Folder views randomly changing

Using Explorer on Windows Vista Business, I've noticed that the folder
view settings keep randomly changing.

For example, one folder yesterday was set to "Details" view. Today, I
opened the folder and it is in "Tiles" view. The main "Computer" view
yesterday was "Tiles", grouped by drive type, today it is in "List view
and not grouped. I have also had some folders even randomly changing
type ("All Items", "Pictures and Videos", "Music Icons" etc.) This was
particularly annoying when it decided that the root of the C: drive was
a music folder, as there is no option to "Customise" this folder and put
it back to "All Items"!

I don't do anything to change the view of these folders, nor anything
which would affect the view of all folders (ie. clicking "Apply to
Folders" in the folder options).

Does anyone know why this happens, and what I can do to stop it
happening? I understand there are some registry keys which control this,
but I don't see why they would keep randomly changing like this.

Thanks,
Mark.

Are you using any "system cleaner" such as CCleaner in the interim? If so.
you may be deleting the saved settings.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

"Mark Bourne" <Mark@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:uaN973nfHHA.1216@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Using Explorer on Windows Vista Business, I've noticed that the folder
> view settings keep randomly changing.
>
> For example, one folder yesterday was set to "Details" view. Today, I
> opened the folder and it is in "Tiles" view. The main "Computer" view
> yesterday was "Tiles", grouped by drive type, today it is in "List view
> and not grouped. I have also had some folders even randomly changing type
> ("All Items", "Pictures and Videos", "Music Icons" etc.) This was
> particularly annoying when it decided that the root of the C: drive was a
> music folder, as there is no option to "Customise" this folder and put it
> back to "All Items"!
>
> I don't do anything to change the view of these folders, nor anything
> which would affect the view of all folders (ie. clicking "Apply to
> Folders" in the folder options).
>
> Does anyone know why this happens, and what I can do to stop it happening?
> I understand there are some registry keys which control this, but I don't
> see why they would keep randomly changing like this.
>
> Thanks,
> Mark.

Nope. All I've actually done is shutdown yesterday and start it up
today. Sometimes they change without even doing that. I come back to a
folder I was looking at earlier in the day, and it has a different view.

Antivirus software is Avast! 4.7 Home (I doubt that's relevant, but just
in case). All other such software (firewall, defender etc) is the
built-in Windows utilities. I don't have any third-party cleanup
utilities installed, so unless Windows is automatically running
something built-in, it's not happening.

Looking at Task Scheduler, there is an "LPRemove" task. I'm not sure
what it removes, as there is no description given, but it does seem to
be run several times each day. Author is listed as Microsoft Corporation.

Thanks,
Mark.


Richard Urban wrote:
> Are you using any "system cleaner" such as CCleaner in the interim? If
> so. you may be deleting the saved settings.
>
> --
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Richard Urban
> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>
> Quote from George Ankner:
> If you knew as much as you think you know,
> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>
> "Mark Bourne" <Mark@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:uaN973nfHHA.1216@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> Using Explorer on Windows Vista Business, I've noticed that the folder view settings keep randomly changing.
>>
>> For example, one folder yesterday was set to "Details" view. Today, I opened the folder and it is in "Tiles" view. The main "Computer" view yesterday was "Tiles", grouped by drive type, today it is in "List view and not grouped. I have also had some folders even randomly changing type ("All Items", "Pictures and Videos", "Music Icons" etc.) This was particularly annoying when it decided that the root of the C: drive was a music folder, as there is no option to "Customise" this folder and put it back to "All Items"!
>>
>> I don't do anything to change the view of these folders, nor anything which would affect the view of all folders (ie. clicking "Apply to Folders" in the folder options).
>>
>> Does anyone know why this happens, and what I can do to stop it happening? I understand there are some registry keys which control this, but I don't see why they would keep randomly changing like this.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Mark.

Re-reading your original post I think that the folder view is just a result
of a more serious problem. Have you had this from the beginning - from the
first time you used Vista? Did Vista come on a new computer or did you
upgrade an older computer?

The fact that your root folders are changing their folder types worries me a
bit. If it were me, I would go back to a system image that I previously
created at a known good system state. But, many people do not image their
computers.

If I did not have an older good image to go back to, I would reinstall my
operating system from scratch.

This is all assuming that your hardware is up to snuff - RAM, CPU, video
etc.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

