Desktop context menu missing Text Document option

[anthonyaa]

Hi

I have a strange issue where the following context menu option has disappeared
Right click on desktop, select \New\Text Document

The Text document option has dissapeared and I cannot get it back. I was playing with the file type association and now the context menu has dissapeared. Does anyone know how to get it back. I have recreated the file type and it works. Eg double clicking a .txt file opens notepad. I tried updating the following registry key which enables the context menu option for 2 seconds but doesn't keep the setting - the Text Document option dissapears again...

I also tried using TweakUI but I cannot create it in there either

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Discardable\PostSetup\ShellNew]

"Text Document"=hex:00,00,00....

Any ideas??

Thanks
Anthony

 

[bcastner]

Start, Run, notepad.exe

Create a new file fix_txt.reg:

-----copy below this line fix_txt.reg------------
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.txt\ShellNew]
"NullFile"=""

---- end file above here

My cocern is that the notepad folder extension is again. Please advise if the above does not help.

 

[bcastner]

Let me try again. Notepad.exe is essentially a core service under XP, an my concern is that you did something to try and replace its roll.

If you were playing with possible alternative viewers/editors for notepad, please do not test their success under IE or Windows Explorer, unless as a right-click Context menu item.

It is decidedly no trivial to mess with notepad for .txt files generally in the XP Operating System.

 

[tsuji]

Hello anthonyaa,

This is my "text document" for desktop context-menu. It is decidedly not created without insider spec.

REGEDIT4

"Text Document"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,af,c2,a4,e5,a6,72,a4,  e5,a5,f3,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,2e,74,78,74,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,74,78,  74,66,69,6c,65,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,ff,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00

Just for your reference in case you need one to rebuild it. (Be careful about spurious line wrapping etc.)

regards - tsuji

 

[tsuji]

Missing key:

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Discardable\PostSetup\ShellNew]
"Text Document"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,af,c2,a4,e5,a6,72,a4,  e5,a5,f3,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,2e,74,78,74,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,74,78,  74,66,69,6c,65,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,ff,ff,ff,ff,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00

- tsuji

 

[anthonyaa]

Hi

Neither options work...

tsuji, that reg key is basically the key I updated. It creates the context menu but it is automatically deleted. There must be another setting that is required for that setting to stick.

Thanks

 

[bcastner]

Start, Run, regsvr32 /i shell32.dll

 

[bcastner]

By the way, it is a context item. It is not possible to create a new .txt file in all contexts, only explorer folder contexts.

Just wanted to make sure that was clear.

 

[anthonyaa]

I tried the regsvr32 command - no luck... Correct. Im simply referring to the right click options when on the desktop

 

[bcastner]

Start, Run, sfc /Scannow

 

[bcastner]

Do a Search for notepad.exe
There shoud be three instances of the file.
All should be under Properties, Version, a Microsft release.

If not, you have a virus: to two of smah's online AV scans (Trend Micro and Panda recommended) faq680-7862

 

[anthonyaa]

Hi

No virus here. I have the correct amount. Ran the System File Checker - no luck... I will try to restore the entire key from CurrentVersion\Explorer\Discardable down to see if that does it..

Its a pity there are no tools that will enable/create context menus easily...

Thanks

 

[scorpious977]

I have had the EXACT same problem after installing Programmers Notepad and making it the default handler for text and other docs. Whatever I tried, I could not get the "New text Document" menu back. Kept disappearing from the registry

Here is what I did.

1.Booted into safe mode
2.Uninstalled programmers note pad.
3.Installed Notepad2

http://www.flos-freeware.ch/

I'm sure others will work as well.
4.Backed up original Windows Notepad
5.Renamed notepad2.exe to notepad.exe
6.Overwrote notepad in windows windows\system32 and windows\system32\dllcache with renamed notepad2
7. Ran .reg file included with Notepad2.
8. Used TweakUI for SP1 to restore Document templates.

My menu is now back. I hope this helps

 

[scorpious977]

Almost forgot, with TweakUI you can easily create/delete context menus. Its under MyComputer subsection Templates

 

[anthonyaa]

Thanks for the info - I'll give it a go..