asked on Right-click NEW choice crashes Explorer.
A friend asked me to look at a very perplexing issue with his Dell Inspiron running Windows 10 Home. If you point to "New" on the right-click context menu, it hangs Explorer and the only way out is to close Explorer, which resets the desktop. All other context items work fine -- just the "New" choice has this behavior.
I've found a LOT of discussion about this issue, with many .reg downloads to reset all context items; delete the "New" choice; add the "New" choice; reset various entries to their default behavior; etc. But NONE have resolved this issue. The only way I've found to completely eliminate it is to remove the "New" choice -- but doing this has the side effect of causing both Ctrl-Shift-N and the "New Folder" choice in Explorer to not work … so there's no way to create a new folder. The "workaround" is to never select New in a context menu, and just use Ctrl-Shift-N or "New Folder" to create new folders; and simply not have any of the other choices that "New" presents.
Clearly it'd be MUCH better to just fix the issue. Anyone know how ??
I've found a LOT of discussion about this issue, with many .reg downloads to reset all context items; delete the "New" choice; add the "New" choice; reset various entries to their default behavior; etc. But NONE have resolved this issue. The only way I've found to completely eliminate it is to remove the "New" choice -- but doing this has the side effect of causing both Ctrl-Shift-N and the "New Folder" choice in Explorer to not work … so there's no way to create a new folder. The "workaround" is to never select New in a context menu, and just use Ctrl-Shift-N or "New Folder" to create new folders; and simply not have any of the other choices that "New" presents.
Clearly it'd be MUCH better to just fix the issue. Anyone know how ??
Windows 10
Last Comment
Seth Simmons
ASKER
By the way, in addition to trying MANY .reg fixes I found in searching the discussions on this issue, I've also done a full DISM scan and an SFC Scannow; and have also done an in-place reinstall of Windows 10. None of these helped.
Hey Gary, Long time been...i have no solution for you but am watching with interest
Does it do that in all user accounts or just his?
and what OS version are you running? did it happen after an update?
I have seen this myself. Likewise no effective solution found.
First solution tried several times was to do a Windows 10 Repair Install and Keep Everything.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
Windows 10 is running, so click on the Download button (not Upgrade Button, select Save.
Create a USB Windows Installation key and then run Setup on the USB Key.
This will launch the Repair and proceed normally.
That worked at first, but eventually the problem resurfaced.
Second solution finally worked long term.
Windows 10 Repair install and keep Only Data. Then I reinstalled my software. Took about a day. But this has been a lasting solution.
First solution tried several times was to do a Windows 10 Repair Install and Keep Everything.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
Windows 10 is running, so click on the Download button (not Upgrade Button, select Save.
Create a USB Windows Installation key and then run Setup on the USB Key.
This will launch the Repair and proceed normally.
That worked at first, but eventually the problem resurfaced.
Second solution finally worked long term.
Windows 10 Repair install and keep Only Data. Then I reinstalled my software. Took about a day. But this has been a lasting solution.
Most probably, the items below "new" contain a corrupted entry which needs to be removed. It will probably be a 3rd party software that has added that entry and it won't hurt to simply delete it. Look for these entries in the registry at:
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Share the entries.
You can surely modify what's in there, but I am not experienced with it and if I were you, I would use a test system/test user for modifications.
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Share the entries.
You can surely modify what's in there, but I am not experienced with it and if I were you, I would use a test system/test user for modifications.
ASKER
The HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software
registry key was one of the first things I tried, based on several postings regarding this key. Has no impact on the issue.
As for in-place reinstalls, I've tired it both keeping everything and with only data, and neither helped. A clean reinstall (did it on a spare SSD so as to not impact the actual user's disk) works fine -- but I'm looking for a way to FIX the issue; not simply rebuild the system. [Virtually any problem can be fixed by wiping and rebuilding a system :-) ]
And the issue is the same on a different user account (just created one to confirm that).
