Folders have wrong default action in Explorer and Desktop

[Guest]

My folders no longer behave properly when double clicking on them, their
default action has changed to 'Search...'. 'Open' and 'Explore' are still
available on the right-click context menu.

Any ideas how I fix this?

 

[Ricky]

See if this link helps..
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_folder_open.htm

 

[Guest]

Thanks, that helped. Folders now open up as they should.

In addition to the reg keys the script blanked I also needed to blank out
the HKCR\Folder\shell defualt value too.

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

For the 1st part, type REGSVR32 /i SHELL32.DLL as an alternate solution (by David Candy)

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://windowsxp.mvps.org


Thanks, that helped. Folders now open up as they should.

In addition to the reg keys the script blanked I also needed to blank out
the HKCR\Folder\shell defualt value too.

 

[Guest]

I followed the solution of Ricky by running the script on the mentioned url.
It worsen my case. In fact, when I clicked any drive, it presented me the
format dialogue box for the drive. Then I added myself the filetype command
to drive as .....explorer.exe %1. That gave me the drive open in a new
windows, in spite of the fact that I had set the folder option to open in the
same windows.

I ran the script again and it changed everything in such a way that
everytime I open a folder or a drive, it opened the command prompt.

Finally, I again set the command to .... explorer.exe %1. Still the folders
open in a new windows. I am in bad need to rectify this. Please help.

The script on the webpage is

Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

p1 = "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\"
p2 = "none"

WshShell.RegWrite p1, p2

p1 = "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\"
WshShell.RegWrite p1, p2

X = WshShell.Run("REGSVR32 /I /S SHELL32.DLL",4,True)
Set WshShell = Nothing

MyBox = MsgBox("Folders will now Open when double clicked", 4096, "Finished!")


Dinesh

 

[WTC]

The following KB article will solve your problem even thought it is for
Search opening when double-clicking on a folder or drive.

Search Companion Starts If You Double-Click a Folder
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=321186

<quote>
To resolve this problem, edit the registry to set the value data for the
Default string value in the registry keys that are described in the "Cause"
section of this article to none:

1.Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
2.Locate and then click the Default value under the following keys in the
registry if this problem occurs with folders:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell

If this problem occurs with drives:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell

3.Click Modify on the Edit menu.
4.Type none in the Value data box, and then click OK.
5.Quit Registry Editor.

</quote>