Double clicking a folder in explorer.exe is opening Nord VPN app

[aminomancer]

Something really weird has started to happen. I enabled the shell integration "Default File Manager" setting many years ago and it's worked fine. But now when I double click a folder from explorer.exe, it opens NordVPN, which gives me a message that the selection is too big for Nord to send it, and I should zip the items. So clearly Nord's shell integration has somehow taken control of XYplorer's. But when I disable the XYplorer shell integration, explorer.exe works just fine. It just opens folders in explorer.exe the way it normally would.

Also, when I double click a directory, it opens XYplorer, but XYplorer doesn't actually open the directory. It just basically focuses the XYplorer window.

[aminomancer]

Also, I can see a shell extension for NordVPN:

Code: Select all

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Shell\NordVPN-file-share

[aminomancer]

Seems to be the same problem as this bug: viewtopic.php?t=23547

But I haven't found any solution for it.

[admin]

What else is going on in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Shell\?

[Hemant]

Seems to be the same problem as this bug: viewtopic.php?t=23547
GB WhatsApp
But I haven't found any solution for it.

What did you try?

[Horst]

The following .reg file sets the default.

Code: Select all

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
 
 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell]
 @="none"
 
 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell]
 @="none"
 

[bwbwbwb]

I just googled "NordVPN opens folder desktop" having experienced this exact issue and found this thread. I have a fairly simple solution which is to go to NordVPN > Settings > General > Show the meshnet filesharing option in the Windows context menu and toggle to OFF

This correlates with the link shared by aminomancer above where the author of the thread identifies "Position: Top" in the registry keys HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\Folder\shell causing a similar issue with VSCode.

It seems that NordVPN want to have their utility at the top of the menu and haven't understood the wider implication of using this method to achieve that.

[admin]

Thanks for the input!

[Broham32]

I just googled "NordVPN opens folder desktop" having experienced this exact issue and found this thread. I have a fairly simple solution which is to go to NordVPN > Settings > General > Show the meshnet filesharing option in the Windows context menu and toggle to OFF

This just helped me after searching for a resolution for an hour. Thank you!!!