Windows Explorer detail view column headings

[justacruzr2]

In Windows Explorer (aka "My Computer") when doing a search of files and folders using the "detail" view, there are default columns supplied initially.  Every time I try to change the columns (the headings) Explorer changes them back to the defaults after I close the window.  Currently the columns are configured as follows (default columns):

Name  In Folder  Relevance  Size  Type
===============================


This is how I want it to be:

Name  In Folder  Size  Type  Date Modified
==================================

Every time I right click on the Heading Bar, I uncheck the Relevance column heading and check the Date Modified heading and it works fine for that session.  If I close Explorer and then come back to it later the columns are back to the original.  Thought these would be permanently saved settings as in 98 or ME.  Anyone know the fix?  I'm guessing this has been asked before and there is an answer.  One note to mention....I have not done any MS updates to XP (straight off the install CD) so I don't know if MS ever addressed this issue.  My version is XP Pro with SP2 Retail Version.  This is a later release (2004) of the retail version which came bundled with SP2.

[Dave-H]

I've come across this as well, as I'd like the search results to include the file versions.

As you say, you can add "version" to the columns displayed, and it works fine for that session, but it isn't saved, as it seems to be for every other Explorer window in details view!

Very annoying, and I'd love to know if there is any fix.

[bluebolt]

Every time I right click on the Heading Bar, I uncheck the Relevance column heading and check the Date Modified heading and it works fine for that session.  If I close Explorer and then come back to it later the columns are back to the original.

 

Rather than use the Heading Bar, open My Computer, click “Search” then click “All files and folders” and enter a search term, then:

 

View / Choose Details…

 

The columns can be ordered there as well.

[Dave-H]

My search window always opens in the details view anyway, which is remembered, and the headings are Name, In Folder, Size, and Date Modified.

I can change the headings, and re-order them, but none of that is remembered.

If i do the same on any other Explorer window in details view, it is remembered.

Why should the search windows be different?

[bluebolt]

Dave-H, in Control Panel / Folder Options, is the “Remember each folder’s view settings” box checked?

[Dave-H]

Yes it is.

As I said, all other Explorer windows do remember their settings, including the columns selected and their order in Details view.

The Search window is the only one I've found that doesn't remember and always reverts to its default column settings.

[justacruzr2]

 

Every time I right click on the Heading Bar, I uncheck the Relevance column heading and check the Date Modified heading and it works fine for that session.  If I close Explorer and then come back to it later the columns are back to the original.

 

Rather than use the Heading Bar, open My Computer, click “Search” then click “All files and folders” and enter a search term, then:

 

View / Choose Details…

 

The columns can be ordered there as well.

 

 

If you mean right click on the My Computer icon on the desktop and then left click on Search, I just tried that and it behaves the same way as when It left click My Computer on the desktop and left click on the Search button on the toolbar (the normal way I do it).  Same default columns and headings and changing them is not saved when I close Explorer and then re-open it.  And like Dave-H, the “Remember each folder’s view settings” box is checked.  The only thing that is remembered is that I want my search results displayed in detail view.

There are 2 other things I did when I first installed XP which I don't think would affect this but who knows?

One thing I did in response to a "tweek" I read was to delete all the files in the folder Windows\Srchasst.  This would get rid of the annoying (to me) little doggie with the rolling eyes and wagging tail which seemed to be more aimed at a novice user, and give me the more familiar and useful search pane as in Millenium and 2000.

The other is that I have XP set to Classic View like the 9x series of Windows since I also run 98SE and Millenium and it makes it more familiar to me when I bounce back and forth between them.

 

I've come across this as well, as I'd like the search results to include the file versions.

As you say, you can add "version" to the columns displayed, and it works fine for that session, but it isn't saved, as it seems to be for every other Explorer window in details view!

Very annoying, and I'd love to know if there is any fix.

 

Even though we don't have an answer yet (and maybe there isn't one), it's comforting to see that others have experienced this "annoyance" as well and it's not because I haven't applied any Windows Updates yet (I'm assuming you have and they had no effect on this).  When I first posted this I thought there would probably be someone who had a slick registry trick that would fix this so that settings could and would be saved.

[Dave-H]

My system is fully patched.

As far as I know this problem has always been there, so I have to assume that it's by design, but I can't think of a single reason for it to be this way!

I switched off the dog in the search settings BTW, I didn't delete any files!

[justacruzr2]

Well, at least deleting the files in the \Srchasst folder didn't have anything to do with it.  One thought that occurred to me yesterday was that I wonder if you have to be logged in as Administrator to have the change be permanent unless XP assumes that the default user is the Administrator.

[Dave-H]

Well I am certainly an administrator!

I'm pretty sure that the first user set up on any new Windows system is always an administrator by default.

[justacruzr2]

All right.  Then I guess this will remain a mystery until some as yet unknown person comes forward with an answer...if there is one.

[Dave-H]

Yes, I guess this is "by design" for some reason unknown to anyone outside Microsoft.

[jaclaz]

It seems like it happens when some settings in BagMRU are corrupted, moreover it seems like there are two different "Search Result" views, depending on how the Search is started.

See if anything here:

http://www.programdoc.com/1028_14353_1.htm

works for you.

 

Do you have the "Relevance" column when running (from the Run on the Start Menu)?:

explorer ::{e17d4fc0-5564-11d1-83f2-00a0c90dc849}

try setting it as you want and close it, then re-run the command did your settings "stick"?

 

You may want to try re-setting all custom folder views, the hive may be partially corrupted or "filled up":

http://www.liutilities.com/products/registrybooster/tweaklibrary/tweaks/11093/

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/33220-45-removing-bagsmru-registry

(of course you will need to re-apply settings)

 

jaclaz

[justacruzr2]

Thanks.  I'll try this when I have a little extra time and get back you.