Solved Copy/Paste in Windows Explorer Not Working

[SandraChung]

When I select MOVE (or copy) from Windows explorer, Windows Explorer crashes. HOWEVER, if I select a bunch of files in Windows Explorer and press DELETE, it 'moves' them to the recycle bin without a problem.

 

[SandraChung]

Can you afford to format and fresh install at all (not via Refresh/Reset, actual install boot from CD/DVD)?

No, and have said so a few times. It would be more cost and time effective for me to restore my Windows 7 system image created minutes before upgrading to Windows 8.

 

[znod]

I'll try Windows Repair, but I don't know what it will 'fix' as SFC, malware check, virus check, and about a half dozen other fixes I've tried before posting about this will do.

Do you mean you will try what I called a repair install? I'd like to see what happens.

 

[SandraChung]

Do you mean you will try what I called a repair install? I'd like to see what happens.

No, Windows Repair, not Windows Repair Install. I ran Windows Repair, and again, nothing there to repair. Just like with checking disk for errors, checking for malware/virus, and SFC, nothing is 'wrong'.

 

[znod]

Do you mean you will try what I called a repair install? I'd like to see what happens.

No, Windows Repair, not Windows Repair Install. I ran Windows Repair, and again, nothing there to repair. Just like with checking disk for errors, checking for malware/virus, and SFC, nothing is 'wrong'.

What do you have against trying a repair install?

 

[Hopachi]

When I select MOVE (or copy) from Windows explorer, Windows Explorer crashes. HOWEVER, if I select a bunch of files in Windows Explorer and press DELETE, it 'moves' them to the recycle bin without a problem.

Did this issue happened right after upgrade or some time later?

Just brainstorming:
File handlers, shell extensions, Explorer plugins (3rd-party) leads me to incompatible programs...

Are there any programs you've installed (recently) that add something to Explorer, like when you right click on a file and it shows you extra options. Some of those options can interfere and override the original ones (changing default settings) and others can be incompatible with the new Win8 Explorer.

If I'm right, removing some of those programs (and luckily finding the right one) will restore things to normal.
You can run a safe registry cleaner like CCleaner afterwards to remove possible left-overs entry's from installs.

That's my theory.

 

[SandraChung]

What do you have against trying a repair install?

I explained why earlier.

 

[SandraChung]

As i stated before, the process of making note of everything that is installed, having to deactivate software, and do a 'clean install' wasn't an option, as the time it would take would make restoring the Windows 7 system image a better option.

But, what I did was this:

Uninstalled all the Windows 8 Updates. Copy/Paste/Move files worked. Uninstalled CFiShellToys. Rebooted. Copy/Paste worked.

Then I reinstalled Win8 updates, no more than 3 at a time. Sometimes just 1 if it was a large one. With every Windows Start up, I copied/moved a test file. When it succeeded, I would install another update. Repeat.

I then re-installed CFiShellToys, restarted. Copy/Paste/Move worked.

All I can figure is one or more of the Windows 8 updates screwed something up, or was corrupt. Nice to know it wasn't something I was doing incorrectly, or the fault of already installed software.

 

[LovingWindows]

...

Glad to know everything is working now.

 

[znod]

What do you have against trying a repair install?

I explained why earlier.

What post #? Below is our last exchange on repair install AFAIK.

Do you mean you will try what I called a repair install? I'd like to see what happens.

No, Windows Repair, not Windows Repair Install. I ran Windows Repair, and again, nothing there to repair. Just like with checking disk for errors, checking for malware/virus, and SFC, nothing is 'wrong'.

Intall repair repairs more than Windows repair potentially.

 

[jeffrys]

Znod,

i guess repair was not an option, because you have to reinstall all of your own programs.

Jeff

 

[Hopachi]

As i stated before, the process of making note of everything that is installed, having to deactivate software, and do a 'clean install' wasn't an option, as the time it would take would make restoring the Windows 7 system image a better option.

But, what I did was this:

Uninstalled all the Windows 8 Updates. Copy/Paste/Move files worked. Uninstalled CFiShellToys. Rebooted. Copy/Paste worked.

Then I reinstalled Win8 updates, no more than 3 at a time. Sometimes just 1 if it was a large one. With every Windows Start up, I copied/moved a test file. When it succeeded, I would install another update. Repeat.

I then re-installed CFiShellToys, restarted. Copy/Paste/Move worked.

All I can figure is one or more of the Windows 8 updates screwed something up, or was corrupt. Nice to know it wasn't something I was doing incorrectly, or the fault of already installed software.

Nice working procedure.

I'm glad you fixed it.

 

[znod]

Znod,

i guess repair was not an option, because you have to reinstall all of your own programs.

Jeff

Thanks, but repair install on earlier Win systems did not require reinstallation of anything, i.e., all data settings, and installed programs were unaffected.

 

[jeffrys]

Well, i had problems with a DLL and after repair there was no program in "Programs and features" to show.

Simple repair did not work, so repair and keeping personal settings was all i could do.

So maybe this depends on what needs to be repaired.

Jeff

 

[znod]

Repair and repair install are not the same things. Here is repair install as done in Win7. One would think it would work essentially the same way in Win8. And, repair install potentially fixes more things that Windows repair. Not sure of the relationship between the things possibly fixed with SCF /SCANNOW and install repair.

 

[edmorris826]

Here we are again with another MS screw up. And, MS offers all kinds of rube Goldberg solutions.
MS have you no shame ?
I realize hate & discontent solves no issues. However, neither do your clumsy work arounds such as reset or
refresh the system. All I am asking is a simple command will work all the time in all apps. Is that too much to
ask ? I get the feeling techies are taking it on the chin for incompetent developers. The shear volume of complaints
about the condition of this command should tell MS some thing is seriously wrong. I expect no response to this
post in fact I'll probably be booted off the site. At least I'm going kicking and screaming and I have let people
know how they are being scammed on support in general.

 

[pilot]

I am having the same issues as the first user, almost. Windows Explorer isn't crashing when I try to copy and paste, but it just doesn't work in Windows. It works fine with programs such as Office and in browsers. I recently did a repair install and everything was working fine. I installed the Windows updates and now it isn't working again. The problem is I have no idea which update is the problem. I only selected a few but the OS took it upon its self to install all of them anyways and it was too late for me to do anything about it. I suppose this is moot since Windows 10 was just released and as soon as I can I am switching over. But if anyone else continues to use Windows 8 and has this problem, a repair install won't fix the problem if you download the corrupt update anyways.