Unable to create new folders

[April]

I am using Vista 32 Business, and am experiencing problems creating new
folders via EXPLORER.EXE

If you open EXPLORER and open drive C, and position your mouse over some
white space in the file listing view, and slide down the pop-up menu to NEW,
the flyout for NEW simply shows a grayed out "(Empty)".

If you use the ORGANIZE button on the menu bar, and choose NEW FOLDER, no
folder is ever created.

I you use the FILE menu item on the "FILE EDIT VIEW TOOLS HELP" menu
bar, you can choose NEW, then a flyout menu appears, containing items such
as "Shortcut", "Bitmap image", "Contact", etc... but no "New Folder" item
exists.

Short of opening a command window and typing MKDIR, it's impossible to
create a new folder in Vista!

I browsed GOOGLE until I was tired, and found the following suggestions to
create .REG files, but they accomplish nothing...

------------

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\New]
@="{D969A300-E7FF-11d0-A93B-00A0C90F2719}"

------------

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.Folder]
@="Folder"

------------

What's going on here?

P.S. www.VistaX64.com is dead, so don't suggest visiting that site for some
solution.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, April.

First, of course, are you the Administrator, and logged on as such?

Second, Vista now enforces what Microsoft intended when they introduced the
Program Files folder back in Win95. That is, this folder is intended to be
used only for installation of programs, and you will need to furnish
Administrator credentials to install an application or to create a new
folder here. Several other folders on Drive C: have similar restrictions.

Even in a Command Prompt window, md won't work in the Program Files folder
unless you are running as Administrator.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta 2 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 beta v.275)

 

[April]

First, of course, are you the Administrator, and logged on as such?

There is no way to log in with the account "Administrator". Nonetheless, my
user account does show as an "Administrator" if I go to the User Access
Control page.

Even in a Command Prompt window, md won't work in the Program Files folder
unless you are running as Administrator.

I can use a Command prompt and chdir to c:\users\April and create a new
folder via MKDIR without any problems. But if I attempt to create a folder
in the same c:\users\April folder via MY COMPUTER (aka EXPLORER.EXE), the
same problem I described occurs...i.e., no new folder.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, April.

Inline...

There is no way to log in with the account "Administrator". Nonetheless,
my user account does show as an "Administrator" if I go to the User Access
Control page.

You're right: "THE Administrator" user account has been relegated to the
past. (Note that I'm a one-man, one-computer kind of guy and never had to
learn anything about permissions, users and such until Vista, and my
knowledge of such things is still quite sketchy. Others may correct some of
my limited understanding of these topics.) But even "an Administrator" is
subject to the User Account Controls in Vista, and some jobs can't be done
unless we "Run as Administrator".

For most applications, we can right-click on the icon or on the name in the
Start list, then click Run as Administrator. We must then furnish the
password, after which the application runs "elevated", with more than the
normal permissions. If we like, we can right-click the app and then
Properties and then, on the Compatibility tab, check the box to always "Run
this program as an administrator".

I can use a Command prompt and chdir to c:\users\April and create a new
folder via MKDIR without any problems. But if I attempt to create a folder
in the same c:\users\April folder via MY COMPUTER (aka EXPLORER.EXE), the
same problem I described occurs...i.e., no new folder.

We can run Command Prompt as Administrator, either one-time or by setting it
on the Compatibility tab, as I said. Once we've done this (and furnished
the password), the Title Bar changes from Command Prompt to
Administrator:Command Prompt. Then every command we issue and every
application we start from this window will run elevated.

Even without elevation, we can create new folders in most locations, such as
in our own User folders. But we still will be restricted in Vista's special
locations and in other users' accounts.

By the way, in Vista, there is NO My Computer (or My Pictures or My
Documents, etc.) except as a holdover for compatibility with older Windows
versions. If you investigate, you will see that My Computer is not a real
folder; it is only a Junction that older programs can use to find your new
C:\Users\April\Computer folder. And Computer (or My Computer) is not "aka
EXPLORER.EXE", although it is one of several ways to run Explorer.

It might help you (and me, too) to read more about User Account Control
(which I mistakenly called User Access Control). One helpful article is in
the Help and Support file. Just search for "UAC" and read the second result
listed there, "Your permission, please".

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta 2 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 beta v.275)

 

[April]

It might help you (and me, too) to read more about User Account Control

(which I mistakenly called User Access Control).

RC,

Thanks, but...

You seem to imply that the reason I cannot create a new folder is because of
user rights...even though I did state that when I use EXPLORER.EXE and
navigate to c:\users\April I am still unable to create a new folder here.
If I right mouse click on the \April folder, and go to the Properties page,
and to the Permissions tab, I am listed as having Read, Write, Execute,
Modify, List, and Full Control rights...everything except "Special
permissions". What more must I have in order to create a new folder?! I
don't see a "God" or "Omnipotence" permission listed.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

"Folder" entry missing from the "New" menu in Windows Vista:
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/214/1/

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I am using Vista 32 Business, and am experiencing problems creating new
folders via EXPLORER.EXE

If you open EXPLORER and open drive C, and position your mouse over some
white space in the file listing view, and slide down the pop-up menu to NEW,
the flyout for NEW simply shows a grayed out "(Empty)".

If you use the ORGANIZE button on the menu bar, and choose NEW FOLDER, no
folder is ever created.

I you use the FILE menu item on the "FILE EDIT VIEW TOOLS HELP" menu
bar, you can choose NEW, then a flyout menu appears, containing items such
as "Shortcut", "Bitmap image", "Contact", etc... but no "New Folder" item
exists.

Short of opening a command window and typing MKDIR, it's impossible to
create a new folder in Vista!

I browsed GOOGLE until I was tired, and found the following suggestions to
create .REG files, but they accomplish nothing...

------------

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\New]
@="{D969A300-E7FF-11d0-A93B-00A0C90F2719}"

------------

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.Folder]
@="Folder"

------------

What's going on here?

P.S. www.VistaX64.com is dead, so don't suggest visiting that site for some
solution.

 

[April]

"Folder" entry missing from the "New" menu in Windows Vista:
The above resource solved the problem. Thanks.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, April.

I'm glad that Ramesh's advice worked for you. ;<)

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta 2 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 beta v.275)

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

You're welcome!

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com



The above resource solved the problem. Thanks.