hi i posted this at jan 7th 2006 .... i still got the problem and yet no answer....can anybody help me please?

"hi ,
as it seems i am full on problems
...
i dont exactly know how i managed to do this but whenever i click on a file in a window...e.g. my documents ,the window that opens is set by default on search mode and therefore doesnt open the contents of my documents but it shows the little dog (its not cute anymore...) on the left and where the contents should be ,appears the message "to start your search ,follow the instructions in the left panel"
now i tried to fix it from control panel/folder options/file types/folder /advanced by trying to remove the action "explore" or to set the action "open" as default but neither of these can be done because the respective buttons "remove" and "set default" cannot be selected ...
what can i do to fix this ?"

Do you mean when you double click on a file to open it, windows search is starting instead?

One thing you might try right away, is to right click the file. Then you should be able to chose "Open" instead of "Search". Of course, this is just a work-around ...

... and you've lived with this problem for a year and a half? I'm surprised you didn't reinstall Windows.

One thing you might try right away, is to right click the file. Then you should be able to chose "Open" instead of "Search". Of course, this is just a work-around ...

... and you've lived with this problem for a year and a half? I'm surprised you didn't reinstall Windows.

the onlz thing that works bz right clicking is explore ..then i find mz file from the tree on the right side of the opening window...the "open" gives the same result (the search command) as the simple left clicking of a file....
i have really no idea how the heck i managed to create such a mess...
i dont really wanna reinstall windows cause i ve customised so much of it that it would take me really much time to do all the stuff again...then my drives are really disorganised (half stuff in c half in d) but in a way only i can find what i want ...in other words a formatting is not an option...
thers gotta be a way to fix this folder problem from the control panel under folder options but i dont really know how...i need help on this..
before 2008 :P

Do you mean when you double click on a file to open it, windows search is starting instead?

...exactly even when i open it by right clicking

Here its registration entries to restore the explorer's settings:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/folderopenssearch.reg

the adress gives me this : HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell]
@="none"
does this means i add a value (on regedit) to the key "shell" with the name of "none"? but what kind of value is this ?(String Value, Binary Value, DWORD Value, Multi-String Value, or Expandable String Value. ?)....

or have i understood it wrongly?

I looked up that value in my Registry, and it is already set to "none", so if yours isn't, then thunderstorm98 may have solved your issue. In my Registry, it's a string value, the text name is "(Default)" and the value actually says "none". It looks like this:

-------------- Name ------------ Type ----------------------- Data
Shell ------- (Default) --------- REG_SZ ------------------- none

Good luck! Let us know if thunderstorm98 solved this for you.

I looked up that value in my Registry, and it is already set to "none", so if yours isn't, then thunderstorm98 may have solved your issue. In my Registry, it's a string value, the text name is "(Default)" and the value actually says "none". It looks like this:

-------------- Name ------------ Type ----------------------- Data
Shell ------- (Default) --------- REG_SZ ------------------- none

Good luck! Let us know if thunderstorm98 solved this for you.

well i checked in regedit ..i think i already have this ..when i click on shell it comes out a key (Default) type REG_SZ but it doesnt have a value as "none".....so anyhow i created a new key in "shell", named it also "(Default)" with the same type and under value i put "none"....well nothing actually changed the problem is still there....do i have perhaps to delete the "default" key that was there in the first place, so that the one i made actually works?

Yes ... either delete the original, or else change the original to the correct setting and delete the new one.

Yes ... either delete the original, or else change the original to the correct setting and delete the new one.

well i modified the original by adding the "none" to the value data..nothing when i click to open for example the drive c it starts to search in the drive c instead of normally opening it

Ok, I think we shall continue with a different fix from Kelly's Korner, and let's give thanks to thunderstorm98 for pointing us to their registration fixes in the first place. This one fixes the exe response in XP ... so let's see where that leaves us ...

