Right Click Context Menu

[monkeytooth]

Ok, I've got 2 machines both with Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit on them. One machine fresh out the box today. The other a few months, anyway. On both of them I install programs that I know add additional menus to to the right click context menu. Example WinRar would be one program, 7zip another, VLC, a File Shredder Program and a few others. This is the first time I've come across this issue (between both machines), and I gotta say its annoying as hell, on my laptop it was one thing I made by, but my central system, the desktop I am currently installing everything on new to replace my old desktop is a different story. I rely heavy on those menus and not having them well its bothersome. So I am wondering if there is some special setting somewhere on Home Premium alone that I don't know about, that I can't seem to find information on this anywhere else. Or did for some reason Microsoft in all it's finest of Glory just Omit that option from the OS entirely just in Home Premium.. I have 7 Pro on another machine and this problem doesn't exist there.

So all in all losing my mind want to know one way or another. And need an answer. So if anyone knows how to resolve this that would be cool. Thanks

 

[SIW2]

I think you will find that it is the programs - 7-zip. winrar, etc which will give you the option of adding context menu items.

Not the operating system.

 

[hjonesMCT]

I have to say, odd that it didn't automatically add context menus. All my programs add them.

To fix, for example, WinRAR, see attached screenshot.

Not sure otherwise. We'll get you an answer, though, I hope.

 

[SIW2]

You should be able to add them from the program itself e.g. 7-zip click Tools>Options

 

[monkeytooth]

I know they offer the options and I check them.. and recheck them.. and nothing.. (also I hit apply, ok, close...) If it we're that simple in my case, I'd of never came here in the first place. I have a program Windows 7 Manager (YamiSoft) as well, it shows me things in the context menu's the entries are there but marked as "invalid" for what reason they are invalid I havent the slightest clue.

 

[hjonesMCT]

All right, let's see. Are you installing the programs using an administrator account? Something isn't right.

 

[hjonesMCT]

You should get all your context menus. Here's an example of mine (attached). Microsoft didn't get rid of them, thankfully.

 

[SIW2]

Try nir's little app - shell menu view get the right bit version - it's only tiny and doesn't need installing.

ShellMenuView - Disable/enable context menu items of Explorer

 

[lehnerus2000]

Windows 7 Compatible?

Some programs may not be as compatible as they claim
OR
Windows blocks some programs from adding context menu entries.

In Windows 7, most of my programs can add entries but some won't.
They all can in XP and you can easily make your own.
Why did MS remove that feature?

For example, Glary Utilities entries don't appear in my context menu.
Whereas AVG, ASC4, IZArc, Notepad++ and Winamp all successfully add entries.

 

[Imperfect1]

Here's some help that may solve your problem:

Customize the Right Click Menu in Windows 7 - Make Tech Easier
Edit Context Menu Items In Windows 7 & Vista
FileMenu Tools

Also, here's another approach. You might have better control of your Context Menu if you first take ownership of it. Take a look at these tutorials:

Take Ownership of file
How to Allow or Prevent Users and Groups to Take Ownership

And you could even add a Take Ownership shortcut to your Context Menu and use it on the Context Menu itself to take ownership and add/delete items to your Context Menu:

Take Ownership Shortcut
Add ‘Take ownership’ Option to Context Menu

 

[SIW2]

It is because you are using 64 bit windows 7.

A lot of shell extensions ( e.g. Glary Utilities) are 32 bit and will not work on 64 bit o/s.

Some programs may not be as compatible as they claim
OR
Windows blocks some programs from adding context menu entries.

In Windows 7, most of my programs can add entries but some won't.
They all can in XP and you can easily make your own.
Why did MS remove that feature?

For example, Glary Utilities entries don't appear in my context menu.
Whereas AVG, ASC4, IZArc, Notepad++ and Winamp all successfully add entries.

 

[JC Zorkoff]

There are 32 bit and 64 bit context menus in Windows 7 x64. The file manager FreeCommander - freeware file manager has a simple fix for its .ini file which enables both 32 bit and 64 bit context menus. Just hold the Win key while right clicking to see the 32 bit version. Look for a description in the release notes of the latest version.

