KB2911106 regression bug: Cannot rename any folders in Windows Explorer after KB2911106 patch install

I am writing to report an apparent regression bug in a Windows Update patch:  Update for Windows 8.1 for x64-based Systems (KB2911106).  When this patch is installed, folders can no longer be renamed with Windows Explorer (although they can still be renamed in DOS).  When the patch is removed through System Restore, the problem with renaming folders disappears.  This is 100% reproducible as follows:

0.  Create a System Restore point!
1.  In Windows Update, download and install KB2911106.
2.  Create a new folder on the Desktop (or anywhere else).
3.  Try to rename the folder by right-clicking it and selecting "Rename."
4.  FAILS with "Can't find the specified file" error.
5.  However, folder can be renamed in DOS.
6.  Run System Restore to de-install KB2911106.
7.  Folder rename functionality returns.

Please convey this bug report.  Thank you.

January 29th, 2014 4:46am

Sry I am not getting that bug, sounds like you may have a corruption somewhere. This update has fixes for many things. Run.

Elevated Command

sfc /scannow

his update package fixes the issues that are documented in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) articles:
  • 2870467 Memory leak in Oleaut32.dll on a Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2-based COM server
  • 2891804 Files or folders are removed unexpectedly when you perform a cut-and-paste operation on a Windows FTP client that is connected to an FTP site
  • 2897602 FIX: TCP connections that use ephemeral loopback addresses are dropped suddenly in Windows
  • 2910642 Video playback in Windows Media Player stutters or stops in Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1
  • 2908931 Camera image orientation on viewfinder of display screens are rotated 90 degree on a Windows 8.1-based Portrait-First device
  • 2911039 Scheduled task in Windows restarts unexpectedly after computer restarts
  • 2912225 ADAC crashes when you try to use the global search in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • 2913016 Error message when you try to print some XPS files by using XPS Viewer in Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • 2913218 English IME is set as the default IME instead of a localized IME after OOBE wizard in Windows RT 8.1, Windows 8.1, or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • 2913312 Ctrl+Alt+Del keyboard shortcut is not displayed on the logon screen to tell the user how to reach the credential prompt in Windows RT 8.1, Windows 8.1, or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • 2913317 Autocorrection feature does not remember user decisions in Windows 8.1
  • 2913765 Certain cameras cannot be used as removable drives in Windows RT 8.1, Windows 8.1, or Windows Server 2012 R2
  • 2914002 Update fixes several Windows Store app-related issues
  • 2914011 Update resolves a Windows Store app issue and a printer issue
  • 2914180 You cannot connect to FTP servers through a Wi-Fi hot spot
  • 2914211 Internet Explorer tab freezes when it makes a COM call to a suspended tab
  • 2914217 Duplicate files in a symbolic link folder after you upgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1
  • 2914219 USB storage device does not work correctly in Windows 8.1 and in Windows Server 2012 R2

Elevated Command

sfc /scannow


  • Edited by colakid Wednesday, January 29, 2014 5:21 AM
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January 29th, 2014 5:19am

Thank you for the reply. So if you don't get this error, but I get it every time, what can be causing it? Is there any reason that folders would become non-rename-able? (Something with a NameSpace issue or association issue in the Registry?)

I'd like to be able to install the update but then resolve the folder issue. Any suggestions?

January 30th, 2014 12:26am

Look at your Shell Extensions as the source of potential problems in Explorer.  It's possible an update made one of them less (or not) compatible.

A good program to do this with is:  ShellExView

   

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January 30th, 2014 2:23am

I continue to have this problem. SFC /SCANNOW was clean. I'm not sure what I would be looking for with ShellExView.

I've tried applying KB2911106 multiple times, observing the same problem every time, and then using System Restore to undo the KB patch.  Aside from the folder issue described above, I also notice that every time I apply KB2911106, an unwanted "Libraries" folder appears on my Desktop and does not allow me to delete it no matter what I try. When I do System Restore to undo the patch, the Libraries folder goes away.

How can it be that nobody else is observing this problem, given how consistent it is for me? Does nobody have any idea how to correct the issue?

February 7th, 2014 12:15am

I have discovered that if I remove the following Registry keys and reboot, the problem goes away:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\
  {2112AB0A-C86A-4ffe-A368-0DE96E47012E}
  {491E922F-5643-4af4-A7EB-4E7A138D8174}
  {7b0db17d-9cd2-4a93-9733-46cc89022e7c}
  {A302545D-DEFF-464b-ABE8-61C8648D939B}
  {A990AE9F-A03B-4e80-94BC-9912D7504104}

Can anyone explain why this is or what these keys are supposed to do?

A few more notes:

1)I have to delete ALL FIVE of these keys or the problem remain. Leaving any one of them behind seems to trigger the problem.

