Win 7 "Computer" missing
Windows 7 "Computer" in left pain of Windows Explorer is missing.
No drive letters shown, Computer not shown.
No " Computer" shown in right pane of Start Menu.
No drive letters shown, Computer not shown.
No " Computer" shown in right pane of Start Menu.
Last Comment
ASKER
No DWORD called Attributes found in ShellFolder
Right-click on the Favorites menu and click Restore Favorite links
OR
right-clicking Favorites in the sidebar on the left, and then selecting Add current location [...] selecting Computer
On the Start Menu, right click the "right area", select Properties, and then Toolbars, and Customize. There you can turn on what you want. You can also customize the Taskbar and Toolbars here as well.
Screen-Shot-2019-01-23-at-11.37.08-A.png
OR
right-clicking Favorites in the sidebar on the left, and then selecting Add current location [...] selecting Computer
On the Start Menu, right click the "right area", select Properties, and then Toolbars, and Customize. There you can turn on what you want. You can also customize the Taskbar and Toolbars here as well.
Screen-Shot-2019-01-23-at-11.37.08-A.png
ASKER
Start menu is missing "Computer", no drive letters in Windows Explorer.
StartMenuProperties.jpg
StartMenuProperties.jpg
Now that is just strange. I need to do more digging.
Have you tried pressing the Use Default Settings button?
Have you tried pressing the Use Default Settings button?
try making another user account - does it behave the same?
and what happens in safe mode?
and what happens in safe mode?
ASKER
New user account is missing the "computer" from windows explorer too.
ASKER
Still no solution. See StartMenuProperties.jpg above.
How do we get the "computer" into this list?
How do we get the "computer" into this list?
what happens if you use defaults??
ASKER
I have, but as you can see from the .jpg above, the Computer is NOT in the list at the top, where it is on everyone else's PC. Win7
See StartMenuProperties.jpg above.
See StartMenuProperties.jpg above.
If an "sfc /scannow" and a "chkdsk c: /r" from command prompt do not work for you, I would try an in place upgrade to try to repair it.
I would suggest doing a backup of your files to an external drive and follow this guide:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help/2255099/how-to-perform-an-in-place-upgrade-on-windows-vista-windows-7-windows
I would also suggest you try to recover your product key in case you do not have it anymore. You can try "wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey" from CMD or use a free software like https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/ to try an recover it.
In the end consider the option of either formatting and reinstalling windows 7 on it or doing an upgrade to windows 10.
I would suggest doing a backup of your files to an external drive and follow this guide:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help/2255099/how-to-perform-an-in-place-upgrade-on-windows-vista-windows-7-windows
I would also suggest you try to recover your product key in case you do not have it anymore. You can try "wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey" from CMD or use a free software like https://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/ to try an recover it.
In the end consider the option of either formatting and reinstalling windows 7 on it or doing an upgrade to windows 10.
ASKER
How do I get "Computer" back into this Properties Window? It's Windows 7.
did you run sfc? reposting the same Q does not help
tell us what you did
tell us what you did
ASKER
I ran the sfc /scannow, no errors found. Reposted the JPG, in case someone new looking this over hadn't seen that.
Nobody know's how the "Customize Start Menu" is populated? If the files are all intact via sfc, then it must be missing data, wouldn't you think?
Nobody know's how the "Customize Start Menu" is populated? If the files are all intact via sfc, then it must be missing data, wouldn't you think?
well right now i don't have a win 7 before me to test - i suppose it has all updates installed, and no errors in device manager?
i would change a setting, and check what happens
i would change a setting, and check what happens
Does Computer show up on the desktop?
Go have a look at this:
Right click desktop
Select personalize.
Select Change Desktop Icons
Does Computer show up there? Can you click it to make it show on the desktop?
And here again, you can try to restore the defaults.
Go have a look at this:
Right click desktop
Select personalize.
Select Change Desktop Icons
Does Computer show up there? Can you click it to make it show on the desktop?
