all three posters have a bad RAM slot or stick I wonder if the error message is related to the shell extension issue at all. Did explorer crash after clicking OK? That does sort of complicate the troubleshooting though wouldn't be to big a deal to run without that DIMM for a time and return to previous voltages just to rule it out though.

Sorry I'm not too much help this is a bit beyond my level of expertise (the lack of posts seems to indicate that may be true for most folks on here) but I always figure that just bouncing thoughts back and forth doesn't hurt and at least may generate more experienced attention.
 
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It crashed before I clicked Ok; once it recovered it displayed the message.

I do agree it would be highly improbable that the other posters also have a bad DIMM slot...
Nonetheless I will attempt to run on 3GB on stock timing/voltage.

... Could it be a registry issue?
I installed Windows Doctor 2.0 and it detects a lot of registry issues; I haven't cleaned them yet, however doing so may solve the issue.

I'm new to the forum - I'm a Microsoft Fanboi if you will [I didn't buy an iPod, I waited for the Zune]- and i'm pretty good with hardware and troubleshooting most issues.

Texture, I'd like to thank you for the help you're attempting to provide.
 
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Attempting is the operative term. If you are certain the problem has lasted trough a clean reinstall i doubt the registry could be at fault. I however upon re reading I see that your problem is considerably different than the other two posters, theirs being a rapidly disappearing context menu and yours seems to be more of a general explorer instability with a memory error message i'm starting to lean a little towards that memory slot now. It could just be the voltages although that would more likely cause a failed POST or boot maybe an uptime sensitive problem.
 
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I adjusted my memory timing/voltage to stock and it doesn't solve the issue.

^_^ I suppose a call to Microsoft would help?


EDIT:

PROBLEM SOLVED

Upon a re-burn and re-install of Windows 7; I traced the error down to program installation. The Zune 3.0 x64 software install was causing an issue. Installing it under Vista compatibility mode solved this issue. I do notice with some program installs it causes an instability in the explorer.exe. A quick visit to task manger > processes : ending the msiexec.exe process seems to bring it back together.

- Thank you for the help.
- Agent Smith
 
Last edited:
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