Can't open folders in Windows XP

[BZ]

Every time I click on a folder to open it, a search box comes up
instead, allowing me to search the folder. I can't just open the folder
and view the files.

This started an hour ago when I copied a folder tree (which was working
fine) from my laptop onto a CD-ROM, and put the CD-ROM in my desktop.
All of the icons on the CD-ROM were overwritten with the IE7 icon -- for
the folders, for example, I could see a corner of the folder icon, but
the IE7 icon was slapped right on top of it. (I have IE7 on my desktop,
but not on my laptop.) The same was true for Excel and Word files -- the
original icon is visible behind the IE7 icon. I tried to open the
folders on the CD-ROM when it was in my desktop, and got the search box
instead.

Now trying to open ANY folder on my desktop -- even the ones that were
there before and still show the normal folder icon -- results in the
search box.

I removed the CD-ROM and cold started the machine, and I'm still hosed.

Help!

Thanks.

 

[Ayush]

Replied to [BZ]s message :

Every time I click on a folder to open it, a search box comes up
instead, allowing me to search the folder. I can't just open the folder
and view the files.

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/fileassoc/xp_directory_reg.zip

Or

Start | Run :
reg.exe "HKCR\Directory\shell" /ve /d "none"

 

[BZ]

I found a fix at
http://blogs.chron.com/helpline/archives/2005/10/double-click_op.html

The "short fix" didn't do it for me, but editing the registry did.

B

 

[BZ]

Replied to [BZ]s message :

Every time I click on a folder to open it, a search box comes up
instead, allowing me to search the folder. I can't just open the
folder and view the files.

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/fileassoc/xp_directory_reg.zip

Or

Start | Run :
reg.exe "HKCR\Directory\shell" /ve /d "none"

Thanks, Ayush -- that's the solution that worked for me.