"Mark Bourne" <Mark@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:%23uUNtwofHHA.3884@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Nope. All I've actually done is shutdown yesterday and start it up today.
> Sometimes they change without even doing that. I come back to a folder I
> was looking at earlier in the day, and it has a different view.
>
> Antivirus software is Avast! 4.7 Home (I doubt that's relevant, but just
> in case). All other such software (firewall, defender etc) is the built-in
> Windows utilities. I don't have any third-party cleanup utilities
> installed, so unless Windows is automatically running something built-in,
> it's not happening.
>
> Looking at Task Scheduler, there is an "LPRemove" task. I'm not sure what
> it removes, as there is no description given, but it does seem to be run
> several times each day. Author is listed as Microsoft Corporation.
>
> Thanks,
> Mark.
>
>
> Richard Urban wrote:
>> Are you using any "system cleaner" such as CCleaner in the interim? If
>> so. you may be deleting the saved settings.
>>
>> --
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Richard Urban
>> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
>> (For email, remove the obvious from my address)
>>
>> Quote from George Ankner:
>> If you knew as much as you think you know,
>> You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
>>
>> "Mark Bourne" <Mark@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:uaN973nfHHA.1216@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> Using Explorer on Windows Vista Business, I've noticed that the folder
>>> view settings keep randomly changing.
>>>
>>> For example, one folder yesterday was set to "Details" view. Today, I
>>> opened the folder and it is in "Tiles" view. The main "Computer" view
>>> yesterday was "Tiles", grouped by drive type, today it is in "List view
>>> and not grouped. I have also had some folders even randomly changing
>>> type ("All Items", "Pictures and Videos", "Music Icons" etc.) This was
>>> particularly annoying when it decided that the root of the C: drive was
>>> a music folder, as there is no option to "Customise" this folder and put
>>> it back to "All Items"!
>>>
>>> I don't do anything to change the view of these folders, nor anything
>>> which would affect the view of all folders (ie. clicking "Apply to
>>> Folders" in the folder options).
>>>
>>> Does anyone know why this happens, and what I can do to stop it
>>> happening? I understand there are some registry keys which control this,
>>> but I don't see why they would keep randomly changing like this.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Mark.

Richard Urban wrote:
> Re-reading your original post I think that the folder view is just a
> result of a more serious problem. Have you had this from the beginning -
> from the first time you used Vista? Did Vista come on a new computer or
> did you upgrade an older computer?
>
It is a new laptop (just over a week old), which came with Vista
Business OEM and hardware drivers pre-installed. None of the other
mostly useless software etc which typically comes with an OEM install
though. This problem with folders has been happening from the beginning,
although I immediately installed all updates, anti-virus and other
software, so can't say for sure there was a problem before doing that.

I had previously installed a copy of Vista Business (free through
University) on an older laptop to experiment with, and found the same
happening on that, although that was failing hardware so I didn't bother
too much about it.

> The fact that your root folders are changing their folder types worries
> me a bit. If it were me, I would go back to a system image that I
> previously created at a known good system state. But, many people do not
> image their computers.
>
The root folder only changed type once, and I think that was actually on
the old machine. Several folders have seemingly randomly changed type on
the new machine though. On the new machine, system restore shows several
restore points going back to when I first got it. I'm not sure that
would help though, if it has actually been a problem from the start.

> If I did not have an older good image to go back to, I would reinstall
> my operating system from scratch.
>
I'll try that when I have time, unless I've found a fix by then.
Unfortunately I need to get coursework done at the moment, so can't
afford the time for a reinstall right now.

> This is all assuming that your hardware is up to snuff - RAM, CPU, video
> etc.
>
I'd hope so, since it's a new computer. Although there's always the
possibility of a problem. I'll contact the manufacturer if this could be
a sign of hardware problem.

Thanks,
Mark.

First & foremost:

'Organize' -> 'Folder & Search Options' -> 'View' tab (or Alt+T -> 'Folder
Options')

Make sure that 'Remember each folder's view settings is checked'

As for a specific folder forgetting it's view, folder views are unique based
on the namespace path to the folder -- the saved view for
'Desktop\UserName\Pictures' has no bearing on the view of
'Desktop\Computer\c:\Users\UserName\Pictures', it can remember different
view settings -- even use a different template. So make sure that's not the
cause of the discrepancy that you are seeing.

To obtain some consistency, you might want to consider using 'Apply to
Folders'. 'Apply to Folders' in Vista works on a per-template basis.
Different
defaults can be saved for 'All Items', 'Documents', 'Pictures & Video', etc.
You need to be sure of what template the current folder is using before
using 'Apply to Folders'.

This also means that the default will only be applied to folders of that
type.

As for over-zealous content-sniffing (forcing the Pictures template on a
folder), you can kill that with the following regedit. It will override
autosense & set the template for any folder without a saved view as 'All
Items'.

Copy the text between the lines below into notepad & save as a .reg file.
Watch out for line wrap -- [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\...\Shell] is all one line,
there is a space between 'Local' and 'Settings'.

--------------------------------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local
Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell]
"FolderType"="NotSpecified"

--------------------------------------------------

Merging the .reg file will set the 'All Items' template for any folders that
don't currently have a view saved with a different template. You can clear
all saved views by deleting the

"HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags"

key BEFORE merging the .reg file. If any folders open with a different
template after clearing the 'Bags' key & merging the .reg file, they most
likely have a template specified via their desktop.ini file.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]

"Mark Bourne" <Mark@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:uaN973nfHHA.1216@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Using Explorer on Windows Vista Business, I've noticed that the folder
> view settings keep randomly changing.
>
> For example, one folder yesterday was set to "Details" view. Today, I
> opened the folder and it is in "Tiles" view. The main "Computer" view
> yesterday was "Tiles", grouped by drive type, today it is in "List view
> and not grouped. I have also had some folders even randomly changing type
> ("All Items", "Pictures and Videos", "Music Icons" etc.) This was
> particularly annoying when it decided that the root of the C: drive was a
> music folder, as there is no option to "Customise" this folder and put it
> back to "All Items"!
>
> I don't do anything to change the view of these folders, nor anything
> which would affect the view of all folders (ie. clicking "Apply to
> Folders" in the folder options).
>
> Does anyone know why this happens, and what I can do to stop it happening?
> I understand there are some registry keys which control this, but I don't
> see why they would keep randomly changing like this.
>
> Thanks,
> Mark.

