Mysterious context menu item! ;_;

[bchan009]

Hi everyone!

I'm running Windows 7 x64, and am trying to make it so that all my images open in the basic Windows Photo Viewer. For some reason, all files with the .gif extension contain an 'Open With' item called 'Photo Gallery Viewer'. This item has no icon and doesn't work. How can I remove it? See pic here:

All help is appreciated! Thanks! =)

 

[Captain Zero]

Looks like the Windows LIVE Gallery plugin. Did you install a toolbar? Or install the Windows Gallery 'Extras'?

 

[bchan009]

Looks like the Windows LIVE Gallery plugin. Did you install a toolbar? Or install the Windows Gallery 'Extras'?

Nope - I did no such thing. I'm mystified as to why it's there. If you go to 'pick default program', it's listed as one of the options, but once again there's no icon and it doesn't work.

It doesn't show up for .jpg/.png files... :sarc:

 

[Captain Zero]

Check for installed programs - Windows Live Essentials

Download size: 1.1 MB

Update type: Optional

Windows Live Essentials provides a set of free programs that help you stay in touch with the people you care about most, edit and share your photos and memories, and even help you keep your kids safer online. Programs include Windows Live Messenger, Mail, Writer, Photo Gallery, Family Safety, Toolbar, and Movie Maker beta.

More information:
Essentials - Windows Live

Help and Support:
Windows Live Help
.

 

[bchan009]

Check for installed programs - Windows Live Essentials

Download size: 1.1 MB

Update type: Optional

Windows Live Essentials provides a set of free programs that help you stay in touch with the people you care about most, edit and share your photos and memories, and even help you keep your kids safer online. Programs include Windows Live Messenger, Mail, Writer, Photo Gallery, Family Safety, Toolbar, and Movie Maker beta.

More information:
Essentials - Windows Live

Help and Support:
Windows Live Help
.

This update is not installed. It's still listed as a choice for Windows Update, and I have yet to install it.

 

[bchan009]

Just for kicks, I even tried installing Windows Live Essentials and then uninstalling it. This didn't even work! After I installed Windows Live Essentials, I had that lame icon AND the real Photo Gallery Icon!

Totally weird...

 

[Captain Zero]

That is odd. I think we're on the right track, though. What you just tried was my next suggestion. Next up, you can delete the entries from the registry.

 

[bchan009]

Well, I ended up deleting the registry entries for .gif files in these two places:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.gif

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.gif

This removed all open-with preferences. I then chose Photo Viewer as my default. Whew. What an adventure. XP didn't seem to have this many problems for me. xD

Too bad the default windows image viewer can't do ANIMATED gifs. =/

 

[Captain Zero]

Ah well, glad that worked.

 

[garbanzo]

for future reference, this is a good app for sorting these issues out:

ShellExView - Shell Extension Manager For Windows

 

[SoLoR]

windows live galery is one of most bloated thing i know... i expected simple picture viewer, but it installs so much crap (like sql server/client constantly runing in the background and some other stuff). Not worth to use it... i went back to acdsee...