adding command prompt to right-click menu in XP

Is there a way to add "open command prompt here" in an XP right-click menu?

Now, I am NOT talking about the usual context menu that pops up when you right-click on a file or a folder, I am talking about that menu that pops up when you right-click on an empty part of an explorer window. It's the one with "View", "Arrange Icons By", "New", etc.

 

It's included in MS' Powertoys, which can be installed individually. Look down the RH pane here -

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/Downloads/powertoys/Xppowertoys.mspx

 

did you read the second line of my post?

that is not what I am looking for

 

You HAVE to be in a folder to run cmd.

 

Well that's all you're gonna get!

As Earthling said, what you are after is not possible.

I think you need to calm down a bit also. rolleyes

 

Thanks for that Halo, it works in Vista but I haven't been able to get it to work in XP Home at all. The 'Copy as path' option doesn't appear in XP Home either, but even when you edit the key manually it still doesn't work. Maybe it works in XP Pro.

Now I have that in Vista I'll have to try and remember it isn't there by default or I'll be forever telling ppl who want to know how to get a command prompt 'just right click the Desktop for Heaven's sake'

 

calm down? I think you probably read more into my post than there was http://forums.majorgeeks.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

ah isn't it funny, people who are so sure something is not possible and then someone comes along and explains how it can be done lol

thanks for your step-by-step
unfortunately, it's not working for me on XP

I followed the steps (although the "shell" key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background is called "shellex" on xp) but no command prompt in that right-click menu appears

there is however another key inside shellex called ContextMenuHandlers and inside there are 2 keys: igfxcui and New

their default value is something like {D969A300-E7FF-11d0-A93B-00A0C90F2719}

I tried making a new key there with the path to cmd.exe as the default value, but no dice

any ideas?

http://driber.net/os/regedit_doshere.gif