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Paste function intermittently greyed out

Discussion in 'Windows 10' started by Big Rich, 2017/07/02.

  1. 2017/07/02
    Big Rich

    Big Rich Active Member Thread Starter

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    I'm running Win10 upgraded OS.
    So far it seems that the paste function works the first time I use it in Explorer. After that if I select a file or folder and select 'copy', when I go to the target folder 'paste' is not available (greyed out). I have been able to shut down Explorer and restart it, then it will work once or twice before the paste function stops working. I'm assuming the copy, cut buffer is not dynamically clearing conditionally. Anyone else see this problem and have a solution?
     
  2. 2017/07/02
    Bill

    Bill SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    Is the problem only in File Explorer? What about in Notepad, Word, or while creating posts on this site with your browser?
     
    Bill,
    #2

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  4. 2017/07/02
    Big Rich

    Big Rich Active Member Thread Starter

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    Not that I've noticed. Seems like only File Explorer. Often when making quick backups. I'll grab a folder with files in it and copy it to a disk or thumb drive for example. Then I go to move another folder and the greyed out paste command problem occurs.

    I don't see any connection but I also get an occasional problem when I'm finished with a thumb drive and try to eject it. Windows comes back and says the drive is busy and suggests that I might lose data if I continue but it remains busy although I have no cache setup for the drive and the activity light is not blinking.
     
  5. 2017/07/02
    Bill

    Bill SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    I don't know what is happening so I am just trying to narrow it down.

    So it happens whether trying to paste to a hard disk or thumb drive? You mention thumb drive a lot, but it also happens to internal drives?

    There are lots of examples of can copy but cannot paste but no one answer.
     
    Bill,
    #4
  6. 2017/07/02
    Big Rich

    Big Rich Active Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks for looking. That's pretty much what I found too.
    I saw some pretty vague Microsoft responses that implied they did not clearly understand the issue or they did not have an answer.


    Totally unrelated question... How does a member upload an avatar or picture? Or is that reserved for "ranking members"?
     
  7. 2017/07/02
    Bill

    Bill SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    I don't think it is reserved though there may be post minimum but I don't think it is very high. From your profile page, click on the little man (?) icon near the top right in the next to the envelope. A pop down menu should appear where you can see Avatar.
     
    Bill,
    #6
  8. 2017/07/02
    Big Rich

    Big Rich Active Member Thread Starter

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    OK, that makes sense. I've read this forum a number of times but this is my first post. The avatar function is not available to me.

    Do I just leave this thread open, or mark it as solved? I don't want others to actually think there may be an answer here, other than the fact that there is no answer :)
     
  9. 2017/07/02
    Bill

    Bill SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    It is not solved and leaving it open gives the opportunity for others to stop by and contribute. Sundays are often slow days as folks have other commitments. And it is the middle of the night for some on the other side of the world.
     
    Bill,
    #8
    Big Rich likes this.
  10. 2017/07/02
    Evan Omo

    Evan Omo Computer Support Technician Staff

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    Hi Big Rich, Welcome to Windowsbbs! :)

    You might consider Performing a clean boot and see if that makes any difference.

    If performing a clean boot does not solve the issue then the fact you said you can't paste in Windows Explorer indicates that this might be due to a 3rd party shell extension that is causing the issue. Download ShellExView and disable all non Microsoft Shell extensions and see if that makes any difference.

    Also please enter your System Details. It helps us in answering your questions.
     
  11. 2017/07/03
    Big Rich

    Big Rich Active Member Thread Starter

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    I cold boot my system every day and I've seen the problem numerous times.

    I entered my system details in my preferences section of this site, with the exception of the power supply, I didn't take the system down and apart for a detail like this. If anything, since the replacement of the original hard drive with an SSD the system is using less power.

    I'm reluctant to run the ShellExView to disable non-Microsoft Shell extensions without knowing the consequences. Like what will no longer work, what might revert back to Microsoft defaults and perhaps not return to my preferences and how to recover from this action/actions? If you could give me a warm fuzzy feeling on what that utility does I'd be willing to consider it. Remember, the problem is intermittent so I would need to leave these shell extensions disabled for a while or until the problem reoccurs with them disabled.