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/exefix.reg

When you get here, don't try entering this manually in the registry. Instead, do the following:

If you get to the web page in your browser with all the edits listed, go to the edit menu, and choose "select all". This will highlight all the text. Now go to the File Menu, and choose "Save As". It should offer to save it as exefix.reg. Save it on your desktop.

Some browsers may offer to immediately download the exefix.reg file as soon as you go to the page. That is the easiest, if it works for you.

After you have it downloaded/saved, you need to run it, in order to update your registry.

You can do this the way you have been getting other files to run, or you can open up a command window and launch it from there. If you don't know how to do that and want to try it, this is the way:

On the Start menu, click "Run".
You will now be at a command prompt in your Documents and Settings folder in a new DOS-style window.
Type "cd desktop" and press Enter.
Now type "exefix" and press Enter.

After you run the registry fix, reboot your computer and check the behavior. And then let us know the results ...

i got it on the desktop , clicked and then got a message: are u sure u want to put the bla bla to the reg entry ..? i said ok ..then rebooted and still nothing...

i ve no idea why doesnt it work...i still cant open stuff

Ok, here is another, and as I look at the code, I see it covers both folder and execute behaviors (although I don't see search). But perhaps it will put those two back to their defaults, which is what you want. Let's give this one a try:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/foldershell.reg

And one question: since you have had this problem so long, I'm assuming you have tried the online scans, such as Trend Micro's housecall, etc.? Because if it's caused by spyware (or some other bad guy), we would be on the wrong track here.

Well, try that new one, reboot, then give us an update.

I don't have a fix, but maybe it will jog a memory for someone out there ...
I know a guy with a Gateway -- came installed with XP Pro ... SPs have been applied as they came out. It does the same thing. Maybe a behaviour installed with some original crapware?

Member Avatar for thunderstorm98

Here re-register the shell library may it fix the bug:
Click on start>run> and type regsvr32 /i shell32.dll and press ok.

Regards..

Here re-register the shell library may it fix the bug:
Click on start>run> and type regsvr32 /i shell32.dll and press ok.

Regards..

hello,
sorry but this didnt do the job either...i am gonna try what chuck reccomended as well (the fix)...now i am updating avg antispyware(version 7,5) and running a scan ...will let u know the result as soon as its over ...i didnt really realise this could b from spyware , always thought i messed up somewher...is this online scan more efficient as avg ?

Member Avatar for thunderstorm98

Run through harddisk its better to detect the spyware.

Hello everybody!

I had a similar problem earlier today after changing the default icons of folders, HDDs, DVDs and CDs, except that a double-click on any of those items would simply not do anything. After some tinkering within "folder options" that only got the folders to open their contents in a separate window regardless of my settings specifying the contrary, I tried the registry way.
The "none" value to the default shell key for Directories did partially solve my problem. I had to track down the registry entries for the HDD, DVD ant CD drives, witch are all separate. Setting the default value for "shell" worked in every case for me, and my problem was solved!
The icons never seemed to work, but that's another story....

Stan, I read your response to the first registry edit that was proposed, and you said that whenever you tried to access the drive C it would still not work. Do your folders(my documents, etc.) work? as I wrote earlier, the fix to the "Directory" shell key doesn't seem to affect access to drives from "My Computer"

Hello everybody!

I had a similar problem earlier today after changing the default icons of folders, HDDs, DVDs and CDs, except that a double-click on any of those items would simply not do anything. After some tinkering within "folder options" that only got the folders to open their contents in a separate window regardless of my settings specifying the contrary, I tried the registry way.
The "none" value to the default shell key for Directories did partially solve my problem. I had to track down the registry entries for the HDD, DVD ant CD drives, witch are all separate. Setting the default value for "shell" worked in every case for me, and my problem was solved!
The icons never seemed to work, but that's another story....

