Change how explorer opens with Win+E

[coniptor]

I have been trying to find what the registry key is or the location of the settings within the registry that lets me change the behavior of explorer when opened with Win+E. I simply want it to open with one pain for files and with out the file tree pain. I want to know how to do this for WinME, Win98, and Win95 although I imagine it should be the same for all three. Can anyone tell me how to do this? I came across info on how to do this years ago but for the life of me I can't find it now. Thanks in advance to who ever can help.

[jbgoode]

Greetings,

I was browsing through some older posts, in this section of MSFN forums and I noticed KEW's post who's re-assembling old defunct PCs giving them to disabled people.

That's a very humane action to me.

Although I still use winMillennium myself since '01 without any serious problems, I know that there is a special version of winXP for outdated PCs.

It's called " winXP For Legacy PCs " and/or " SW CD SA Win Fundamentals LPC 2006 English MultiLang WinFLp Core CD ".

This particular OS runs pretty well on a 266MMX/128mb and upwards system. I believe it has a modified NT kernel with lower resource overhead.

I've seen it installed in a 350mhz PII with 128mb memory and I couldn't believe my eyes!

I know that win2000 was a real speed-runner with 128mb memory, but this XP version is really fast.

Bye!

[MDGx]

I have been trying to find what the registry key is or the location of the settings within the registry that lets me change the behavior of explorer when opened with Win+E. I simply want it to open with one pain for files and with out the file tree pain. I want to know how to do this for WinME, Win98, and Win95 although I imagine it should be the same for all three. Can anyone tell me how to do this? I came across info on how to do this years ago but for the life of me I can't find it now. Thanks in advance to who ever can help.

Maybe this helps?

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\Folder\shell\open\command]
@="EXPLORER.EXE /idlist,%I,%L"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\Folder\shell\explore\command]
@="EXPLORER.EXE /e,/idlist,%I,%L"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\Folder\shell\rootexplore]
@="Explore C Root"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\Folder\shell\rootexplore\command]
@="EXPLORER.EXE /e,/root,C:\\ %1"

Copy + paste text above in Notepad and save as EXPLOR.REG for example.

Then merge [double-click] this REG file into your registry.

Now right-click "My computer" icon -> select "Explore C Root" see what happens.

If you like to change the behavior of how Windows Explorer opens, just change the command line parameters of EXPLORER.EXE in REG file above under the "Folder\shell\rootexplore\command" subkey.

To learn how to do this:

http://www.mdgx.com/newtip22.htm#EYR

More info @ MSKB:

- Windows 95/98/ME Explorer Command Line Options:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=130510

- Windows NT/2000/XP Explorer Command Line Options:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=152457

- Customize Windows Explorer Views in Windows XP:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=307856

Merge the modified REG file again when done tweaking.

This may not work with the WinKey+E shortcut "combo", but it works from "My computer" icon.

To open explorer [i have *not* tested this] with the WinKey+E combo, modify the other 2 commands from the REG file above under these 2 REG subkeys:

Folder\shell\open\command

and

Folder\shell\explore\command

HTH

[coniptor]

Hi MDGx,

I hadn't realized anyone had posted any kind of solution. I found the answer I was looking for a short while ago searching for it online.

I'll play around with the registry keys you mentioned and check out the links you provided.

Here is the solution I found that gives me the desired behaviour:

Before:

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\DefaultIcon\shell\explore\ddeexec]
@="[ExploreFolder("%l", %I, %S)]"

After:

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\DefaultIcon\shell\explore\ddeexec]
@="[ViewFolder("%l", %I, %S)]"

Works in Win2K, WinME and WinXP. I have yet to test Win98 or 95 but I'm sure it will work in ANY version of windows.