Vista - Vista Explorer Remember Folder View Settings

From reading around and from my own experience, there seems to be a lot of
problems with Vista Explorer remembering folder view settings (details,
icons, etc).

Whats the current state of play with this problem? Is there a solution to
it, or a bug fix? Its very annoying to have to change the settings every now
and again when I enter a folder.

Hi Extra,

I'm sorry you have this problem. Here's how it is with me ...

I've been running Vista (Home Premium) for a month. I came to it
because I bought a new machine and Vista came with it. From what I'd
researched on the Net about Vista, I had some reservations and wasn't
particuarly keen on making the change from XP, because that did all I
wanted. But that was the deal - Vista came with the new machine, and
that was that.

First impressions of Vista ... very pretty and all that, nothing
electrifying, not fast.

But then, the bombshell: my various settings for Explorer windows just
didn't 'stick'.

Naturally enough, I assumed there was something wrong with my machine
or OS. After all, nobody but nobody would actually plan and then
release something like that, as a deliberate act, now would they?

But, yes, that's exactly what has happened. Once I got the search
criteria right, a check with Google told me that there were many jaws
dropping over the issue, apart from mine.

It really is utterly infuriating. You click into an Explorer window,
having set it up just the way you want it. Then, in due course you sit
there setting it up all over again, and again, and then again.

When I work on my machine, I nip into and out of various Explorer
windows all the time. I have them set up differently, depending on what
they are for. To pop one up and find that my configuration has been
revised for me and changed into one that I very much don't want, is just
plain maddening. The sheer pointlessness of someone within Microsoft
actually designing such a system just makes the frustration even
keener.

With Explorer windows ever changing, it slows the work-flow horribly
and is a totally unnecessary frustration. To find that the columns you
had set previously (because those were the columns you wanted, spaced as
you wanted them) have been merrily revised for you to provide
information you don't want along with, say, 'Details' view changed to
'Icons', and so on, is at first unbelievable, then irritating, finally
maddening. And it's all done for you, without so much as a
by-your-leave.

It's all so daft. Pointless, frustrating, unfuriating, and all to no
purpose whatsoever.

After hours of trying this fix and that one (there are quite a few on
offer here and there by well-meaning contributors to various forums) I
finally came across a fix that's beautifully presented and that seems to
work. Well, most of the time.

The nett result of it all, is that I now click into an Explorer window
with a sinking heart, wondering what will await me there. Can you
believe it!

I have persevered, but I just can't take this any more.

I have now written to the manufacturer of my new machine, asking if
there's any way I can run XP on it. I'll happily pay for any drivers,
discs, whatever, just as long as I can get back to a system that does as
I tell it. If that option isn't open to me with my new machine, then
I'll dispose of it and get back to a system that does do as I tell it.

So, that's my couple of pence worth.

Vista is, actually, very pretty. Doubtless it will improve and it may,
one day, become as fast as XP. Whether Vista SP1 will address the issue
of Explorer windows doing their own thing, is something I don't know.
Mind you, I see that MS is addressing things like "Version 5.00 of the
Mongolian Baiti font may be displayed incorrectly in Windows Vista", so
you never know your luck!

Best wishes,

Adrian


--
Adrian
Posted via http://www.vistaheads.com

Hi Adrian,

I am so glad that you wrote this testimonial, because I agree with you 100%.

I too thought I had just finally got all my views "set" in Windows Explorer,
.... only to find out again this morning that they have all reverted back to
the "Large Icons" view (versus my preferred "Details" view).

I also find it amazing how this problem doesn't seem to get discussed much,
for I consider this a HUGELY annoying deficiency allowed by Microsoft
Corporation. It really goes to show you how much influence these guys have in
the media to hush up such a problem.

As for Windows Vista as a whole, it will probably go down as one of the
worst OS releases ever, next to Windows Millennium.





"Adrian" wrote:

Hey Adrian,

I had the same problem as you with file explorer.
Go to control panel and choose "folder options"
Here you will be able to change settings for file explorer. Hope it
helps.

