File menu in folders problem (XP)

[Morphius143]

Hi all.

This problem is really frustrating and cant find a solution online so thought that i would pick your brains.

When i double click on any folder the window opens up without the toolbar or file, view, etc menus. It looks like they have been dragged to nonexistance as the little grey line for them is there, but i cant click this line.

Now, if i open Windows Explorer from the start menu, the menus are there. If i use Windows Explorer to unlock the toolbars and return to double click a folder, i can hover the mouse over the grey lines, but cant resize them to the normal size.

Even Alt + F or Alt + V just make a Bling noise (always a sound you love to hear)

What i have tried:
System Restore (first time for everything)
Reseting the folder options in control panel.
Reseting the display profile to windows classic (or xp, neither fix it)
Reseting the apperiance
System file checker
Possibly a few other things, losing track and sanity here.

Incase it makes a difference i am using the Ultra well supported X64 edition of XP.

PLEASE..... save me from a format or repair here, it took me long enough to get the hardware working as it is

 

[Morphius143]

Wooooooo, found a toolbar repair app online... did just the job

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/ToolbarRepair.Exe

For anyone else in this situation

 

[thedude42]

That's a new one to me. I went and actually tried to see if I could force the menu away, but nope.

But I found this:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoFileMenu"=dword:00000001

That registry entry supposedly removes the file menu. So, might try going in and setting it from 1 to 0, or if the dword value doesn't exist, create it and set it to 0 and reboot.

 

[Morphius143]

before running that fix, i should have looked at the registry entires it was about to change... but what use is hindsight!!!