IrfanView ShellExtension 1.02

[Sam_Zen]

I did the uninstall of this shell extension, because I don't like crappy apps on my system, and because I didn't use it after all.
After the uninstall.bat command, the extension was gone from the context menu, but the 3 relevant files were still in the IV root :
IrfanViewShellEx.txt
IVEx.dll
Uninstall.bat
During removing the dll there gave some user rights trouble, but I managed to wipe it anyway.
After that I searched the reg for the DLL. Not found. So probably the settings of the convert formats would be gone too.
(I admit, afterwards this is the wrong test order. I should have searched in the reg before the uninstall)

2 eSkRo
Did you actually try 'uninstall.bat' and then install the extension again to recover the proper situation ?

[matera]

It's KrazyHak Day in IV-land!

Sam - I'm sure that was done, it does no good because the thing has some obscure way of coming back with the same configuration. Deleting it does no good as long as it is re-installed to the same folder. It is not a "crappy app" except for that one flaw, and I use it a lot - it's quicker than calling up the IV GUI and playing browsaround games when I want a bunch of files converted right where they are. Anyway, now I know how to restore it. I think.

I had at it again, and this time I really went into berserker mode. The #%$&*@! thing has nothing in the registry that I can find, nothing in INI files, nothing and lots of it to get a grip on. So I fooled it with a dumb trick.

1. Uninstall the shell extension

2. Reboot so you can do the next step

3. Delete IVEx.dll - use a secure wipe if you have the means, just in case. Reboot again, just in case

4. Create a folder somewhere (another drive, if you have one, more bet-hedging), name it anything you like, I called mine "zut" to make it easy to find - copy i_view32.exe to it (only the exe is needed)

5. Install the shell extension to that folder - browse to it during the install, it will accept any folder that contains the IV executable, it's stupid-blind to all else! Check to see if the extension is back to default. If it is, proceed...

6. Run the uninstall.bat there or otherwise unregister IVEx.dll

7. Copy IVEx.dll to the real IrfanView location

8. Register IVEx.dll

Get rid of the decoy folder

to re-register the DLL in its new location - in case you aren't doing this sort of thing every day and forget how -
Use the "Run" command, or copy the following line to a text editor and save as "regIVEx.bat" - alter the path as needed, I don't know where your IrfanView is:

regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\IrfanView\IVEx.dll"

With a batchfile, you don't have to type it again if you have to do it over some time

I had the menu cut back to half a dozen items, and the foolaround restored it completely. Fingers crossed...

BTW, I used Regshot a couple of times to make sure that there was nothing editable in the registry

[eSkRo]

I really did everything step by step and its still not working...
my problem is still going on...
and also, it did not reset the options to default...

Thanx for helping Matera!!!

[matera]

aaaaaaaahhhhggghhhhhh

Dang anyway. I thought it would be easier to fool Win98. Oh bleh.

Maybe it's time to wash Windows (so to speak). When I had 98 I reamed my hard drive about every six months. I also had a very cranky computer and a naughty habit of trying out all sorts of odd things, so if I didn't re-Window it got pretty unstable. I still have the naughty habit.

I haven't given up. I am one bullheaded mean old grandma.

A further thought...you might go another step and uninstall IrfanView too, secure-delete the old folder (I mean with something that overwrites the old data with zeros and crud, a serious killing) and install in one with a different name and then install the bugbex extension (you can see I'm mad at it). Extra reboots never hurt either.

Yet more thoughts - do you have a lot of other stuff in your context menu? Something else might be aggravating the problem.

[eSkRo]

nope, nothing else in my context menu...
its got to be a key thats still in my windows registry....
im pretty sure...

The key remembers the setting of the shellExtension,,,
thats why when i did your steps stated before,
it did not reset the options to default...
like i said, The key remembers the setting of the shellExtension,,,

we need to find that key and delete it...