2) When I subsequently applied the February monthly Windows Update patches, the problem came back again; these five keys had re-created themselves during the update. Deleting these five registry again makes the problem go away again.

3) Concurrent with the appearance (or re-appearance) of the cannot-rename-folders problem, a Libraries icon also appears on the Desktop.


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February 16th, 2014 7:54am

Have you done any modifications to the user profile, such as storing the user profile in another location other than C:\Users?
February 16th, 2014 8:14am

Your registry path above seems to be missing a \Windows\ component.

But if I read between the lines I do find these keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\

 {2112AB0A-C86A-4ffe-A368-0DE96E47012E}
 {491E922F-5643-4af4-A7EB-4E7A138D8174}
 {7b0db17d-9cd2-4a93-9733-46cc89022e7c}
 {A302545D-DEFF-464b-ABE8-61C8648D939B}
 {A990AE9F-A03B-4e80-94BC-9912D7504104}

I have applied all the updates and still seem to be able to rename folders okay, and no Libraries icon has appeared.  I should mention I have Libraries hidden (Show Libraries unchecked via right-click in the Navigation pane in File Explorer).

Perhaps it would be worth describing exactly how you're attempting the rename, and exactly what you're seeing go wrong (i.e., mouse click by mouse click, keystroke by keystroke).

 

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February 16th, 2014 8:41am

Your registry path above seems to be missing a \Windows\ component.



Indeed, my transcription error. I've corrected the original post. Thanks.

February 16th, 2014 3:16pm

Have you done any modifications to the user profile, such as storing the user profile in another location other than C:\Users?

No, not that I'm aware of. (I'm not familiar with user profiles.) Could I have done this unintentionally?

On the other hand, I have made several modifications to the Registry in an effort to "fix" some of the usability messes that were introduced into Windows 8. One thing that comes to mind is that I've done what I could to get rid of Libraries, as described on eightforums.com in several places. I was pretty careful following the instructions, but given how this current problem always appears along with the non-removable Libraries icon on the Desktop, could something that was done to hide Libraries have caused folder-rename to get messed up?

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February 16th, 2014 3:20pm

Well that registry "fixing" is very likely related to the problems you are having with Libraries icon on the desktop and likely the folder renaming issues. My advice is to start over with a new use
February 16th, 2014 3:28pm

Noel,

Nothing complicated. Create a folder on the Desktop (right-click on Desktop > New Folder) and when the new folder appears with its name already highlighted, just type a new name and hit return. This dialog appears immediately, and the new name doesn't take (I can't seem to paste pictures, so I'm transcribing the dialog):

         [[[[[[[                       Rename Folder                        ]]]]]]][X]

             Can't find the specified file.

             Make sure you specify the correct path and file name.
                                            foo
                                            Date created: 02/15/2014 22:51

                                                          [Try Again]  [Cancel]

Hit Try Again, and this appears:

         [[[[[[[                       Rename                        ]]]]]]][X]

             (X)  The file or folder does not exist.


                                                                               [OK]

Or, right-click on a folder already on the Desktop or anywhere else, select Rename, and type a new name.  Same errors.

Or, get to a file navigator window within an application (e.g., MS Word > Save As), and either create a new folder there or right-click on an existing folder and select Rename. Same errors.

BUT, if I go to the DOS prompt and try to rename a folder, it works fine.

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February 16th, 2014 3:31pm

Well that registry "fixing" is very likely related to the problems you are having with Libraries icon on the desktop and likely the folder renaming issues. My advice is to start over with a new user profile.

Okay. I'm not familiar with user profiles. Can you please tell me how to go about that, and also what the side effects of doing so would be? What will I lose?

February 16th, 2014 3:33pm

Your "user profile" is the data specifically associated with the account you're using to log into your computer.

I believe what Andreas means is for you to use the Windows "Manage Accounts" panels to create a new user account (i.e., new username) then log into that try to rename folders.  If it works, then use it from now on, migrate your important data into the new user account and finally remove the non-working username entirely - the theory being that you or something you installed broke an important linkage in your current user profile.

 

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February 16th, 2014 4:03pm

Spot on Noel. Creating a new user account and checking if everything works in terms of renaming folders will tell us if the problem is related to your current user profile. If the problem persists even in a new user profile/account, then it is computer wide and we will have to attack the problem in another way.
February 16th, 2014 4:20pm

Wow, this is SO messed up.

I liked your suggestion, so I undid my registry fix, logged out and in, and confirmed that the folder-renaming problem came back (it did). Then I created a new user and tried to log in as that new user. I got the following error on the sign-in screen:

  -----------------------------------------------------------
    The User Profile Service service failed the sign-in.

    User profile cannot be loaded.

