Start Menu context menu issue

[Tanner65]

Hello, I recently received a copy of Server 08, TFS 08, VSTS 08, SQL Server 08 and proceeded to install them several times do to issues that were occurring.

 

I've finally got a good install and downloaded the MS updates only to find that I can not open the context menu on the default Start Menu. By default I mean when you click the start button what it shows, right clicking does nothing. But if you click All Programs the feature has returned. I have several "menu" folders as well (My Computer, My Documents, Control Panel, User (folder) and Administrator Tools) and once these menus expand right clicking does nothing to them.

Hovering over said icons does reveal the tooltip though.

 

If I log into another account on the console, the other user has the ability to right click, but not the administrator (the current account).

 

If you'd like a full listing of what I have installed, I'm going to need someone to refresh my memory on how to get a print out.

 

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!

[Tanner65]

So I had an epiphany in the shower that made me realize it's an issue with the current user in the registry.

 

After finding the wonderful tool called Active Registry Monitor that allows you to compare two registry files, I exported both current users (Admin and other) and compared them. After digging through this list, I came across the Start_* inside of HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced and noticed there were about 20 differences.

 

I created a reg file with these changes (to the one that was working) and imported it. And the context menu's came back! Anyway, after changing each flag (all were boolean values) I determined that the err was mine. The registry key entry entitled "Start_EnabledDragDrop" was the culprit. Well, what does that remind you of...

 

By disabling the "Enable Context menus and dragging and dropping" (which I assumed meant you couldn't drag folders into different locations, silly me) I disable the context menus.

 

I'm a fool, forgive me. Trust me, I won't make this mistake twice.

 

To summarize:

Context menu's disappear when you disable the "Enable Context menus and dragging and dropping" which I had apparently done.

 

 

Feel free to laugh, I know I'll be making jokes.