Right-Click Menu - How to remove items

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jentle Jiant
  • Start date Start date
J

Jentle Jiant

My right-click menu for some file types lists applications which have
been uninstalled. How can these be removed?

Thanks
Jentle Jiant
 
Jentle,

If for a particular filetype, check the entries in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.nnn and in it's respective Prog ID's key.
Click to expand...

Ramesh,

Thank you , but...

At the risk of revealing myself as insufferably ignorant, I assume
that .nnn is the file extension.

The file type in question is mp3

the registry entry for

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.mp3

is

default winamp file, which is correct.

And I do not know what you mean by Prog ID Key. The program listed in
the right key menu has been uninstalled. So I have no idea what it is
I should be looking for.

Thanks

Jentle Jiant
 
You may try removing the menu options via Folder Options, File Types dialog.

or, post the contents of the following key
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.mp3
Note down the value assigned to (default) in the right. this is the Prog ID

then post the contents:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\<Prog ID you noted>

Also, confirm if the unwanted menu entries appear only .mp3 files and not for other file types.

To locate and remove the context-menu handlers you can also use ShellExView available from www.webattack.com

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

Windows 2000 Group Policy Registry Table:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/en-us/gp/gpref.asp

Jentle,

If for a particular filetype, check the entries in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.nnn and in it's respective Prog ID's key.
Click to expand...

Ramesh,

Thank you , but...

At the risk of revealing myself as insufferably ignorant, I assume
that .nnn is the file extension.

The file type in question is mp3

the registry entry for

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.mp3

is

default winamp file, which is correct.

And I do not know what you mean by Prog ID Key. The program listed in
the right key menu has been uninstalled. So I have no idea what it is
I should be looking for.

Thanks

Jentle Jiant
 
Plus if the percieved type is still set
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\audio\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers


HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.mp3\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers

Plus there could be shell entries at the above too.
--
----------------------------------------------------------
'Not happy John! Defending our democracy',
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/06/29/1088392635123.html

You may try removing the menu options via Folder Options, File Types dialog.

or, post the contents of the following key
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.mp3
Note down the value assigned to (default) in the right. this is the Prog ID

then post the contents:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\<Prog ID you noted>

Also, confirm if the unwanted menu entries appear only .mp3 files and not for other file types.

To locate and remove the context-menu handlers you can also use ShellExView available from www.webattack.com

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

Windows 2000 Group Policy Registry Table:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/en-us/gp/gpref.asp

Jentle,

If for a particular filetype, check the entries in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.nnn and in it's respective Prog ID's key.
Click to expand...

Ramesh,

Thank you , but...

At the risk of revealing myself as insufferably ignorant, I assume
that .nnn is the file extension.

The file type in question is mp3

the registry entry for

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.mp3

is

default winamp file, which is correct.

And I do not know what you mean by Prog ID Key. The program listed in
the right key menu has been uninstalled. So I have no idea what it is
I should be looking for.

Thanks

Jentle Jiant
 
Yup! Thx David. Have that in mind, thought of including in my next reply (if reqd)

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

Windows 2000 Group Policy Registry Table:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/en-us/gp/gpref.asp

Plus if the percieved type is still set
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\audio\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers


HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.mp3\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers

Plus there could be shell entries at the above too.
--
----------------------------------------------------------
'Not happy John! Defending our democracy',
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/06/29/1088392635123.html

You may try removing the menu options via Folder Options, File Types dialog.

or, post the contents of the following key
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.mp3
Note down the value assigned to (default) in the right. this is the Prog ID

then post the contents:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\<Prog ID you noted>

Also, confirm if the unwanted menu entries appear only .mp3 files and not for other file types.

To locate and remove the context-menu handlers you can also use ShellExView available from www.webattack.com

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

Windows 2000 Group Policy Registry Table:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/en-us/gp/gpref.asp

Jentle,

If for a particular filetype, check the entries in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.nnn and in it's respective Prog ID's key.
Click to expand...

Ramesh,

Thank you , but...

At the risk of revealing myself as insufferably ignorant, I assume
that .nnn is the file extension.

