Bulk Rename Utility

Maxbox:
If BRU fails via right-clicking, the prob could be the right-clicked Dirs.
For example: how they're being served, permissions, etc..

If right-clicking G:\MySongs wont open BRU properly, then use:
"C:\Program Files\Bulk Rename Utility\Bulk Rename Utility.exe" "G:\MySongs"
Success proves a .dll problem in your case, failure suggests another culprit.

Others:
This 'feels' like Win8.1 accessing too much metadata (that BRU doesnt need).
Has anyone tried disabling Microsoft's new DLNA shell-extension (dlnashext.dll)?

The registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Approved\{289AF617-1CC3-42A6-926C-E6A863F0E3BA}
You can set it to 0 and then reboot to prevent it from loading.

Sorry, I've no environment to troubleshoot myself (NAS/UPnP/Vista), all I can do is make suggestions.
If nothing else, its 1 possibility eliminated (just set it back to 1 if you must have it).
Good luck & keep posting, we'll get to the bottom of this eventually.

THanks for the info.
I've tried with the prompt and this command : "C:\Program Files\Bulk Rename Utility\Bulk Rename Utility.exe" "G:\xxxxxx"
but I had the same problem.
I tried also with c:\ disk but the problem is the same.
Then i found this on microsoft sites and I've disabled DLNA shell-extension, even if I haven't this service active :

There is a bug in the DLNA Shell Extension which causes Explorer crashes in 8.1:
Import this text into a .reg file and import it:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Blocked]
"{289AF617-1CC3-42A6-926C-E6A863F0E3BA}"=""

But after re-boot the problem is the same.
there may be other solutions?

I launched BRU for the first time since my last post and I did not use the Jump To Path feature at all. Instead, I only clicked on the plus signs next to each drive/folder and only manually navigated to the folder I was looking for and I didn't have even the slightest amount of delay getting there. Previously, I had a 3-5 second delay with each click of a folder but that must have been due to my use of Jump To Path first and then manual navigation second. True to form today, the moment I selected Jump To Path, pasted the path and hit enter, BRU decided to enumerate everything and it just checked out for a while.

Using Jump To Path function must be the same function as right-clicking in the shell and doing a rename on the fly. I'm sure if people use that feature (back door) instead of starting the program (front door), then it would appear to those users that the program is stuck because it really is stuck they just can't see why it's stuck. But, it's strange that a switch from Win 7 to Win 8.1 (I skipped Win 8 ) would cause this.

@JSC632 - do you have any Media Server running on your Windows 8.1 ? thanks

I haven't installed any additional software to act as a media server.

When I went to Win 8.1 Media Streaming Options, for "Media programs on this PC and remote connections" there is a checkmark next to Allow. It identifies my computer as the server. It also lists my XBOX 360 but that one shows "Device access is blocked." When I went to my old Win 7 machine and looked at the same options it showed the same settings. Since I have never accessed these setting previously, I know that they were the default settings on installation of Win 8.1 and Win 7.

My external drives are actually network drives hooked up to the router, so both machines see them in the same way.

Finally we think we found the issue that is causing this in Win 8.1 and we will be posting a new version this week. thanks

Hi, this issue should be fixed in version 2.1.7.3 , which you can download from here:

32-bit : http://bulkrenameutility.co.uk/Downloads/2.7.1.3/BRU_Setup_WinNTx86.exe
64-bit : http://bulkrenameutility.co.uk/Downloads/2.7.1.3/BRU_Setup_WinNTx64.exe
No-Installer files: http://bulkrenameutility.co.uk/Downloads/2.7.1.3/BRU_NoInstall.zip

Please confirm if that's the case...

thanks!

That new version fixed the issue for me. It now opens fast from right click shell extension.