         [OK]
  -----------------------------------------------------------

I even tried activating the built-in Guest account and tried logging in as Guest, but I got the same "profile cannot be loaded" error (bad grammar and all).

So I can neither confirm whether the original problem occurs with a virgin profile nor can I ever (apparently) create a new profile on this OS. I see no reason that I'll ever have to to the latter, so I'm not going to worry about it -- other than that these symptoms I am having might be indicative of a deeper issue.

When will Windows 9 be out?


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February 16th, 2014 8:51pm

Okay, I was able to create a new user account by rebooting to Safe Mode first. (User accounts I create from within Safe Mode appear to work, but only within Safe Mode. If I reboot back to regular mode, I can't log into the new accounts I created while in Safe Mode.)

Anyway, the new accounts have the folder-rename issue too. I can make it go away by making the same manual changes to the Registry, but the problem comes with the new accounts.

Clearly, something is really badly messed up. But I can get folder-rename to work by commenting out the registry entries as described above, I can hide the Libraries icon as described above, and since I don't need any additional user accounts, I think I'm fine for now. I wish I knew what the root cause of all this is, though. Scary.

February 16th, 2014 9:31pm

Windows needs to fix this because I had downloaded registry fixes for this and the last Windows Update has caused it to come back. The last update appears to have been to fix a security problem with Adobe Flash. 
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February 25th, 2014 3:24am

Larry, did you try using ShellExView to methodically disable shell extensions to see what it is that you've installed that broke your ability to use File Explorer?  Specifically, disable each non-Microsoft shell extension, one at a time, then log off and back on and test.  When you have disabled the one that's breaking Explorer, you've found the problem.

Yes, that may sound tedious, but I'll wager no one's going to "fix" this for you.  When the dust settles you're responsible for your own system integration.

 

February 25th, 2014 9:44pm

Do you recall the little registry tweak that you got from askVG.com to disable the Libraries in win 7, that he said would likely also work in win 8? Well, the inability to rename folders is caused by applying it. If you recall, there was also an "undo" for it, called "restore default settings". Run that, and your problem with renaming folders will be solved.
  • Proposed as answer by mel77084 Friday, April 11, 2014 12:15 AM
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April 10th, 2014 11:46pm

Thanks

tried many things this Worked for me on W8.1

Doug

April 27th, 2014 4:59am

Hello

I am experiencing exactly the same problem running Windows 8.1 Pro as well.

Did you manage to resolve the problem.?

frosty

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June 10th, 2014 4:46pm

I fought with this problem for a day before coming across this suggestion. It worked for me, but I am not sure what these keys do. Conversely, I did not have any libraries icon on the desktop. I don't have anything new to add, but if someone else runs into this same situation this is a quick fix. Thanks.

P.S. This was a fairly fresh install (less than a week old), so profile corruptions shouldn't be happening.

September 23rd, 2014 5:06pm

I had this problem. None of the proferred options resolved the issue for me.  Finally, by experimentation I managed to destroy my ability to launch explorer.

As a last ditch try to resolve the issue before reinstall, I went onto my netbook, which does not have the issue and exported the following registry keys to two different reg files.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions

I then issued a reg merge on the two files.  All problems were fixed instantly, without sign out.

Both keys threw error exceptions when trying to import them.  I had already started to take ownership of the keys before I noticed that the problem was already fixed.  So I did not try and import them again.

Hopefully this will help someone who has this issue.  Reinstalling is such a pain in the nuts....

[edit]  I'm running 8.1 Enterprise...


  • Edited by NeilT-1 Monday, October 20, 2014 7:03 PM
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October 20th, 2014 7:02pm

I had this problem. None of the proferred options resolved the issue for me.  Finally, by experimentation I managed to destroy my ability to launch explorer.

As a last ditch try to resolve the issue before reinstall, I went onto my netbook, which does not have the issue and exported the following registry keys to two different reg files.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions

I then issued a reg merge on the two files.  All problems were fixed instantly, without sign out.

Both keys threw error exceptions when trying to import them.  I had already started to take ownership of the keys before I noticed that the problem was already fixed.  So I did not try and import them again.

Hopefully this will help someone who has this issue.  Reinstalling is such a pain in the nuts....

[edit]  I'm running 8.1 Enterprise...


This finally did the trick. I've had the same problem for months now, and it's steadily gotten worse. Fixed it tonight using your suggestion. Got the errors that the reg files couldn't be added, but sure enough as soon as I ran both .reg files, my folder issue was resolved completely. Thank you! 

Windows 8.1 Enterprise 64bit  for me as well.

March 21st, 2015 2:32am

Had the same issue.

I was missing the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ explorer \ FolderDescriptions

After Merging the keys FolderDescriptions the issue got resolved instantly.

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/unable-to-rename-or-move-folders-in-windows-vista/

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April 10th, 2015 12:25am

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