Member Avatar for tech291083

Hi,

I am on Windows XP home edition and having a strange problem. Whenever I try to double click the C: Drive icon in the My Computer window, there comes a window called Open With and shows a list of applications such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Excel, Word,
PowerPoint etc as if the drive was a file itself. This is really annoying. Virus scans done so far do not reveal any threats or infections. Can any one please help me here? Thanks.

  • 3 Contributors
  • 2 Replies
  • 324 Views
  • 8 Hours Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by cohen

Dani AI

Generated

This is a common Windows XP symptom: the drive object’s default action has been changed so a double‑click triggers the Search/OpenWith flow instead of Explorer. It often happens after a program adds a context‑menu handler or when malware tampers with drive/autoplay entries. As suggested, malware is a possibility; as recommended, an anti‑malware scan is a good first step. (learn.microsoft.com)

Quick, safe checks before touching the registry:

  • Run an updated anti‑malware scan (Malwarebytes or another reputable scanner) and reboot.
  • Show hidden/protected files and inspect C:\ for any unexpected autorun.inf or strangely named files in the root — autorun entries can change how a drive behaves.
  • Open Task Manager and look for unwanted scripting processes (for example wscript.exe) and note any suspicious programs.
    Make a System Restore point or back up the registry before changes. (learn.microsoft.com)

If scans come up clean, the usual manual fix is to restore the default shell action for drives and folders. In Regedit (Start → Run → regedit) navigate to:

  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell
  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell
    Double‑click the (Default) value for each and set its data to:
    none

    Then run (Start → Run):

    regsvr32 /i shell32.dll

    Restart Explorer or reboot. If a rogue subkey like HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\open exists and explicitly points to a program, inspect it — do not delete keys unless you know what they do; change only the (Default) as above. These steps mirror Microsoft/community guidance for this exact symptom. (daniweb.com)

If the problem persists after restoring those defaults, it usually means a persistent shell extension or rootkit is forcing a different action. In that case run offline rescue scanners (bootable rescue CD) or restore Windows from a clean snapshot/restore point. Avoid random “fix” downloads; prefer official tools or well‑known scanners and always back up data first. (learn.microsoft.com)

Recommended Answers

All 2 Replies

Member Avatar for cohen

OK, well i would try malware bytes..... and see if that does anything, follow below:

Download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware (http://www.download.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html?part=dl-10804572&subj=dl&tag=button) to your desktop.

* Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
* At the end, be sure to checkmark the Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, then click Finish.
* If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
* Once the program has loaded, select Perform full scan, then click Scan.
* When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
* Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
* When completed, a log will open in Notepad.
* Post the log back here.

Make sure that you restart the computer.

The log can also be found here:
C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\Logs\log-date.txt
Or at C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\Logs\log-date.txt


Also, i would recommend following the above users link... and trying a few things....

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.