[Solution] Windows Explorer Folders Pane Grayed Out (Disabled) in Windows 2000, XP and 2003

Sometimes Windows XP, Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003 users face a strange problem. The “Folders Pane” present in Windows Explorer becomes grayed out e.g. disabled. It doesn’t show the folder tree as shown in following screenshot:

Basically nothing is shown in folders pane. Its shown absolutely empty.

To fix this problem, download following .ZIP file, extract it and then run the extracted .REG file. It’ll ask for confirmation, accept it:

Registry Fix for Folders Pane Grayed Out in Windows Explorer

Now try to open Windows Explorer again and it’ll start showing the folder tree: