View Full Version : Paid version causes Win 7 Windows Explorer to crash on right-click
Firetree
2015-01-18, 03:09
I finally broke down and bought the paid version for a couple of reasons. Although retired, I thought it would be nice to have updating happen by itself...and have a secure shredder function. I use SSD in conjunction with Avast Free, and have done so for years. Anyway...after I bought and installed the paid version, all of a sudden Windows Explorer would crash every time I tried to right-click on a disk drive (I have several). Spent a couple of days trying to track down privilege issues, etc. and nothing came up. I finally figured that the crashes only started after the Spybot upgrade. I uninstalled the paid version of Spybot, and now Windows Explorer hums along and responds to right-clicks just fine. BTW...I tried turning off Live Protection...no results.
I figured staff should know about this (if they don't already). If there's a workaround or a patch, I'd like it. I'm not worried about getting money back or anything...the years the free version has protected me have been worth it, actually.
Would be nice, though...
Firetree
2015-01-18, 04:46
I could not reinstall the free version. The installer kept picking up that the Professional version had been installed, and simply reinstalled that version.
I've had to completely uninstall SpyBot now. That's sad.
It stays as the Professional edition when you uninstall because the license files stay in your Program Files/Spybot 2 folder,most likely so it will remain as the Professional(or Home) Edition when people uninstall to upgrade when newer versions are released.
Anyway...after I bought and installed the paid version, all of a sudden Windows Explorer would crash every time I tried to right-click on a disk drive (I have several).
This is a known bug,and there is a workaround here:
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?69407-Windows-explorer-Crashes-when-right-clicked-in-any-folder&p=457317&viewfull=1#post457317
The bug is in the free edition as well,so if/when you reinstall,you might like to stick with the professional edition,as that shouldn't effect whether the bug is there or not. :)
Firetree
2015-01-21, 00:30
It stays as the Professional edition when you uninstall because the license files stay in your Program Files/Spybot 2 folder,most likely so it will remain as the Professional(or Home) Edition when people uninstall to upgrade when newer versions are released.
This is a known bug,and there is a workaround here:
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?69407-Windows-explorer-Crashes-when-right-clicked-in-any-folder&p=457317&viewfull=1#post457317
The bug is in the free edition as well,so if/when you reinstall,you might like to stick with the professional edition,as that shouldn't effect whether the bug is there or not. :)
Well...it doesn't seem to be happening with anyone I know who is still using the free version, but no matter. I changed the settings as you suggested on my Professional version to uninstall the Windows Explorer integration (both 32 and 64) as well as autoplay both user and global, and now things are stable again.
Firetree
2015-02-04, 23:47
Good,glad it worked. :)
Well...I'd not exactly say that it worked...but things are functioning. How will I know if/when SNL makes a patch to fix this?
I meant I was glad the workaround worked,there's really no reason to be rude.I don't develop Spybot or anything,I just answer a question or two in the run of my day,and my intention is to help.
Usually things like that are announced on the website,or listed under improvements/fixes when new versions of Spybot are released.