Missing item in desktop context menu

[jmorrell]

I somehow lost the "New" option on the desktop context menu (as in "new shortcut"). Tried the solution in the Microsoft Knowledgebase, but still unable to get it back. Any suggestions?

[jstolz]

hmm... I wish you had told us the KnowledgBase number so I could quickly scamper over there and see what it sez... So I'll wing it and hope I score:

This discussion is predicated on the premise that by adding one "new" item, the New menu will appear...

There are two ways to get a "new" entry: put an empty "template"file in c:\windows\shellnew, or create a ShellNew key under HKCU\.xxx (where .xxx is the filename extension).

If you see a key called ShellNew-, or -ShellNew or something like that, some app (maybe TweakUI) may have disabled it. Simply renaming the key to ShellNew should work.

If you DON'T have such a key, here's where it gets a bit wobbley: Some apps use a string value called "command" with the value being the path to the app that launches it, while others seem to make use of a string name called "nullfile".

The other problem is that some apps use a raft of extensions, ALL of which have to be re-registered this way. You may have to just reinstall the app.

Before you do tho... let us know a bit more about your problem...

[jmorrell]

The MS KB article is Q180257, New Command Missing in Windows Explorer. I have the correct entries according to the article. After reading your post, I checked the Registry, and there is a command there for .lnk files under ShellNew, so that seems OK. Just can't get the "New" command to come up in the context menu. Can't see if/where TweakUI or TweakAll might have disabled it.

[jmorrell]

Just installed Xteq X-Setup, and the New menu item returned to the desktop context menu! Didn't find any options for that item in X-Setup, so nothing I did (at least nothing I knowingly did) caused it to come back. Whatever X-Setup did, it solved the problem. Thanks for your help.

[DaveA]

Using Tweakui or some other third party to 'Hide' a harddive will turn off the "NEW" in the right click.

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[Paul D]

Dave, I think the ones you lose are "open" and "explore" - not "new"



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[I]

[DaveA]

Paul,
You are right my error.

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DaveA</font> (a Washington State resident)
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