Can't use 'open with' or double click to open.

cursai

As the title says I can't use 'open with' or double click to open any file. If I want to open a file, say a video file i have to right click and 'play with vlc player ', then it'll open.
I'm on windows 10 64 bit.
From googling it seems to be an issue with a previously installed 32bit program interfering with the newly installed 64bit version. But this occurs on all file types jpegs, avi etc....
OR could be a problem with a user profile becoming corrupted. Only problem is that I can't even create a new user profile for some reason???
System restore works for a couple of days to solve it but then it returns.
Any ideas?

cursai

Anybody able to help?

unkel

Right click on the start button -> control panel -> default programs

In here you can change the file associations / default programs. Let us know if that worked!

cursai

Yep I did that before. Everything is defaulted correctly. Just doesn't work right.

unkel

Change to a different default, reboot, change back, reboot?

Alternatively: try in elevated command prompt: sfc /scannow
Works wonders for Windows 10 in some situations

Although I'm not that hopeful as your system restore seems to only provide a temp solution. Personally I would wipe all partitions and do a fresh install. Don't worry about a license key, you won't need it, just skip the option when it comes up during install. Windows will activate automatically once installed.

Gadgetman496

More than likely some other program on your machine is conflicting with your Context Menu.

downloaded and run ShellExView from Nir Soft's site(download links at bottom of page). This utility lists every shell extension and allows you to quickly disable them, so you just disabled each non-Microsoft one in turn (you must then restart Windows Explorer), until you find the culprit.

cursai

Ill try those guys. The shellexview first of course. Then the fresh install if i have to. Is there a way to do a fresh install of windows 10 without overwriting my personal folders?

Nate--IRL--

Check for a sticky CTRL, ALT or shift key first.......

Nate

unkel

cursai wrote: »

Then the fresh install if i have to. Is there a way to do a fresh install of windows 10 without overwriting my personal folders?

I would just back up my personal folders first and then do a clean wipe and install. There's no install like a fresh install

cursai

I'll update tomorrow if I can and maybe record the problem.

unkel

Gadgetman496 wrote: »

More than likely some other program on your machine is conflicting with your Context Menu.

downloaded and run ShellExView from Nir Soft's site(download links at bottom of page). This utility lists every shell extension and allows you to quickly disable them, so you just disabled each non-Microsoft one in turn (you must then restart Windows Explorer), until you find the culprit.

Now you mention it, Gadgetman496, I had some nasty context menu related issues myself in one of the earlier preview for developer versions of Windows 10 about a year ago. ShellExView helped me sort them.

Gadgetman496

unkel wrote: »

Now you mention it, Gadgetman496, I had some nasty context menu related issues myself in one of the earlier preview for developer versions of Windows 10 about a year ago. ShellExView helped me sort them.

I had Context Menu issues too way back but on a different OS and it identified the culprit at the time. If I recall correctly it was some Context Menu part of AVG Antivirus. Once I knew what it was and left it disabled everything worked grand.

I know some users have found it solved similar problems on Windows 10 so it's definitely worth a shot. Those are the sort of issues you are probably never going to solve on your own but you get that warm fuzzy feeling when you nail it using something like ShellExView

cursai

I just reinstalled Windows 10. Couldnt figure out the shellviewer. Am most curious to know what happened and how?

Gadgetman496

cursai wrote: »

I just reinstalled Windows 10. Couldnt figure out the shellviewer. Am most curious to know what happened and how?

Have you installed all the other programs you had on the original install yet?

cursai

Gadgetman496 wrote: »

Have you installed all the other programs you had on the original install yet?

Mostly. I think all actually apart from the smaller ones. I really think it's something to with installing vlc player 64 bit beta. Or utorrent 64bit beta