can't open / explore start menu folders

[Dion Starfire]

Problem: right-clicking on start menu folders and selecting either open,
explore, open all users, or explore all users does nothing (except making the
right-click menu disappear as it alwys does once you select an option). I'm
pretty sure the cause of this is my recnet installation of the .net framework
2.0 (usuing official DL from microsoft.com)

How can I repair this functionality?
I've found some tips on removing specific conflicting programs, but none of
them were relevant (the specified key didn't exist).

 

[devil_himself]

Problem: right-clicking on start menu folders and selecting either open,
explore, open all users, or explore all users does nothing (except making the
right-click menu disappear as it alwys does once you select an option). I'm
pretty sure the cause of this is my recnet installation of the .net framework
2.0 (usuing official DL from microsoft.com)

How can I repair this functionality?
I've found some tips on removing specific conflicting programs, but none of
them were relevant (the specified key didn't exist).

Click Start, click Run, type eventvwr.msc in the Open box, and then
press Enter.
Click the Application category.

Look For Recent Errors > Double Click on them > Another Windows Will
open > On the Right Side use the Double Notepad icon to copy the error
paste them here

 

[Dion Starfire]

Checked the event log, and there were no error messages from before, or
aroudn the time this started happening.

I'm just looking to find out the registry keys that power this
functionality, and what they should be, so I can fix it. So far, the only
solution I've found is a clean reinstall of windows which I just did a month
ago and would rather not repeat again this soon.