ShellExecute failed (2) error for Notepad++ on Windows 7 64bit

Question

ShellExecute failed (2): Is this command correct? "C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe [location of file to edit]

I seem to have some issue with RIGHT CLICK > Edit with Notepad ++. This is on a fresh install of Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-Bit.

I can't seem to find any notice of this error? Or is this just some Windows 7 config issue?

Answer 1

I have Windows 7 64 Bit and I'm working with Notepad++ for more than a year on different Windows 7 64 Bit installation and I never seen such an error. Are you tried complete uninstall, run CCleaner, and installing Notepad++ again?

Answer 2

This is caused when you set Notepad++ to run as administrator on Windows 7.

Go into your registry as an administrator and search for notepad++.exe. Find the key under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT that has an entry with the Edit with Notepad++ and delete the whole key. Right click and you should see that you no longer have that option.

Now we re-create it:

1. Go to:

   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell
   

2. Create a new key under shell called OpenWithNotepad and create a subkey under that called command.

3. In the OpenWithNotepad key the default string is what you want the context menu item to be called. I set it to Open with Notepad++.

4. Create a new string value called icon and set the value to be the full path to notepad++.exe.

5. Under the command key edit the default string value and change it to "path-to-notepad++.exe" "%1" where path-to-notepad++.exe should be the full path, e.g. C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe.

When you right click this option it should now ask you properly for giving Notepad++ admin access to a file.

You still need to go to the properties for notepad++.exe and set it to run as an administrator.

Answer 3

On my Windows 7 machine (32 bit) I set notepad++ to run as administrator, doing so caused the explorer shell extension to stop working with the "Shell Execute failed" error. Disabling this setting (right click, properties, compatibility...) resolved the issue. Maybe this is what is causing your problems? (Now all I need is an "Edit in Notepad++ as Administrator" shell extension....)

Answer 4

This is a registry file that might help everybody:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\OpenWithNotepad]
@="Edit with &Notepad++"
"icon"="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Notepad++\\Notepad++.exe"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\OpenWithNotepad\Command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Notepad++\\Notepad++.exe\" \"%1\""

Copy it into Notepad and save it with a .reg extension. Close Notepad and double-click the file.

Answer 5

Uninstall, clean registry and re-installing didn't work for me. Neither was I running in a compatibility mode so that could not have been my issue.

What the issue was for me is that I checked the option "Run this program as an administrator" in the compatibility tab. I had turned this option on to be able to save e.g. the hosts file. After unchecking this I finally could rightclick and edit files using NotePad++ again.

Answer 6

in case you did not get it fixed yet, i had the same issue and tried all the above. I had told Notepad++ to start in compatibility mode and got that error. After i turned it off, everything went back to normal.

Answer 7

In my case thing that helped was to install Notepad++ in regular "Program Files" directory, not in "Program Files (x86)". Path is just messed up :)

Hope it helps!

Answer 8

I've had persistent problems with Notepad++ (on 5.9) in regards to opening/editing files via explorer interface (both direct click to open and right-click to edit..etc). The solution for me has been to install Notepad++ in C:\Program Tools\Notepad++\ - if I try any of the "official" install locations Notepad++ only opens things right when run in admin mode (which is a UAC pain in the arse if you'll pardon my french)