Hi Everyone
I have been busy reinstalling Windows 98SE after a bad crash. Caused I might add by my own stupidity!
Anyways,I have reformatted the disk and it is a clean install. Everything has been going fine until I noticed that I cant create folders with windows explorer. I can using the comand line. The option in explorers menus seems to have gone. This is more annoying than anything else but if any kind soul can help I would be grateful. I hope I dont have to reinstall AGAIN

Gerry

Are you able to create a new folder in Windows Explorer by going to File > New > Folder on the menus?

Can you successfully right-click anywhere else, such as on a desktop icon? Just wondering whether it's your right mouse button that's the problem.

Hi thanks for such a prompt reply!
The "New" option under the File menu has vanished, so I cant create new folders. The right mouse button seems to work just as always, but still no option to create a new folder. Could it be a corrupt dll or maybe a new virus?
I have done a "deep" scan using scan disk and have run my virus checker (which is upto date) and found nothing. I noticed someone else in the forum had this problem and read through their threads, but found no solution.
When installing programs or games, I can create folders using the browse option. Very strange.
Maybe what ever bit of Windows handles this is corrupted, but I dont know what to look for as I have not had a pc for that long (spent my years on a Amiga 4000).
I would be very glad of any help and thanks again for that speedy reply

Gerry

is there any folder options to change
"The "New" option under the File menu has vanished"?

i read this in a forum , this was for xp but might work,

when in a file click "tools" then "folder options. . "
then click the tab named " view " then click "restore defaults"

not sure if itll work but never the less try

Yes, the 'Restore Defaults' is available in Win98 as well - it's worth a try

Thanks Very Much Guys
I will give that a try

Gerry

Hello
I have tried the restore defaults option under
View>folder Options>View Tab>Restore Defaults Button, clicked Apply then OK and restarted the PC
Is that what you ment?

Anyways still no joy, good try though!
Any other ideas anyone before I wipe this drive again and reinstall everything.
If this had happened on an Amiga I would look in the system libraries. Now I know Windows uses things called DLLs - Dynamic Link Libraries, could one of these be corrupted? If so It might be just a matter of copying a new Dll over the old one, but I dont know where they are or which one handles menu options.
Then again I might be barking up the wrong tree

As this is a clean install I have been reinstalling stuff, utilities, games ect. If it was one of these I dont know which as I only noticed the folder problem after I was finished
Regardless how this finishes up thanks for for help and advice

Gerry

Gerry,

You're absolutely right - it could be a dodgy DLL and, if we knew which one, we could try overwriting it with a 'clean' copy. Unfortunately, it's a bit like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack - personally, I've got no idea which of the many DLLs would affect this.

Rather than re-installing Windows and potentially losing any settings, printers, etc that you've already configured, my advice would be to run Windows 98's built-in System File Checker tool. To do this, go to the Start Menu, click Run and type sfc and then click OK.

When System File Checker opens, you'll have an option of scanning your Windows installation directory for DLL files that are corrupted or changed. It can automatically replace any files which do not look like the original versions from the CD. You'll need to have the Windows 98 CD in the CD drive (or access to a folder on your hard disk containing the source files) in order for the files to be replaced correctly.

Note that this will return most of the Windows system files to the base Windows 98 version. Therefore, some applications which were installed and tried to replace those system files with updated versions may no longer function correctly. You will need to re-apply any Windows or Internet Explorer patches that you may have previously installed.

Thanks again for that reply I will try that and let you know how I got on

Gerry

Hello All
Well I tried the sfc trick and it found 1 dodgy dll, setupx.dll.
Did not make any differnce to the folder problem though. Like DJNafey said it is like looking for a needle in a hackstack and a very small needle at that. Oh well, reinstall here I come AGAIN!!!!!
Thanks very much for the advice anyway. I will keep them suggestions in mind for future problems.

Gerry