Vista - removing explorer toolbars

Not only stop using it, but quite frankly this entire OS is nothing but bloated confusing noise, a complete waste of my time, with no respect for the years I've spent fine tuning my understanding and usage of Windows XP/Microsoft Office so that I now have to relearn how to do the most basic things.

I simply do not have the patience or time to re-learn how to move about my computer.

The file explorer is a disaster. here is what I'm used to:


nice and clean, only the stuff I use, and the most amout of information for the amount of real estate I consume for of the window. That's the real issue with Vista, it is completely overloaded with noise and junk, its actually reduces my ability to get work done. The file explorer is so cluddered, it is now reduced in functionality to what its supposed to do, let me see what files I have.

Its like looking at a crossword puzzle but only looking at only 3 columns or 3 rows at atime; sure its still a crossword puzzle, but it sure is a lot easier to work with when I can see the whole thing at once.



The VISTA version of this is horrible I'd say 30% of the window is useless junk, I can't move it away, I still can't figure out how to make the font smaller to get more lines in the window, and (XP is also guilty of this) it constantly resets my preferences, if the folder has mpgs, it changes the view, if it has jpgs, it changes the views, if its a CD/DVD it changes the view, STOP FKING WITH MY VIEW!!!! What is so hard about understanding that when I'm using the file explorer this is the layout I want to see in the file explorer, I don't care if I"m looking at a diskdrive, a cd, a memory stick, whatever. I like my view to be exactly the same no matter what. Don't fix it for me, it ain't broke.

Sorry for the rant. Its just incredibly frustrating to have to deal with this nonsense.

so how do I get vista to start doing things the way I want them too? stop resetting the view to whatever it wants and starts listening to my settings? I want total ability to control what is in my window.

Don't even get me started on Office 2007. So many gd-dm buttons and crap at the top I can only see about 3 lines of my document at a time...

I can't even see the date on the bottom bar without making it 3x the size...

In Vista Explorer, if you ALT+T then O for your Options. In the Genweal tab, select Classic Folders, Make sure you have your Explorer view setup the way you want befor you do this next part. eg. Sort by Name, drag your width, set file size, data modified views, then go in to the Settings and click the View tab, then click Apply to Folders. Remove the top two checks from the boxes, Alays show icons, never thumbnails and Always show menus. You could also Display simple folder view if you like and set others to your preference. I would also remove the check from Remember each folder's view settings.

Another tip I suggest, if you use a shortcut to Explorer is to change the path in the target box of the shortcut properties. Just change the C:\ to the path you want Explorer to start in.

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,c:\

Vista uses templates, you can't change, remove or create your own templates. But you can customize the view settings for each template. Lets duplicate your favorite view settings across every template, so no matter which template Windows picks, you’ll get the same view.

1) Open Windows Explorer and navigate to any folder with files in it. (This won't work with drives, so make sure the folder isn't a root folder.)

2) Right-click the folder in the tree, select Properties, and choose the Customize tab. Or right-click an empty area of the folder background and select Customize This Folder.

3) From the Use this folder type as a template listbox, select the first entry, All Items, and then click OK.

4) Set your view settings, column headers, and sorting to your taste.

5) Open the Organize drop-down, select Folder and Search Options, and then choose the View tab.

6) Click the Apply to Folders button, answer Yes, and then click OK.

7) Repeat steps 3–6 for each of the other four templates: Documents, Pictures and Videos, Music Details, and Music Icons.

I'm going to try out Xplorer2 run's on x64 as well, see if thats any better. As far as the dynamic ever changing Windows Explorer, I don't want to see the option to Organize, View, Explore, Share, Play All or Burn every folder I'm in yet, it thinks I might have to, sheesh...

m0gliE

Thanks m0gliE,

your advise seems real good. Alas, in the interim time period since my last post, I have dumped vista and office 2007. It is just too painful to deal with what used to be a work machine turned into a carnival show.

In fact I just ordered 24 new machines for the office all windows XP and office 2003. we have work to do.