 

[lehnerus2000]

Thanks Guys

I'm not inconvenienced by this.
I was only adding my speculations.

Here's some help that may solve your problem:

Thanks for those links.
I'll check them out after I finish TAFE today.

It is because you are using 64 bit windows 7.

A lot of shell extensions ( e.g. Glary Utilities) are 32 bit and will not work on 64 bit o/s.

I am using Windows 7 (64 bit).
With the exceptions of AVG and VMware Workstation, all of my other programs only offer 1 installer, which also works in XP SP3 (32 bit).

There are 32 bit and 64 bit context menus in Windows 7 x64. The file manager FreeCommander - freeware file manager has a simple fix for its .ini file which enables both 32 bit and 64 bit context menus. Just hold the Win key while right clicking to see the 32 bit version. Look for a description in the release notes of the latest version.

I use FreeCommander (for mass file renaming).
Has a new version come out?

I tried Logo + right clicking on a couple of files, but I didn't notice any differences.

 

[SIW2]

Yes that's right.

If you check with Glary's own context menu handler - you will see the entries are there for Glary - but you don't see the context menu entries in windows 64 bit.

Nothing you can do about it.

You might see them if you replace windows explorer with a 32 bit explorer - such as freecommander.

 

[Britton30]

I have Win 7 X64. I have winrar, 7zip, with context menus. Please check that you downloaded the X64 versions. Well on 2nd thought if you tried to install a 32bit flavor, it shouldn't work, usually.
I do have many X86 (32 bit) programs installed all with contesxt menus.
flash Get
Weatherbug
FLV Player
DivX
Malwarebytes
Norton
etc.
What does the Windows 7 Manager do that Win 7 doesn't? Maybe causing this problem.

No, Micrsoft has not disabled context menus.

 

[James Colbert]

What does the Windows 7 Manager do that Win 7 doesn't? Maybe causing this problem

It makes sense to ask this question. I'm not familiar with W7M, but given its shell customization features (particularly the context menu customization) and registry cleaning features, I'm immediately suspicious. I would:

1) Create an image backup of the drive.
2) Completely uninstall W7M with Revo or similar
3) Reinstall a few of those programs whose context menu items are missing to see if they now appear.

Could be a waste of time, but given the nature of the program and the nature of the problem, I'd have to eliminate it as a possibility early on.

James

 

[SIW2]

There are two different questions in this thread.

1. Lehnerus says some apps. context menus worked when he had XP - they now don't work in his 64 win7.

He gave Glary as an example.

That is because Glary shell extension is 32 bit and does not work on 64 bit o/s.

There are many apps. like that.

2. The OP had a different question - in his case apps. which do have 64 bit shell extensions are not showing up for him.

They still do not show up after he applies them manually via the program's own interface.

Something seems to be interfering - it may well be another program - possible Yamisoft.

 

[JC Zorkoff]

The latest Full release of FreeCommander is 2009.02b released in Sept 12, 2010

The release notes contain the following:

• New: 64 bit context menu will be showed on Windows 64 (XP, Vista, 7)
  • You can now control 64 bit context menu with the following line in the freecommander.ini:
    [Form]
    ShowContextMenu64Bit=1
    AutoCloseTimeContextMenu64Bit=10
    
    - You can call 64 bit context menu with right click
    - For calling 32 bit context menu use LeftWin+RightClick
    - If you prefer to see for right click always 32 bit context menu: define ShowContextMenu64Bit=0; with LeftWin+RightClick you can call then 64 bit context menu

You have to make this change for the 64-bit context menus to work correctly.
There is also a Beta version of FreeCommander if you are interested.

 

[lehnerus2000]

Sorry I seem to have complicated the issue.

I wasn't actually asking a question, merely stating my experience (actually I did ask about FreeCommander).
I was merely stating that some programs (which appear to be 32 bit) do add their context menu entries in Windows 7 (64 bit), whereas others don't.

As near as I can tell most of my programs are 32 bit.
During installation they suggest that they be installed in C:\Program Files (x86).