I can't edit NEF files with ViewNX 2?

I'm trying to edit Nikon RAW (.nef) files with ViewNX2.
I have an image selected with the program with the edit feature. The Adjustments tab on the side of the image has all the options greyed out, and I can't make any adjustments. For example, the white balance, exposure, sharpness, and etc, sliders are all greyed out and I can't change them.

How can I fix this?
If not, is there another program that can edit.nef files much better than ViewNX2?

Could it be that the Nikon camera is a very new model, and that you haven't updated NX2 to that version of NEF.

I used to do all of my initial image prep of my D300 images in NX2, but in the past year Photoshop has added the D300 camera profile to LR2 and Photoshop CS4. These additions are so good that I stopped using NX2.

I can't think of any other reason NX2 would behave as you described.

Actually if you are a student, you can buy Lightroom for under $100.It is perhaps the best program for not only processing RAW files, but for other digital image work-flow as well.

If you don't have some spare money right now, you can use the free Adobe DNG converter program and once you have converted your RAW files to DNG, you can use just about any photo program to process them.

Check that you haven't protected the pictures in the camera. This protection copies over to the PC. If the photo has a key symbol under it in View NX browser, then right click the photo, choose protect, then turn off the protection.
Voila.

I've got a similar problem. I can't slide the pointer to adjust and of the settings in image editing. It just won't move. All my images (from Cooloix B500) are jpeg. I'm a complete novice by the way.

'any' of the settings, not 'and'. And 'Coolpix'. God, no wonder I can't edit the photos.

Same problem. New D850 RAW files (very large!). Sliders on edit screen unresponsive. "No update available."