Let me know.

*Daniel


--
MrBarnes
Posted via http://www.vistaheads.com

Hi Adrian,

Method Two in this tutorial will help Vista remember your folder view settings for when the window was last closed.

Windows Explorer Folder View settings

Hope it help you,
Shawn

And in about 6 weeks you will have to redo that same thing because Windows
will start to forget, that problem as been with Windows for ages, I don't
understand why Microsoft put those settings in the registry, the setting of
every folders should be in a hidden file in each folder, like Linux KDE
does, it work very well and it's just as fast to display the content the
proper way

Microsoft's way remember only a few folders, so if your like me and use a
folder that contain file associatesd with a specific purpose then it won't
be long that Windows will vbegin to forget those settings.

"Brink" <Brink.35axb3@xxxxxx-mx.forums.net> wrote in message
news:Brink.35axb3@xxxxxx-mx.forums.net...--
Thank You in Advance
Merci a l'avance

Martin

I am replying because obviously I face (STILL FACING) the same problem. From
what I've been experiencing, the problem occurs mostly after the
installation of a software that contains too many folders. It start with me
when I installed iTunes (130+ folders). Then my folder view become messed
up. I changed it only to find that it messed up again. My advice is,
installed any and all software (especially that have many folders) that you
want to use first. Only after that reset any folders views (especially
personal folders) to your heart content. I know it doesn't solve the problem
but thats the only way that I found to getting around the problem. Still,
form time to time, the problem occurs but its not as worse as before.

Hi Guys,

It's been interesting to read the various postings on this topic.

I'm sorry not to have kept up as I would have wished. Been unwell for
a bit.

Anyway, when I contacted the manufacturers of my new machine they
explained that they are not releasing drivers for it that would function
under XP. So, that was that. I had to get used to Vista.

That was a spur to take another look at the problem with Explorer view
settings doing their own thing when they felt like it, and also to see
what advice was being posted in every forum I could think of.

Snag is, quite a few of the suggestions I've come across simply won't
do what we want. They make seem to for a while, but then the view
settings just come 'undone' once more.

However, my hunting around came up with a procedure that does work.
Well, put it this way: it has for me so far.

It's a very elegantly drawn up piece of work, available at:

'Windows Explorer Folder View settings - Vista Forums'
(http://tinyurl.com/ywbqeu)

Employing the procedure, I didn't go into the Registry and change
things there manually. I'm very nervous about doing that, which is why
I went for the automated option using the download with 'Merge'.

All I can say of the procedure is that it seems to achieve what we
want, which was simple enough you'd have thought: we just like our
Explorer view settings the way we like 'em, not the way that's
determined for us!

Good old Bill G; his outfit does go in for some unnecessary
complication from time to time!

Anyway, guys, if what I've posted here helps, that'd give me a nice
buzz.

All best wishes,

Adrian


--
Adrian
Posted via http://www.vistaheads.com

Adrian, I'm glad that you are feeling better now and that you resolved your problem. Thank you for the feedback.

Shawn

Wow, I'm glad im not the only one with this issue.

I just want -EVERY- folder view to be *"Details"* with "*Filename /
Size / Date"*. Pretty simple you would think?

For some reason it changes to other views randomly. The worst one is
when it changes to "album" view, as things like "filesize" to not exist
in that type of folder
(eg. If I want a quick workaround and expose filesize manually then and
there, I cannot). Nor can I change the view type back.
The nonsensical part is I dont have any music or sound files
specifically, so I can't even see any sense of logic in it changing in
the first place.

I cannot say to myself "ah, thats not what I wanted - but that folder
is all music files, so I can see the logic in it changing to album
view".
*There is NO logic* behind this.

This really, truly, blows my mind.
Are they going to fix this? Vista has been out for some time now, so im
scared this is a "non-issue" to Microsoft.
I want a proper fix, not some 3rd party patch or workaround - I
shouldn't have to do that for my OS to work properly.

Peace


--
sneh
Posted via http://www.vistaheads.com