Merge context menu missing when right-click on .reg file on Vista Business x64

What happens if you double click on the reg file?

I think perhaps the registry tweak in the lefthand column of row 173 on this page (Repair the registry editor) might correct your problem.  You may have to open it in Notepad and then manually make the registry changes using Regedit:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Double-clicking a .reg file executes the .reg file correctly (i.e., invokes regedit.exe).

That does not fix it.

I thought that by using the following free utility, I might be able to track down where in the registry that context menu item might be found, but so far having no luck; maybe you will be able to see something I didn't:

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/shexview.html
ShellExView v1.10 - Shell Extensions Manager

The only other tidbits of knowledge I can think of to add are:  my understanding is that context menus for various file types are in two keys of the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT hive.  For registry files, they would be in the key corresponding to .reg file extension, and they would be in the regfile key.  Here are the contents on my Vista Ultimate computer of those keys:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.reg]
@="regfile"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.reg\PersistentHandler]
@="{5e941d80-bf96-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}"

and

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile]
"EditFlags"=dword:00100000
@="Registration Entries"
"FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,\
  00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,72,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,64,00,69,00,74,00,\
  2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,39,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\DefaultIcon]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
  00,5c,00,72,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,64,00,69,00,74,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,\
  2c,00,31,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\edit]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\edit\command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
  00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,\
  74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,\
  00,22,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\open]
@="Mer&ge"
"MUIVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,\
  6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,72,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,64,00,69,00,74,00,2e,00,65,\
  00,78,00,65,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,31,00,30,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\open\command]
@="regedit.exe \"%1\""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\print]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\print\command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
  00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,6e,00,6f,00,\
  74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,2f,00,70,00,20,\
  00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,00,00

You might compare these with your computer.  Also, if you have another Vista computer without your problem, compare it to the problem computer, possibly even with some help from ShellExView.

Looking at what I copied from Notepad into the above comment, I'll bet the important part is this:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\open]
@="Mer&ge"
"MUIVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,\
  6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,72,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,64,00,69,00,74,00,2e,00,65,\
  00,78,00,65,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,31,00,30,00,00,00

rdefuria, any feedback?

Not yet.

Before I posted, I compared these types of registry keys from a Vista x64 box that correctly displays the Merge context menu.  I noted no differences.

To be sure, I just winmerge-ed an export of all the registry keys you identified, contrasting them to the ones you posted.  They are all identical.

I will take a look at "ShellExView v1.10 - Shell Extensions Manager" when I get a chance.

I will accept that as the solution.

The key part was not quite to run that .reg file you referenced.

But the bottom of that reg file referenced this key:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.reg]

To fix it on my box, I simply made that key match another Vista box here that worked correctly.

Thank you... acceptance coming next.

Thanks.