Stan, I read your response to the first registry edit that was proposed, and you said that whenever you tried to access the drive C it would still not work. Do your folders(my documents, etc.) work? as I wrote earlier, the fix to the "Directory" shell key doesn't seem to affect access to drives from "My Computer"

ehy ure actually right ...i was always checking on the HDD after every fix and it seems that the problem is only to the HDD and the removable devices and drives ...if i click on my documents for example it opens them normally....so the fixes got the problem partially solved....can u tell me the paths for the keys to HDD and the removable devices ?....

by the way the scan with AVG didnt give smth really unusual just typical stuff from surfing around :
heres the report , yet i think i have to modify the keys to HDD and protable device to fix my problem...
AVG Anti-Spyware - Scan Report
---------------------------------------------------------

+ Created at: 12:20:24 06/09/2007

+ Scan result:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Tldctl2.URLLink -> Adware.NewDotNet : No action taken.
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Tldctl2.URLLink.1 -> Adware.NewDotNet : No action taken.
:mozilla.64:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Adjuggler : No action taken.
:mozilla.65:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Adjuggler : No action taken.
:mozilla.127:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Adrevolver : No action taken.
:mozilla.128:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Adrevolver : No action taken.
:mozilla.129:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Adrevolver : No action taken.
:mozilla.130:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Adrevolver : No action taken.
:mozilla.103:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Advertising : No action taken.
:mozilla.104:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Advertising : No action taken.
:mozilla.105:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Advertising : No action taken.
:mozilla.106:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Advertising : No action taken.
:mozilla.118:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Atdmt : No action taken.
:mozilla.74:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Com : No action taken.
:mozilla.119:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Connextra : No action taken.
:mozilla.120:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Connextra : No action taken.
:mozilla.121:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Connextra : No action taken.
:mozilla.24:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Doubleclick : No action taken.
:mozilla.32:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Euroclick : No action taken.
:mozilla.39:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Euroclick : No action taken.
:mozilla.40:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Euroclick : No action taken.
:mozilla.41:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Euroclick : No action taken.
:mozilla.42:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Euroclick : No action taken.
:mozilla.43:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Euroclick : No action taken.
:mozilla.63:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Ivwbox : No action taken.
:mozilla.112:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Komtrack : No action taken.
:mozilla.113:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Komtrack : No action taken.
:mozilla.60:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Mediaplex : No action taken.
:mozilla.83:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Revsci : No action taken.
:mozilla.84:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Revsci : No action taken.
:mozilla.85:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Revsci : No action taken.
:mozilla.86:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Revsci : No action taken.
:mozilla.123:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Statcounter : No action taken.
:mozilla.109:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Tradedoubler : No action taken.
:mozilla.110:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Tradedoubler : No action taken.
:mozilla.100:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Yieldmanager : No action taken.
:mozilla.101:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Yieldmanager : No action taken.
:mozilla.102:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Yieldmanager : No action taken.
:mozilla.99:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Yieldmanager : No action taken.
:mozilla.115:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Zedo : No action taken.
:mozilla.116:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Zedo : No action taken.
:mozilla.117:C:\Documents and Settings\νικ\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\ph6029ta.slt\cookies.txt -> TrackingCookie.Zedo : No action taken.


::Report end
of course action was taken after and all this crapware was deleted!

Well here are the keys I modified along with "Directory", all listed under "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT":

AudioCD
DVD
Drive

As you can see, it's pretty easy to track those three devices in the registry...if you have other malfunctioning devices or files and you have trouble finding them, just post a list and I'll see if I can be of assistance ^^

thats it man ..u saved the day ...thank you so much....after modifying the directory of "drive" with "none" ( it was actually "find") under shell it all works ok now ....great !!!! thanx a lot for the good tip!!!

You're welcome, glad to see it wasn't something else causing trouble. I hope your system will be good for another year and a half!

You're welcome, glad to see it wasn't something else causing trouble. I hope your system will be good for another year and a half!

well considering its age and the fact that it is a laptop filled up wiht crapware and 2/3 of the hard space with mp3s ,it works quite fine..a bit slow due to 512 memory but i was thinking to upgrade the memory with one more 512 ...but thats another topic :P

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