Hi. I do not know whether this is spyware or not, but after running some registry cleaners (to many to count ) Whenever i open a folder in windows xp, the explorer opens! i have to lcose it to see the usal blue side option thing. Can anyone help me? Image of issue. Please Help!
P.S i use ms xp home, spyware blaster, AVG free, sas, avgs, Spyware Doctor Starter Edition even avg anti rootkit, run scans all is clean. If it isnt a spyware issue what is it? i hope i didnt mess my registry =( hope i can fix it If it isnt spyware, im sorry for posting here, but please help me!, Thanks. Will Attach a hjt log if needs be.

What? Are you talking about the sidebar?
Just press the button that says "folders".

I know. I tried that numorous times. What you dont understand is whenever i open ANY folder that darned folder toolbar opens! A million folder windows open because that toolbar makes it seem like its a whole other window instead of one. I can close it and its a normal folder widnow, but it will ALWAYS open the next time i open any folder. Instead of the normal blue sidebar the folder toolbar is ALWAYS open, its just a newsense any help would be appreciated!

Well it shouldn't do that then.
My guess is the registry cleaners screwed something up. Try restoring to before you used them.
Registry cleaners are not worth the hassle considering how small of an impact they make compared to how much of a mess they can make.

THanks. I decided that after i format in a few months, i wont use any registry cleaners except the one in CCleaner, as thats the only trust worthy one. But is there any thing i can do? apart from format?

You can try to reset all folders to the default Windows view, here's how:
1. Open any folder such as My Documents.
2. Click Tools, Folder Options, then click the View tab.
3. Click Reset All Folders.
4. Rather it's needed or not (I don't know if it is) Log Off, then Log On again.

Edit:
Also while in Folder Options the General tab has a Restore Defaults as well.

Thanks alot man, i tryed that alot of times but nothing happens . I guess a format is the only way. Thanks for all the help tho.

A format isn't necessary if that registry cleaner only messed up the registry for your user profile in HKEY_CURRENT_USER. In WinXP you can create another user profile and then copy all of your files such as My Document, etc. Of course if the registry cleaner messed with HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE it will effect all user profiles even those which are newly created.

I know there's been tools I've seen in the past during my Win98 days that could force Windows Explorer to show the Folders view I'm thinking one of them was called Tweak Revisited. An absolute fix I'm unaware of since resetting all the folders didn't do the trick.

Try tools-folder options-file types. Find NONE in the list and highlight it and click the advanced button, if explore is in bold (default) change to open and set it as default.

Does this do anything?

i was hopeful as i never did this before, but it seems explore is already bolded and defult thanks for trying though, and adavari i think your irght, because on my other accouints the same problem occurs. i even deleted the acounts saved the documents and re made them, same issue.

Try changing default to "open" and see what happens. You can always change back to explore if no joy.

This may help

http://www.privacywindows.com/windows_xp_f...pen_folder.html

THANKS! i set it to open
and its back to normal ^^. but when i set it back to explore the same problem ocurs. So now that its fixed, im wondering whats the differnce between explore default setting and open?

Thanks it works now.

and MikeW i was going to try that, but this seems to be working, thanks for all the help everyone.

But can you tell me the diffrence between open and expore settings?

thanks

http://www.winxptutor.com/folderpane.htm



Glad it worked

Yes it did. Thanks alot that site is also very useful, i intended to join here just to get help with computer probs, but i think ill stick around and post bout softwares and such. Thanks for all the help, my problem is fixed.