[matera]

As far as I can tell, there is no change in the registry when the settings are changed, and only a few keys are added or deleted when it is installed/un-. As I said, I used Regshot, which compares the registry before and after, and I ran it a couple of times. A comparison after altering the options shows no changes related to Irfanex.

I have also searched with many different words, with the same frustrating results.

Are you sure that you followed the instructions to the utmost letter? It is absolutely essential to unregister/uninstall, reboot, and then totally obliterate every trace of the dll (and reboot again for extra good measure) before installing in the decoy directory. I used Free Commander's "wipe" command to kill it, used to use some other free prog for that. If you merely delete a file it is really still there, an invisible ghost that is wearing a "deleted" tag so no one will notice it. That is why file recovery is possible.

I can install on win98 and do more testing - the computer I would use is idle tomorrow *rolls eyes* I really would like to defeat this dragon.

[Sam_Zen]

(matera's post came in the meantime while writing this one)
Check the System32 directory. There's a subdir "ShellExt".
Mine is empty, but maybe something can be found there.

[matera]

Not in win98, and the bugger doesn't put anything in mine. I see peek.dll there (love that thing ). I also searched all the blooming H over the Windwoes neighborhood, no trace of anything related. It's just the dll, registered as a context menu handler, and some mysterious evil cyberspirit. No list of file extensions anywhere that i've been able to sniff out. The only thing that has worked for me is the total scorch followed by a decoy-install-and-switch.

[Sam_Zen]

Hmm, I keep forgetting that this is a W98 thing.
This Regshot looks promising btw, I will check it out.
I still don't have IV 4 on the W98 set, but as soon as I have, I will do some tests too.

[eSkRo]

well i've reviewed all the steps Matera and still no success...
I guess i'll know what to do in my next windows install...
Do not mess with the ShellExtension's options...

if i can just find a similar programm that does that
(right-click convert at least to PCX)
i would be very happy!!!

[Sam_Zen]

Check for "ImageBConvert" at Sourceforge.net.

[eSkRo]

i checked but its not a right-click software....
Im really a right-click fanatic!

If i can find a program that works with Win98 and
that works with right-clicking (converting at least to PCX)
that would the best!!!

[matera]

All right, forget the switcheroo. It doesn't work consistently anyway, I can't do it any more. Not only that, but my computer has crashed four times (no, make that six) during registry searches or related ops. I had to copy my own registry files (from Linux, like using gloves, just to be on the safe side LOL) in order to search further without blowups.

The Win98 experiment was a fizzle, nothing worked out right and I couldn't find anything in the registry to get hold of even though I used a lot of different angles.

ALSO - and this is very interesting - I could not produce any adverse symptoms in the win98 machine by un-ticking nearly all options! The context menu conversion continued to work without a glitch (except for the context menu hanging in view instead of vanishing, a common occurrence). This is particularly illuminating after having observed a browser pop-up in winXP (I was unable to make that happen more than once).

Therefore, I must conclude that IVEx.dll is an effing flawless work of art, absolutely perfect in every respect, and the problem is with WINDOWS, as it nearly always is. Now if I had any idea WTF it was, I would - sure as God made little round zeros - blow the great news all over the Internet.

OT (maybe) - Really odd things happening in my comp. Riched20.dll turned up missing this morning! I know it was in system32 yesterday. It is now, I put it there. All right, serves me right for turning off file protection. A lot of recent bootups come with that vague error msg about the registry being restored somehow (it's an XP thing, I dunno about NT/2K, and 9x handled that sort of thing differently). Big Mary is unhappy about something, and now I've got her in an even worse mood - but hey, we'll work it out. Virus etc. scan clean, btw.

I was wondering what one might do with some kind of script in SendTo...

[eSkRo]

THanx for helping MAtera!!!

I guess i'll wait till my next windows re-installation...
I know theres a software called "image badger" that does that
right-click convert thing but,
it works only on win XP...

-> i guess its time to have a new COMP...

[stefan]

-> i guess its time to have a new COMP...

don´t switch to vista

wait for sp1 ...

steve