[windows 8.1] right clicking on a hard drive in file explorer causes crash

EdwardTeach · 27 Nov 2013 at 09:38

I am running a clean install of windows 8.1

If I right click on a hard drive in file explorer, then file explore will crash. It just closes down.

Right clicking on folders is fine.

I have seen a few solutions posted online, and I would first like to check my crash log to confirm whether mine is the same problem. Where will I find a crash log?

(note this is nothing to do with autodesk - i know that has caused explorer crashes but i don't have that installed)

I suspect it could be something to do with link shell extensions that I am using on my computer, and have not installed on my parents computer, as they are not having this problem.

http://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/hardlinkshellext.html#faq

EdwardTeach · 27 Nov 2013 at 12:17

Can anyone tell me where I will find the crash log?

linktoinsanity · 27 Nov 2013 at 15:12

Win key and then type Event Viewer.

Sighn · 27 Nov 2013 at 20:29

Using Spybot 2 by any chance?

EdwardTeach · 27 Nov 2013 at 21:29

Sighn said:
Using Spybot 2 by any chance?

Yes - is that known to cause issues?

bledd · 28 Nov 2013 at 00:57

Clean install = no programs installed.

Install CCleaner, this has an option to remove right click entries.

A good rule of thumb is to never install any at all.

Personally, I allow the 7-zip one, that's it.

EdwardTeach · 28 Nov 2013 at 01:21

It was a clean install! Removing Spybot fixed this - cheers Sighn.

Sighn · 28 Nov 2013 at 22:43

^ No problem.

EdwardTeach said:
Yes - is that known to cause issues?

Yes, it's to do with the "Windows Explorer integration (64-bit)" option that allows Spybot to appear in the right-click context menu. You just need to deactivate/uninstall that function within the Spybot interface.

However, Spybot 2 is a complicated mess now anyway so uninstalling the whole thing, as you have, is probably best.