    I've also seen numerous complaints about this issue around the web so it's not just me and my machine. In theory it could be some conflict between some 3rd party software and Microsoft's paste function but I would think someone would have run across the matchup by now.

    Please let me know?

    P.S. Is there a way to upload screen shots to this forum?
     
    Last edited: 2017/07/03
  12. 2017/07/03
    Bill

    Bill SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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  13. 2017/07/03
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    As a new member the facility to upload files is not available until you have made a certain number of posts, etc.

    A workaround is to post your screenshots on a photo hosting board and to post the URL here.
     
  14. 2017/07/03
    Big Rich

    Big Rich Active Member Thread Starter

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  15. 2017/07/03
    Big Rich

    Big Rich Active Member Thread Starter

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    OK, I decided to try several large copy/paste functions with all the non-Microsoft Shell Extensions disabled and it functioned as it should. I added the Shell Extensions back 8 or 10 at a time performing several large copy/pastes after each group was added back and could not reproduce the issue. Unfortunately, I ended up with all the Shell Extensions re-enabled and so far I was not able to reproduce the issue. Problem solved! Well, not really. I will have to wait until I can reproduce the issue again to do further "process of elimination" tests.

    I was using a tacky workaround of shutting down File Explorer and restarting it to get the paste function to work before posting to this forum. Because of the number of possible causes along with the intermittent nature of the issue I don't feel there will be much success with the "process of elimination" approach so I may just have to deal with my workaround until someone stumbles upon the cause.

    As I mentioned, there are postings around the Internet about this and so far no solution that I could find. Microsoft never admits to their issues until someone proves it to them, so there may not be an answer any time soon.

    I thank you for your suggestions and I will post back if I find the cause of the issue.
     
  16. 2017/07/03
    Evan Omo

    Evan Omo Computer Support Technician Staff

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    Thanks for the update. With all the computers that I've worked on I honestly have not encountered your issue and this issue would have to be caused by some 3rd party program of some sort but depending on how many programs you have installed, it may take a while to find the culprit that is the source of the problem.

    You could always leave those non Microsoft shell extensions disabled for a long period of time and see if the issue comes up again since its an intermittent problem.
     
  17. 2017/07/03
    Big Rich

    Big Rich Active Member Thread Starter

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    Yes, I run a lot of different applications, any one could be the culprit.

    So, if I understand you correctly, the Shell Extensions are just convenience hooks in the menus and the programs will still be able to work automatically or manually?

    The reason I ask is that 2 of the Shell Extensions are for my virus program Avast and several are for Acronis, my backup software. I believe ShellExView listed 31 lines of non-Microsoft Shell Extensions.
     
  18. 2017/07/03
    retiredlearner

    retiredlearner SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    Are you using the Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media in the Systray? Have you closed the action in Explorer?
     
  19. 2017/07/04
    Big Rich

    Big Rich Active Member Thread Starter

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    Yes, and yes.
     
  20. 2017/07/04
    Big Rich

    Big Rich Active Member Thread Starter

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    Update, and boy do I mean UPDATE. Everything (or nothing) may change as far as my original issue. Microsoft just finished doing a major update to my OS. I am now running Windows 10 Creators Update, Windows 10 Version 1703.

    Many things have changed, my desktop looks like a train wreck and it messed up my Device Manager for my HP Printer and some "Other Device". I will need to hunt and peck to find out which device that is. It also blew my display driver to holy heck. It even removed my Firefox "New Tab Page" pinned URL's. And that's only what I found in the first few minutes. Oh, and one of the first places I needed to go, Control Panel, disappeared from my right click start menu.

    Such is life in Microsoft's world.
     
  21. 2017/07/04
    Bill

    Bill SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    You are just getting this update? It was released April 5th and while it was pushed out in waves, I am surprised you only now got it. Have you delayed updates?
     

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