And here again, you can try to restore the defaults.
and does my computer show in explorer?
nobus, it is somehow looking like the root link to "computer" is either corrupted or missing from explorer, so it shows up nowhere. He did not even see the ability to add it back to the start menu in that preference pane either. I do not think he sees Computer anywhere.
This is an odd failure I have never seen beyond the things we have told him here.
This is an odd failure I have never seen beyond the things we have told him here.
run disk manager, and check if the disk has a drive letter
ASKER
In the Desktop Icon Settings, "Computer" is dimmed out, and uncheckable.
Regarding Disk Manager, the drive letter is assigned, and when I bring up WIndows Explorer, I can enter C:\ on the address bar, and C:\ comes up with the word Computer to the left, as: Computer C:\ and then it displays the files and folders on drive C:\. In fact all the drives that should be listed are in fact accessible, if you enter the drive letter on the address bar of Windows Explorer.
Regarding Disk Manager, the drive letter is assigned, and when I bring up WIndows Explorer, I can enter C:\ on the address bar, and C:\ comes up with the word Computer to the left, as: Computer C:\ and then it displays the files and folders on drive C:\. In fact all the drives that should be listed are in fact accessible, if you enter the drive letter on the address bar of Windows Explorer.
run a chkdsk on the drive - from explorer, right click the disk>properties>tools> check disk
ASKER
I can right click here, for Properties, Tools, Check Now. So I'm running the test upon reboot.
ok - post results
ASKER
I'll have to look for a log file, since the user didn't leave the results on the screen.
if the above doe snot help , try a repair install : http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html
ASKER
I've given up on this.
Now I need to install windows 10 pro 64 bit.
Anyway to do an install or upgrade and retain the third party programs?
Is there an option to remove the Programs section from the Registry, and update it into the windows 10 registry, to retain the programs?
Now I need to install windows 10 pro 64 bit.
Anyway to do an install or upgrade and retain the third party programs?
Is there an option to remove the Programs section from the Registry, and update it into the windows 10 registry, to retain the programs?
as for the upgrade : https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/139745-upgrade-windows-10-windows-7-free.html
you asked : "Is there an option to remove the Programs section from the Registry, and update it into the windows 10 registry, to retain the programs? "
not as far as i know
in the old days - you simply copied the program file, but noowadays there are all kinds of registry and other folder settings
you asked : "Is there an option to remove the Programs section from the Registry, and update it into the windows 10 registry, to retain the programs? "
not as far as i know
in the old days - you simply copied the program file, but noowadays there are all kinds of registry and other folder settings
ASKER
no solution found
try a repair install : http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html
you can also do a system restore ot a date it was ok
you can also do a system restore ot a date it was ok
ASKER
The Restore feature purged a good restore point.
I wonder if Repair install will work at all, now that MS has decided it did not want to support Win 7 Pro anymore.
I wonder if Repair install will work at all, now that MS has decided it did not want to support Win 7 Pro anymore.
repair install has nothing to do with MS - you run it from cd, or usb, even without internet
ASKER
There appears to be no solution, other than reloading the O/S. I believe this happened during an update, but I can't be sure.
It's hard to imagine that this "MY COMPUTER" feature could be turned off, with no way to turn it back on.
It's hard to imagine that this "MY COMPUTER" feature could be turned off, with no way to turn it back on.
did you run the repair? if not, what is holding you back ?
ASKER
No point, since I'm going to try the upgrade to Win 10 Pro from Win 7 Pro.
Many programs to deal with. Other than the Dosbox stuff, I'm hoping the Windows programs remain after the upgrade.
Thanks for your suggestions everyone. It is a most unusual problem.
Many programs to deal with. Other than the Dosbox stuff, I'm hoping the Windows programs remain after the upgrade.
Thanks for your suggestions everyone. It is a most unusual problem.
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ASKER
Thank you.
ASKER
Thank you for your responses.
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HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2
Do you see a DWORD called "Attributes" with a possible value of "b094010c"? If so, delete the DWORD and reboot. That should bring back "Computer".
For the drive letters, check the following:
Under windows explorer, go to the organize tab > folder and search options (Folder Options) > under "View", scroll down in advanced settings and look for an option "Show drive letters" and make sure to check that box.