I suspect I'll just suggest a complete wipe/reinstall … but was hoping to find a less aggressive fix. It IS rather interesting how many folks have this issue (based on the results of a Google for "right-click New crashes Explorer" ).
registry key was one of the first things I tried, based on several postings regarding this key. Has no impact on the issue.
As for in-place reinstalls, I've tired it both keeping everything and with only data, and neither helped. A clean reinstall (did it on a spare SSD so as to not impact the actual user's disk) works fine -- but I'm looking for a way to FIX the issue; not simply rebuild the system. [Virtually any problem can be fixed by wiping and rebuilding a system :-) ]
And the issue is the same on a different user account (just created one to confirm that).
I suspect I'll just suggest a complete wipe/reinstall … but was hoping to find a less aggressive fix. It IS rather interesting how many folks have this issue (based on the results of a Google for "right-click New crashes Explorer" ).
i trust you tried the msconfig approach as well, to disable startup items and services?
does it behave the same in safe mode?
does it behave the same in safe mode?
Could you do as I asked you and share the contents of that regkey, please?
Sounds as if there is a machine setting causing this (HKLM instead of HKCU).
Since we have no clue (yet), ny approach were to use SysInternals ProcMon with a filter for the Explorer process (all actions), then try to use the context menu (and stop monitoring in ProcMon). The last actions logged should give some hints.
Since we have no clue (yet), ny approach were to use SysInternals ProcMon with a filter for the Explorer process (all actions), then try to use the context menu (and stop monitoring in ProcMon). The last actions logged should give some hints.
I suspect I'll just suggest a complete wipe/reinstall … but was hoping to find a less aggressive fix
That works, but deletes everything including the user profile.
I suggested earlier using Windows Repair install and then the option of Keep Data (Documents) only.
This keeps data and your user profile and makes installation of software much faster. I have used this approach once before on this machine here.
That works, but deletes everything including the user profile.
I suggested earlier using Windows Repair install and then the option of Keep Data (Documents) only.
This keeps data and your user profile and makes installation of software much faster. I have used this approach once before on this machine here.
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I tried to help you - you ignored my request twice.
Ended up just zeroing the disk and doing a complete reinstall
Windows 10 (more so than Windows 7 and earlier systems) is very complex. Sometimes what you did (I have occasionally had to do the same) is all you can do.
Windows 10 (more so than Windows 7 and earlier systems) is very complex. Sometimes what you did (I have occasionally had to do the same) is all you can do.
If you want more info: the regkey I gave you to share the contents of is not the place to do the actual modification. However it would have told me, where to look and what to do - and I was about to share that with you.
ASKER
As I noted earlier, the regkey Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER
is discussed in several threads and I had already tried the various suggestions related to that; including both deleting the key and making modifications at other locations based on the contents.
is discussed in several threads and I had already tried the various suggestions related to that; including both deleting the key and making modifications at other locations based on the contents.
Since you have refreshed the machine, it will not be helpful, but:
I told you, I changed other keys to exclude the elements that appear after selecting "new" and I would have shared instructions if you had just shared the contents of the key. I tried that out and it would very probably have helped, since it helped for me, once, in the same situation.
I told you, I changed other keys to exclude the elements that appear after selecting "new" and I would have shared instructions if you had just shared the contents of the key. I tried that out and it would very probably have helped, since it helped for me, once, in the same situation.
No comment has been added to this question in more than 21 days, so it is now classified as abandoned.
I have recommended this question be closed as follows:
Accept: 'Gary Case' (https:#a42771834)
If you feel this question should be closed differently, post an objection and the moderators will review all objections and close it as they feel fit. If no one objects, this question will be closed automatically the way described above.
seth2740
Experts-Exchange Cleanup Volunteer
I have recommended this question be closed as follows:
Accept: 'Gary Case' (https:#a42771834)
If you feel this question should be closed differently, post an objection and the moderators will review all objections and close it as they feel fit. If no one objects, this question will be closed automatically the way described above.
seth2740
Experts-Exchange Cleanup Volunteer