Recent Posts

1

General / Re: PDF-ShellTools in Windows 11 Home - context menu

« Last post by P. Allan on October 02, 2026, 05:01:47 PM »

Hi Rui. Thanks for the clarification.

Beside the PDFST other software (7-Zip, UnLocker i.e.) also was gone in my Windows 11 setup and had to be enabled by the ShellExView.

They now resides in the "reverse" key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Approved and is active.

Thanks again.

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General / Re: PDF-ShellTools in Windows 11 Home - context menu

« Last post by RTT on October 02, 2026, 04:30:01 PM »

You understood perfectly, Peder!
I didn't know it was possible to block a registered shell extension by putting its CLSID at the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Blocked key. That's the technique the ShellExView tool is using and because of that the PDFST extensions registration code is not able to even detect the situation.
No idea if your original problem was this one, i.e. the menu was not showing because its CLSID got somehow added to this key, or if it was related to something else and only got added when you started using the ShellExView to try to fix the problem.

Anyway, I have now made some changes to the code to handle this situation.

Thank you very much for reporting the problem and all the tests you made.

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General / Re: PDF-ShellTools in Windows 11 Home - context menu

« Last post by P. Allan on October 01, 2026, 11:07:48 AM »

I hope I understand!

After performing the steps 1 - 3, PDFST context menu doesn't show up in the file explorer for PDF files (step 4).

After performing steps 5 - 7, I attach the diff file. (In txt format. .reg is not allowed.)

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General / Re: PDF-ShellTools in Windows 11 Home - context menu

« Last post by RTT on October 01, 2026, 03:33:29 AM »

The steps are:

1. Disable the PDFST context menu handler with the ShellExView tool.
2. Run the PDFST manager and enable the usual handlers you use (if any is disabled) and apply the changes if asked for when exiting.
3. Use the Windows Task Manager to restart the Windows File Explorer.
4. Check if the PDFST context menu shows in the File Explorer for PDF files.

The next steps are only needed if the context menu is not showing.

5. Take a snapshot with the RegistryChangesView tool.
6. Enable the PDFST context menu handler with the ShellExView tool.
7. With the RegistryChangesView tool create a diff .reg file of the current registry against the snapshot and upload it to the forum.

 

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General / Re: PDF-ShellTools in Windows 11 Home - context menu

« Last post by P. Allan on September 30, 2026, 03:26:29 PM »

OK. Is these the steps, I must perform:

1. Disable the PDFST 6 items in the viewer.

2. Uncheck the Context Menu Tools in the PDFST manager and save the setting.

3. Take a snapshot with RegistryChangesView.

4. Enable the PDFST 6 items in the viewer. But don't touch the manager?

5. Take another snapshot with RegistryChangesView.

6. Upload the (entire) results from RegistryChangesView to this forum thread.

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General / Re: PDF-ShellTools in Windows 11 Home - context menu

« Last post by RTT on September 29, 2026, 03:19:41 AM »

So what is the ShellExView changing in the registry?
Disabling the PDFST context menu handler with the ShellExView tool, then entering the PDFST manager and applying the changes at exit (because it detects something is not fully registered) does not enable it.

In this not fixed registration situation, using the RegistryChangesView tool I mentioned, you can now take a snapshot of the registry, then enable the context menu with the ShellExView tool and then compare the registry changes.

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General / Re: PDF-ShellTools in Windows 11 Home - context menu

« Last post by P. Allan on September 28, 2026, 12:24:45 AM »

Sorry - my mistake.

There are no differences before and after the PDFST is disabled and enabled with the ShellExView.

27 identical keys in both states.

Both the purpose of operating the PDFST with ShellExView is fulfilled - as mentioned. The tools "switches" off and on in the context menu.

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General / Re: PDF-ShellTools in Windows 11 Home - context menu

« Last post by RTT on September 27, 2026, 05:21:21 PM »

You have to tell me the extra keys, regarding that CLSID, that got added by the ShellExView.

Maybe the RegistryChangesView tool, from the same author of the ShellExView, can help?
But, in this case, just manually comparing the keys regarding that CLSID may be sufficient.

9

General / Re: PDF-ShellTools in Windows 11 Home - context menu

« Last post by P. Allan on September 27, 2026, 10:30:58 AM »

Take note ... of all the key paths of the found ones.: Hmmm - notes. There 25 keys found.

Use the ShellExView tool to disable the PDFST context menu extension: Done - 5 items regarding PDFST disabled.

Repeat the above registry search.: Then there are 27 keys found.

Now use the PDFST manager.exe to enable the extension: Done - but the manager shows all the needed blue check marks. So I just opened and closed, confirming changes.

, and repeat the above registry search.: We are back to 25 keys found.

Is the context menu item still showing: Still not showing since the disabling above.

, or you need to use the ShellExView tool again?: Yes. And then its showing, and (of course) working.

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General / Re: PDF-ShellTools in Windows 11 Home - context menu

« Last post by RTT on September 27, 2026, 02:55:44 AM »

Then the PDF-ShellTools registration code is missing some corner case.
If you have the time, search the Windows registry for this key name {E3FD95C1-D5B1-4929-B0EC-C156318EDD8F}, and take note, in a text editor, of all the key paths of the found ones.

Use the ShellExView tool to disable the PDFST context menu extension, and repeat the above registry search.

Now use the PDFST manager.exe to enable the extension, and repeat the above registry search.

Notice any change?
Is the context menu item still showing, or you need to use the ShellExView tool again?