Right-click Menu

[Pezzy]

Hi all.

I know this issue has been around since before Windows 10, but maybe the fix is slightly different.

When right-clicking on an icon and you get the pop-up menu (or Context Menu), sometimes there are "old" entries there from programs that are no longer on your computer. Uninstalling programs - as I'm sure you know - sometimes still leaves traces of it behind.

I used to have PowerDVD 13; I've since uninstalled it from my system. However, when right-clicking on an icon that's a video file, this is what I see in the pop-up context menu:

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll217/PezzyDude/R-ClickMenu_zpst7bxxodq.jpg

From the red-colored arrow, you can see that PowerDVD 13 is still a choice. I've read that a Registry edit is the way to get rid of this. From what I've read, this is where it said to navigate to:

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll217/PezzyDude/RegistryContextMenu_zpsfdabptyv.jpg

But in here, I don't see the listing for PowerDVD 13 so that I could delete it.

Is the area in the Registry to modify/ delete entries for "old" context menu items in a different place in Windows 10?

Thanks for any help or info.
Pez

 

[carnageX]

This article mentions a few other places to look in the registry:
How to Clean Up Your Messy Windows Context Menu

 

[Pezzy]

Hi carnageX; thanks for the reply and link.

Well, I checked out the article from the link, and went to all the places in the Registry they suggested:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFileSystemObjects\ShellEx
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers

In none of these Registry areas did I find any listing for PowerDVD.

Then from the suggestion in the article, I even download the NirSoft utilities: ShellMenuView & ShellExView. I ran both of those utilities, and neither one showed any listing of PowerDVD.

What the heck?!?! I certainly see the listing for PowerDVD when I right-click on an icon and get the pop-up context menu. Since the program has been uninstalled from my system for a while, these remaining traces (in the pop-up context menu) must be in the registry somewhere.....right?
Pez

 

[carnageX]

You could always try searching through the registry for "PowerDVD" to see if you can find the context menu item. Or even try Revo Uninstaller's Hunter Mode to let it search through the reg for you.

 

[Joe C]

you haven't tried using Nirsoft's ShellExView yet?
ShellExView - Shell Extension Manager For Windows

 

[carnageX]

you haven't tried using Nirsoft's ShellExView yet?
ShellExView - Shell Extension Manager For Windows

OP said he tried that already in the post just above mine.

Sent from my HTC One

 

[Pezzy]

Joe C: Yes, I tried Nirsoft's ShellExView; it's in my post above:

"Then from the suggestion in the article, I even download the NirSoft utilities: ShellMenuView & ShellExView. I ran both of those utilities, and neither one showed any listing of PowerDVD."

And carnageX: If I just do a Search/ Find in the registry, yes, some results do come back for PowerDVD; for instance:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT/ AudioCD/ shell. It shows up again under the same key in BluRay/ Shell; and then again in DVD/ Shell; EnDVD/ Shell; SVCD/ Shell.

And then SystemFileAssociations/ Audio/ Shell/ ...............and then quite a few more. But nothing under the heading of a Context Menu. And I don't think I want to go about deleting every instance of the word "PowerDVD" that I come across in my Registry; I might end up screwing something up & mess up my computer
Pez

 

[carnageX]

Joe C: Yes, I tried Nirsoft's ShellExView; it's in my post above:

"Then from the suggestion in the article, I even download the NirSoft utilities: ShellMenuView & ShellExView. I ran both of those utilities, and neither one showed any listing of PowerDVD."

And carnageX: If I just do a Search/ Find in the registry, yes, some results do come back for PowerDVD; for instance:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT/ AudioCD/ shell. It shows up again under the same key in BluRay/ Shell; and then again in DVD/ Shell; EnDVD/ Shell; SVCD/ Shell.

And then SystemFileAssociations/ Audio/ Shell/ ...............and then quite a few more. But nothing under the heading of a Context Menu. And I don't think I want to go about deleting every instance of the word "PowerDVD" that I come across in my Registry; I might end up screwing something up & mess up my computer
Pez

That's why I suggested using Revo's Hunter Mode. You should be able to make a back up before deleting anything.

Sent from my HTC One

 

[Joe C]

Please check your default programs and if Power DVD in there change it. Then change all file extensions associated with any files for playing video/audio. Look for these in your reg:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Classes\\SystemFileAssociations\\Audio\\Shell\\PowerDVD XXCommandVerb
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Classes\\SystemFileAssociations\\Video\\Shell\\PowerDVD XX CommandVerb
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Classes\\SystemFileAssociations\\Image\\Shell\\PowerDVD XX CommandVerb

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\Audio\\Shell\\PowerDVD XX CommandVerb
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\Image\\Shell\\PowerDVD XX CommandVerb
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\Video\\Shell\\PowerDVD XX CommandVerb

* "XX" would be your version number

 

[Pezzy]

carnageX: Yes, I actually had the install file of Revo Uninstaller on my system; I just didn't have it installed. I've used it in the past when I had a program that was particularly difficult to remove by conventional means.

So OK, I installed the program just now again, but, I have to admit: I've never used Hunter Mode before. Apparently, after you enter Hunter Mode, a cross-hair target appears on your screen. You're then supposed to drag & drop it onto the target application. Well, the PowerDVD application isn't technically installed on my system, so that application isn't there.

I happen to have a shortcut on my desktop that points to a video/ movie file, and if I right-click on that shortcut, the pop-up context menu that appears offers that choice of "Play with Cyberlink PowerDVD 13" (it's in one of the screen-capture shots in my original post).

I don't think dragging & dropping the Hunter Mode target onto the video file shortcut is going to help, do you?

Do you have any detailed experience with Revo uninstaller/ Hunter Mode?

And Joe C: If I go into Control Panel/ Default Programs/ Set Default Programs, Cyberlink's PowerDVD is not one of the choices anymore because that program is no longer installed on my system.

Now, the things you mentioned about the registry:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Classes\\SystemFileAs sociations\\Audio\\Shell\\PowerDVD XXCommandVerb
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Classes\\SystemFileAs sociations\\Video\\Shell\\PowerDVD XX CommandVerb
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Classes\\SystemFileAs sociations\\Image\\Shell\\PowerDVD XX CommandVerb

- Yes, all three of those that you listed are all there in my Registry under Shell (and the "XX" that would be my version number is "13").

And with the other items you mentioned about the Registry?
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\Audio\\Sh ell\\PowerDVD XX CommandVerb
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\Image\\Sh ell\\PowerDVD XX CommandVerb
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\Video\\Sh ell\\PowerDVD XX CommandVerb

- Yes, all three of those are there, also.

But like I mentioned: Control Panel/ Default Programs does not have any entries/ listings with the choice of "PowerDVD" because that program is not installed on my system anymore. But as far as all those entries still listed in my Registry that you asked about: what to do?

I know it's common, but I think these left-over entries messes with the right-click Context Menu, slows things down. And I don't mean Cyberlink PowerDVD specifically, I mean any program that puts an entry into the Context Menu yet remains there even after un-installation of the program.

Anything else you can think of to do?
Pez

P.S. I haven't written to them yet, but I have a feeling if I were to write to Cyberlink Tech Support, that they would say that unfortunately, these left-over traces (in right-click Context Menu) is a Windows issue, and not a problem with their product.