Left mouse click initiates search rather than open folder

When I double click a file that it initiates a search rather than opening the folder. How can I change the default so that a double click opens a folder. Aslo if I am right clicking, then Explore is at the top of the menus rather than Open. Are this things related probably? Thanks for any information in advance.

I am guessing that when you double click by the left mouse switch, then it tells by the title of your post, there was posted a problem which look like yours.

I have the same problem with left click executing the "search" command instead of "Open". What causes the registry to get corrupted?

I downloaded the file suggested in the first response, but don't remember how to get into the registry (I knew how to do it years ago on my Win98 machine but have forgotten). I guess I'll search how to get into registry.


Any help is appreciated- this really annoys me!


(Yes, this is my first post- I registered expressly to try and resolve this issue)

That's right- it was "regedit".

Okay, so now I am in the registry and found
"HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\"

but, I have no idea what to do regarding the instructions below (from the first reply to this thread)...?

Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

p1 = "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\"
p2 = "none"

WshShell.RegWrite p1, p2

p1 = "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\"
WshShell.RegWrite p1, p2

X = WshShell.Run("REGSVR32 /I /S SHELL32.DLL",4,True)
Set WshShell = Nothing

MyBox = MsgBox("Folders will now Open when double clicked", 4096, "Finished!")

I figured out that I needed to open that file I downloaded from the first reply with "command prompt" and that fixed the issue. Windows was automatically opening the file with notepad instead of command prompt.

I had the same problem with the mouse. The script worked.
I notice before if you right click on the folder the menu had change as to the default double click option (Bold type) and the default search program was a newer version. Then reading the comments I remember there was a update from Microsoft when it was installing about a new search update. After that I had the left button mouse problem. At the time I didn't notice between the update and the problem. Its the old you will like the new search tool and we will fix it so it goes it instead of old one. Now you have start the new one to get to the old one at the left bottom of the new one. Pain!

Hi, I was trying to change things in my folder options and now everytime I open any folder, search companion opens up not my folder. I know another way to open my folder but I wanted the way it was before where I could just double click and I was there. Is there a way of removing the search companion or put it somewhere where I can't see it.

You can try to do a System Restore. If you are using Norton, then disable it before trying to do System Restore. To do this you have to click on Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore > and then pick a date before the issue.

This download worked amazingly. Fixed my "file initiates a search, rather than opening the folder" problem I was truely impressed how easily it worked.