Suddenly unable to open folder from everything.exe

[channeledbymodem]

When I either double click a folder from the results list or right click and choose Open or Open Path, I get an error message "This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action." I do not know how to re-associate Windows Explorer with this action. It worked properly until very recently. Thank you.

[therube]

Is this all folders or only certain ones?


Have you made changes to...

Everything | Options -> General ==> Context Menu ====>
Open..., Explore...

If so, maybe backup settings, then try the 'Restore Defaults' (button).

[channeledbymodem]

Is this all folders or only certain ones?


Have you made changes to...

Everything | Options -> General ==> Context Menu ====>
Open..., Explore...

If so, maybe backup settings, then try the 'Restore Defaults' (button).

All folders.

No changes were made.

Restore defaults does not solve the problem.

Uninstalling and reinstalling everything does not solve the problem.

[channeledbymodem]

Google tells me that this is a WIndows 10 problem and not an everything problem.

It is not uncommon and there are various registry fixes, windows repair scans etc. recommended to fix it but none of them work for me.

So I realize that I am unlikely to find a solution for this here, but if somebody has solved this I would appreciate any info.

Thanks.

[NotNull]

Google tells me that this is a WIndows 10 problem and not an everything problem.

It is not uncommon and there are various registry fixes, windows repair scans etc. recommended to fix it but none of them work for me.

So I realize that I am unlikely to find a solution for this here, but if somebody has solved this I would appreciate any info.

Thanks.

Could you tell us what this Windows 10 problem is, that is causing this behaviour?

[therube]

right click and choose Open

(I'm pretty sure) that 'Open', in this case, is Windows Open, & in that respect (unless the "file" that has focus is a directory) Open will attempt to open the file using the default Windows application - for that type of file.

So if the file has no extension, or an extension not known to Windows, Open would give some sort of message like "what do you want me to do with this"?

So with an "Open" on a file, it would be expected to open the file, not the folder containing the file.

An "Open" of a directory, it would be expected that the directory would open (in Windows Explorer).

Likewise, double-clicking on a directory, should also open the directory (assuming so configured in Everything).

[channeledbymodem]

This issue only affects folders opening and not files; double clicking a file in everything opens the default program. The error message only occurs when I try to open a folder from within everything.

This behavior is also present in any program that previously opened the selected folder in windows explorer. E.G. the download list in Firefox where the downloaded file will execute but clicking on the parent folder icon brings up the error. I also tried a search app called "Treesize" and it too exhibits the same faulty behavior as everything.

So pretty definitely a Windows problem. None of the "solutions" found in a Google search have worked. For instance, Microsoft makes available several .reg files that when merged with the registry are supposed to reset directories, folders or drives to their default behavior. Didn't work.

Given how widespread this issue is and the random nature of suggested solutions I'm guessing I'll just have to live with this. I think it may have been broken by a Windows 10 update. Maybe eventually it will fix itself.

It's a real drag. I use everything multiple times a day to search for movies and tv shows that are on numerous local drives and a NAS volume. Everything still finds . . . everything, but when I need to look inside a folder I have to memorize the location and go to Windows explorer to open it. There's really nothing that replicates everything's functionality in using the MFT table for speed and the option to include mapped network volumes.

Sigh.

A search for the error message brings up this: this file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action - Google Search - https://is.gd/zUa1TR

[NotNull]

This issue only affects folders opening and not files; double clicking a file in everything opens the default program. The error message only occurs when I try to open a folder from within everything.

This behavior is also present in any program that previously opened the selected folder in windows explorer. E.G. the download list in Firefox where the downloaded file will execute but clicking on the parent folder icon brings up the error. I also tried a search app called "Treesize" and it too exhibits the same faulty behavior as everything.

...

Everything still finds . . . everything, but when I need to look inside a folder I have to memorize the location and go to Windows explorer to open it.
...
A search for the error message brings up this: this file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action - Google Search - https://is.gd/zUa1TR

Thanks for that info! I will keep an eye out if some fresh solutions come along. I think this will get fixed in a next update, as it is too intrusive to ignore this problem.


in the meantime ..
There might be a workaround for the specific case of Everything: Instead of relying on the registry to form the connection between Everything and Explorer.exe, you could start Explorer.exe straightaway, taking the "outside route":

Under Menu:Tools > Options > Context Menu change the following:
OPen (Folders) : Command = $exec("%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe" /n,/e,"%1")
Open Path : Command = $exec("%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe" /n,/e,"%1\..")

That way you just tell the shell to start Explorer.exe (the filemanager) and open in the selected fodler.

[channeledbymodem]

Thanks for that info! I will keep an eye out if some fresh solutions come along. I think this will get fixed in a next update, as it is too intrusive to ignore this problem.


in the meantime ..
There might be a workaround for the specific case of Everything: Instead of relying on the registry to form the connection between Everything and Explorer.exe, you could start Explorer.exe straightaway, taking the "outside route":

Under Menu:Tools > Options > Context Menu change the following:
OPen (Folders) : Command = $exec("%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe" /n,/e,"%1")
Open Path : Command = $exec("%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe" /n,/e,"%1\..")

That way you just tell the shell to start Explorer.exe (the filemanager) and open in the selected fodler.

That worked brilliantly. Can you help me fix the same problem with the download list in Firefox ? Because you are *very* smart. If you put a gun to my head I couldn't tell you what you did to make it work but I really didn't expect an answer for this.

Very much appreciated. I probably use everything almost as much as Firefox or Thunderbird.

[therube]

Find some directory to mess with, & drop to a C: prompt in that directory.

