Unable to "Select All" in Explorer (file browsing)

[nuge]

Hey all - I'm hoping someone can assist me in this terribly annoying glitch
I've run into. For some reason, it seems I have lost the ability to
multi-select any files anywhere in my system. I can not currently:

- Select All (CTRL-A, or via the Edit menu)
- Ctrl-click multiple files
- Shift-click an array of files
- or use hte checkbox option

to successfully select more than one file/folder at a time. I am currently
stuck working on a one to one level on all folders/files anywhere on any
drive. Turns out, I do this fairly often during my work day and this is
terribly terribly frustrating.

Did I mention that it was very frustrating? :)

It doesn't seem to make any difference at what view I'm using (list,
details, tiles, icons etc.), and I don't remember ever setting anything in
the Tools -> Folder Options settings that would remotely set this as
"desired" behaviour. I also can not find anything to clear this behavior
either.

Can anyone kindly assist - I'm losing my hair on this one... :(

Much appreciated,

Ted

PS - I'm running Windows Ultimate, with all the latest patches applied.

[L. @discussions.microsoft.com C. L.]

I have the same issue. But it happens randomly, i.e. sometimes "Select All"
works and sometimes the option was greyed out under "Edit" Menu.

[Keith Miller MVP]

I've seen this posted as well. Haven't experienced it -- but I was able to
induce this behavior in a particular folder by regediting the saved view --
but even when I tried 'Apply to Folders', it didn't seem to affect others.

For a particular saved view, which would be in the registry under:

"HKCU\Software\Classes\Local
Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\<Bag#>\Shell\{TemplateUUID}

in the value named 'FFlags'. The flags are enumerated here:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms649291.aspx

The bothersome value is "FWF_SINGLESEL = 0x00000040"

But none of this explains how Explorer decides this is the default state.

Some questions:

Does it occur under all or just one user account?

Is Explorer set to 'Launch folder windows in a separate process'? (Folder
Options -> 'View' tab -> 'Advanced Settings')

Is Explorer set to 'Remember each folders view settings'?

If you're familiar with using regedit, I'd love to have a look at an export
of:

"HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer"

and

"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop"

please e-mail me those if you could.

It does seem that once a folder has gotten into this mode, it is saved with
its view settings, so see if the following helps:

With all explorer windows closed, export & then delete the
following registry key (this will erase saved folder views):

"HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags"

Log off & log back on. See if that fixes it.

--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

"C. L." <C...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C8723744-1BBE-4F3C...@microsoft.com...
> To be more specific, even for the same folder, sometimes "Select All"
> works,
> sometimes it doesn't work.
>
> I am using Vista Ultimate RTM with latest patches.

[n4yp.f...@gmail.com]

Well I have exactly the same problem. Only on the desktop itself it
is possible to use the mouse to select multiple files, use ctrl -
click or shift - click. But in every single windows explorer window
(with or without the tree view) it is only possible to select one file
at a time.
I am using the vista default folder settings (except "show hidden
files and folders", visible file extensions and always have the menu
bar present).

this problem seems to be user account specific, since the other two
accounts on my computer (an extra admin account and a normal user
account) this problem does not occour (yet)

i installed vista 14 days ago and i noticed this behavior appr 1 week
ago, before that it was possible to select multible files/folders in
any explorer window.

since im not that good at manually tweaking the regestry, i used a
program called tweakVI for doing some customization of windows. even
that I am pretty shure i didnt tweak any folder realated stuff, is it
possible that this program could have anything to o with my current
problem?

Tried deleting "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft
\Windows\Shell\Bags" and lock off and back on agian, but with no luck.
a reboot did not help either.

if those still are needed, i have made an export of:

"HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer"
and
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop"

I took a look at those exports in notepad, but except for some of the
more general settings i was unable to make hands and tails of the
content :-)

I hope my description help bring some light to this selecting problem.
Help is highly welcome

n4yp.formator

Keith Miller MVP skrev:

[Keith Miller MVP]

Please e-mail me those reg files -- change their extension to .txt to make
sure they get through.

If you happened to use 'Apply to Folders' when this was in effect (but
before you realized it :), then the behavior could perpetuate through that,
those settings aren't stored under 'Bags'

So, try this:

Close all Explorer windows.

Open Regedit.

Any folders you viewed since the last deletion have created new Bags, so
delete that key again.

Navigate to:

"HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults"

and delete that key.

Delete the value named 'Settings' found under 'HKCU\...\Streams'

Log off & log back on.

Hope that gets it!!!

--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

<n4yp.f...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1171915008.3...@q2g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

[hsieg]

Thanks... The exact same thing happened to me this morning and your tip
solved the problem (not the first one though, needed the whole thing). No
idea what caused the thing in the first place. At the time it happened, I had
two opened explorer windows and it only happened in one of them. I tried a
reboot, just in case, and it then occurred in each and every window I
opened...

In any case, thanks a lot, I'll save this tip somewhere just in case it
happens again.
Hsieg.

[Keith Miller MVP]

You're welcome.

--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

"hsieg" <hs...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:2FC5551B-5105-4CA9...@microsoft.com...

[nuge]

Hi there - I've attempted deleting the "bags" key in the registry, and also
followed the other step to clear the defaults key under Streams as well.

However I'm still experiencing the inability to select more than one file in
some folders. Switching to another user however does allow me to select
multiple files on the same folder. (not practical in terms of solving the
problem tho).

I'm very perplexed on what to do to resolve this, it is getting more
frustrating - can you recommend my next step?

Much appreciated!

Ted

[Keith Miller MVP]

Sorry I didn't catch this post earlier.

If your still experiencing this behavior, I'd be grateful if you could send
me a registry export of:

"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer"

--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

"nuge" <nu...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:DEB4A154-4B5C-4A3D...@microsoft.com...

[n4yp.formator]

@Keith Miller: As for myself, i have solved the problem using your
advise, thanks again. @nuge: try also doing the regtweaks Keith
mentioned later in this thread (see the quote below), that solved the

problem for me... regards n4yp.formator Keith Miller MVP;192863 Wrote:
> Please e-mail me those reg files -- change their extension to .txt to
> make
> sure they get through.
>
> If you happened to use 'Apply to Folders' when this was in effect (but
> before you realized it :), then the behavior could perpetuate through
> that,
> those settings aren't stored under 'Bags'
>
> So, try this:
>
> Close all Explorer windows.
>
> Open Regedit.
>
> Any folders you viewed since the last deletion have created new Bags,
> so
> delete that key again.
>
> Navigate to:
>

> &quot;HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults&quot;

>
> and delete that key.
>
> Delete the value named 'Settings' found under 'HKCU\...\Streams'
>
> Log off & log back on.
>
> Hope that gets it!!!
>
>
> --
> Good Luck,
>
> Keith
> Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

--
n4yp.formator