Windows Explorer bug: Steals ctrl+x keystroke from other applications

[Brett Guttriecht]

Running Windows 2000.

Do the following:

Open up a new notepad. Type some text in it. Select some
text in the Notepad window. Hit CTRL-X. Notice that the
text you selected is cut into the clipboard. All is well
so far.

Now open up a command line prompt. Type the following:

explorer c:\Program Files\Internet Explorer

When the Windows explorer window pops up, go and select
the Notepad window. Select some text again. Hit the
CTRL+x keystroke. Uh oh. Windows explorer pops up.

It is as if Windows Explorer is in some strange mode where
it is stealing the CTRL-X keystroke from all other
applications, in this case it is Notepad.

Now, if you run just "explorer" with no argument, and then
navigate down to c:\Program Files\Internet Explorer and
then try CTRL+X from the notepad window, the cut of the
text works just fine.

This really seems like a bug to me. How do I fix it?

Brett

 

[Gary Smith]

I can't reproduce the problem. What service pack are you on? What
version of Internet Explorer are you running?

Running Windows 2000.

Do the following:

Open up a new notepad. Type some text in it. Select some
text in the Notepad window. Hit CTRL-X. Notice that the
text you selected is cut into the clipboard. All is well
so far.

Now open up a command line prompt. Type the following:

explorer c:\Program Files\Internet Explorer

When the Windows explorer window pops up, go and select
the Notepad window. Select some text again. Hit the
CTRL+x keystroke. Uh oh. Windows explorer pops up.

It is as if Windows Explorer is in some strange mode where
it is stealing the CTRL-X keystroke from all other
applications, in this case it is Notepad.

Now, if you run just "explorer" with no argument, and then
navigate down to c:\Program Files\Internet Explorer and
then try CTRL+X from the notepad window, the cut of the
text works just fine.

 

[Brett Guttreicht]

Control Panel --> General tab reads:
Microsoft Windows 2000
5.00.2195
Service Pack 4

Internet Explorer --> Help About reads:

Version 6.0.2800.1106
Update Versions:; SP1; Q824145; Q330994; Q832894;
Q837009; Q831167; Q823353

Brett

 

[Gary Smith]

Okay, I'm using IE 5.5, so maybe what you're seeing is related to IE 6 or
one of its updates. Since Widows Explorer and Internet Explorer are
pretty much the same underneath -- one clown with two masks -- any change
to IE affects much more than browsing the web.

Control Panel --> General tab reads:
Microsoft Windows 2000
5.00.2195
Service Pack 4

 

[Brett Guttreicht]

Thanks Gary. So I'll have to search more of Microsofts
web site for similar bugs. What is funny about this is
that if I run "explorer c:\Program Files", then hitting
CTRL+X does not bring the explorer window to the front.
It is only when I run "explorer c:\Program Files\xyz"
where xyz is one of the folders one level deep under
Program Files.

Brett

 

[Brett Guttreicht]

After a reboot, the problem no longer occurs. Rats. Lets
hope it stays that way. However, thanks for your help!

Brett

 

[Gary Smith]

Just you hate it when problems just go away? You never know whether
they're actually fixed or just waiting for a moment of maximum
inconvenience to reappear.