Code: Select all

C:\DuplicateCleaner_405>
|   database.ini
|   dc_help.chm
|   DC_Util.exe
|   DuplicateCleaner.exe
|   lang_en.ini
|   
+---database
|   \---DigitalVolcano
|               
\---x86
        SQLite.Interop.dll

Code: Select all

C:\DuplicateCleaner_405> START  database

Does the \database\ directory open in Windows Explorer?

Code: Select all

C:\DuplicateCleaner_405> START  database.ini

Does database.ini open in notepad (or similar)?

(Obviously you'll need to adjust what follows START with what's appropriate for what you're testing with. The idea 1 item is a file, 1 item is a directory.)

[therube]

Why is this working, opening the current directory as opposed to its parent?

Code: Select all

$exec("%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe" /n,/e,"%1\..")

Starting (from a C: prompt) here:

Code: Select all

C:\DuplicateCleaner_405>

START explorer .

Opens, C:\DuplicateCleaner_405.

Start explorer ..

Opens, C:\.

[therube]

@c, have you or had you changed Windows default file manager (aka Windows Explorer) to something else?


On the FF end, does anything related show up in Error Console?
What version of FF?
Any change if you restart in Safe Mode?
If not, as a test, create a new, clean Profile, & see what happens with that.

[channeledbymodem]

@therube

Notnull's workaround for everything has solved my main problem. I'm sure the issue with Firefox is caused by the same glitch in Windows, iow it isn't something specific to an app but to the OS. Hence, although I have already tried the usual steps with Firefox, they haven't worked.

Thanks for your suggestions.

[NotNull]

@therube

Notnull's workaround for everything has solved my main problem. I'm sure the issue with Firefox is caused by the same glitch in Windows, iow it isn't something specific to an app but to the OS. Hence, although I have already tried the usual steps with Firefox, they haven't worked.

Thanks for your suggestions.

You are right, this is a glitch in Windows. I'm very glad you reported it here, so I will wait before updating my Win10 systems.

Everything is highly configurable. That made this workaround possible.
I took a deeper look at Firefox (my default browser, too) and although Firefox is also highly configurable, changing the way the folder of your download will be opened is not one of the options...
Sorry I can't help you here.
One thing I didn't research were alternative download managers for Firefox. Maybe in one of those you can change the way the folders will be opened.
Good luck!
The workaround for Everything was possible because Everything is highly configurable

[channeledbymodem]

Again, thank you for your help. The problem in opening folders in Explorer from a list is inconsistent. It affects Firefox and Everything but not Folder Size where I can open a folder in the FS scanned list by double clicking it.

Firefox has a major update coming in November. I'm sure it will fix some things and break others. In the meantime, I can live with the problem. Everything was much more important to me.

[NotNull]

Again, thank you for your help. The problem in opening folders in Explorer from a list is inconsistent. It affects Firefox and Everything but not Folder Size where I can open a folder in the FS scanned list by double clicking it.

32-bit applications vs 64-bit applications? (they use different parts of the registry to open Explorer)

[channeledbymodem]

Posting a solution to this very old problem. It's took months for me to stumble on this:

The problem turned out to be one simple item in the "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell" key definition within the Folder progid.

The bad entry had a default value of "none" set for the Folder\shell key, and a working entry has either an empty (unset) default value or a null string default value. All of the other keys and values under the "Folder" progid remain the same and work correctly. I have proven the problem by setting and testing that default value back and forth. It's repeatable.

BAD...
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell]
@="none"

GOOD...
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell]

I thank all who replied and suggested fixes. The suggested fixes led me to the correct area(s) of the registry to examine. It would be nice to claim elegant troubleshooting methods, but it's not true - it was just looking, testing and poking until finally stumbled upon.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 7d0?auth=1

This is actually the first time I have *ever* found a solution to a Windows problem in an official Microsoft forum and of course the answer came from the OP and not a Microsoft moderator.

[therube]

I guess that begs the question, how did that registry entry get changed?

---

I have to memorize the location and go to Windows explorer to open it.

You can set shortcut keys (in Everything) to copy the path/full name...
I use F5 (File | Copy Path to clipboard) & F6 (File | Copy Name to clipboard) respectively.
So copy the path in Everything, F5, then paste that path into Windows Explorer (or other file manager).

[channeledbymodem]

I'm blaming Windows update. The last update broke wake on lan. The Intel lan driver was replaced with a MS version that had fewer options, including one to wake the pc from shutdown. When I installed the latest driver from the Intel website everything worked again. Windows update is not my friend. :/

[horst.epp]

I'm blaming Windows update. The last update broke wake on lan. The Intel lan driver was replaced with a MS version that had fewer options, including one to wake the pc from shutdown. When I installed the latest driver from the Intel website everything worked again. Windows update is not my friend. :/

Never ever was this error created by an Windows update.
This key is a basic entry which did not change from the very beginning.
My current system runs the actual Windows 10 version 1803.
It was installed years ago with Windows 7, updated to Windows 8, 8.1 and 10.
No such error ever happened.
I guess you played with other tools which did that wrong Registry modification.

[NotNull]

Posting a solution to this very old problem. It's took months for me to stumble on this:

The problem turned out to be one simple item in the "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell" key definition within the Folder progid.

Thank you *very* much for reporting back! I really appreciate that! That is what a forum should be about ... (at least in my opinion)


That's a strange setting indeed! That "none" will cause that there is no longer a default verb for a Folder, which means: nothing will be executed. (To explain: if it's "Print", it will use the Print verb to print the file on double-click; If it's empty (""), the default verb is Open)

That "none" setting is normally used for the Directory and Drive registry settngs, to prevent it from executing 'things' (that execution is left to Folders settings). Can't tell you how it got there under the Folder reg-key. Nothing comes to mind ...
@horst.epp: Windows Update is not likely to be the cause of this, but it's certainly not impossible.