The file type in question is mp3

the registry entry for

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.mp3

is

default winamp file, which is correct.

And I do not know what you mean by Prog ID Key. The program listed in
the right key menu has been uninstalled. So I have no idea what it is
I should be looking for.

Thanks

Jentle Jiant
 
David & Ramesh
Thanks.
But...
The further I go the less I know.

1. the "open with" that is in question is NOT limited to MP3 files.

I had not noticed that before. It is present at all times in the right
click menu.

2. I downloaded ShellExView as recommended.Running it, I do not find
the listing for the program that appears in the context menu. I
assumed it would appear as a "context menu" entry. When I did not find
it there I read every single line that ShellExView displayed. I can
not find it there.

3. The registry editor is like sanskrit or morse code to me. :)
The deeper I look, the more I understand that I do not know ANYTHING.
And the more I am convinced I had better not mess with it!

But... The entry for
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\audio\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\
says "value not set"

But I think that since the entry is not limited to MP3 files that this
is irrellevant.

(the program I want to remove from the right click menu was
uninstalled properly trom add/remove programs section of control
panel. Shouldn't that have eliminated any reference to it? There is no
longer a folder for it, nor any files, other than the original Zip
File I downloaded. )

I'm at a total loss.

Thanks

Jentle Jiant
 
File associations are a cascading thing. With up to 25 seperate settings overriding each other.

A ProgID (Program ID) is the name that appears as the default value for the extension.

EG
HKCR\.mp3
Default Value = <the ProgID>

You look the progID up at

HKCR\<progid>
eg
HKCR\WinAmp

It may have a ClassID (CLSID) as well (As Word.Document will), usually a subkey of the ProgID, maybe something like this
HKCR\WinAmp\CLSID
Default Value = {some long number}

Plus there are the backup associations (the SystemFileAssociations I mentioned earlier)

User settings are stored under here (What you've picked from the Open With dialog)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts

There are some special ProgIDs

* is for All Files
Unknown is for all files not registered
AllFileSystemObjects is for all files and file folders

(there are more like AudioCD but aren't relevent for this)

And just to confuse you a bit
Most of these are Per User or Per Machine (99%), but the HKCR key shows a merged view of User/Machine settings as HKCR doesn't really exist but is a merge of HKCU\Software\Classes and HKLM\Software\Classes. User overrides machine if the keys/values are identical else they are merged if not.
 
And just to confuse you a bit

LOL!

BTW, Very nice one and informative for those interested, David.

Jentle Jiant, You may also try ShellExpert utility.

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

Windows 2000 Group Policy Registry Table:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/en-us/gp/gpref.asp

File associations are a cascading thing. With up to 25 seperate settings overriding each other.

A ProgID (Program ID) is the name that appears as the default value for the extension.

EG
HKCR\.mp3
Default Value = <the ProgID>

You look the progID up at

HKCR\<progid>
eg
HKCR\WinAmp

It may have a ClassID (CLSID) as well (As Word.Document will), usually a subkey of the ProgID, maybe something like this
HKCR\WinAmp\CLSID
Default Value = {some long number}

Plus there are the backup associations (the SystemFileAssociations I mentioned earlier)

User settings are stored under here (What you've picked from the Open With dialog)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts

There are some special ProgIDs

* is for All Files
Unknown is for all files not registered
AllFileSystemObjects is for all files and file folders

(there are more like AudioCD but aren't relevent for this)

And just to confuse you a bit
Most of these are Per User or Per Machine (99%), but the HKCR key shows a merged view of User/Machine settings as HKCR doesn't really exist but is a merge of HKCU\Software\Classes and HKLM\Software\Classes. User overrides machine if the keys/values are identical else they are merged if not.
 
David, Ramesh

Thanks again, but...

My ribs hurt from laughing.

There's a reason why you guys are MVP's, and why I am a lowly
consumer...

This thing in my context menu is a gnat; its presence is annoying, but
hardly disruptive or damaging. Considering all the information and
education you have provided, and the state of discombobulation it has
all left me with, I have decided to learn to live with it!

Thanks for all your efforts.

Forgive me for chickening out

Jentle Jiant
 
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