Just so you don't feel alone, I have the same problem. I've had it with RC2
and clean installs of the release on multiple machines. I set all folders to
the preferred view but it's as if a random generator decides what view I'll
get this time. I don't have it on the root folder. I've just assumed that
it's a bug (annoying) that will be fixed eventually.

"Mark Bourne" <Mark@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:%23wz3hspfHHA.208@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Richard Urban wrote:
>> Re-reading your original post I think that the folder view is just a
>> result of a more serious problem. Have you had this from the beginning -
>> from the first time you used Vista? Did Vista come on a new computer or
>> did you upgrade an older computer?
> >
> It is a new laptop (just over a week old), which came with Vista Business
> OEM and hardware drivers pre-installed. None of the other mostly useless
> software etc which typically comes with an OEM install though. This
> problem with folders has been happening from the beginning, although I
> immediately installed all updates, anti-virus and other software, so can't
> say for sure there was a problem before doing that.
>
> I had previously installed a copy of Vista Business (free through
> University) on an older laptop to experiment with, and found the same
> happening on that, although that was failing hardware so I didn't bother
> too much about it.
>
>> The fact that your root folders are changing their folder types worries
>> me a bit. If it were me, I would go back to a system image that I
>> previously created at a known good system state. But, many people do not
>> image their computers.
>>
> The root folder only changed type once, and I think that was actually on
> the old machine. Several folders have seemingly randomly changed type on
> the new machine though. On the new machine, system restore shows several
> restore points going back to when I first got it. I'm not sure that would
> help though, if it has actually been a problem from the start.
>
>> If I did not have an older good image to go back to, I would reinstall my
>> operating system from scratch.
>>
> I'll try that when I have time, unless I've found a fix by then.
> Unfortunately I need to get coursework done at the moment, so can't afford
> the time for a reinstall right now.
>
>> This is all assuming that your hardware is up to snuff - RAM, CPU, video
>> etc.
>>
> I'd hope so, since it's a new computer. Although there's always the
> possibility of a problem. I'll contact the manufacturer if this could be a
> sign of hardware problem.
>
> Thanks,
> Mark.

Now that is useful! I hadn't realized that each folder TYPE had different
default views and apparently (or because of that)different setting for
"Remember. each folder's view settings'.

"Keith Miller MVP" <k.miller79@no.spam.verizon.net> wrote in message
news:%23gUlPAqfHHA.4868@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> First & foremost:
>
> 'Organize' -> 'Folder & Search Options' -> 'View' tab (or Alt+T -> 'Folder
> Options')
>
> Make sure that 'Remember each folder's view settings is checked'
>
> As for a specific folder forgetting it's view, folder views are unique
> based
> on the namespace path to the folder -- the saved view for
> 'Desktop\UserName\Pictures' has no bearing on the view of
> 'Desktop\Computer\c:\Users\UserName\Pictures', it can remember different
> view settings -- even use a different template. So make sure that's not
> the
> cause of the discrepancy that you are seeing.
>
> To obtain some consistency, you might want to consider using 'Apply to
> Folders'. 'Apply to Folders' in Vista works on a per-template basis.
> Different
> defaults can be saved for 'All Items', 'Documents', 'Pictures & Video',
> etc.
> You need to be sure of what template the current folder is using before
> using 'Apply to Folders'.
>
> This also means that the default will only be applied to folders of that
> type.
>
> As for over-zealous content-sniffing (forcing the Pictures template on a
> folder), you can kill that with the following regedit. It will override
> autosense & set the template for any folder without a saved view as 'All
> Items'.
>
> Copy the text between the lines below into notepad & save as a .reg file.
> Watch out for line wrap -- [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\...\Shell] is all one line,
> there is a space between 'Local' and 'Settings'.
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
>
> [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local
> Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell]
> "FolderType"="NotSpecified"
>
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> Merging the .reg file will set the 'All Items' template for any folders
> that
> don't currently have a view saved with a different template. You can
> clear
> all saved views by deleting the
>
> "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local
> Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags"
>
> key BEFORE merging the .reg file. If any folders open with a different
> template after clearing the 'Bags' key & merging the .reg file, they most
> likely have a template specified via their desktop.ini file.
>
>
> --
> Good Luck,
>
> Keith
> Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
>
> "Mark Bourne" <Mark@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:uaN973nfHHA.1216@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> Using Explorer on Windows Vista Business, I've noticed that the folder
>> view settings keep randomly changing.
>>
>> For example, one folder yesterday was set to "Details" view. Today, I
>> opened the folder and it is in "Tiles" view. The main "Computer" view
>> yesterday was "Tiles", grouped by drive type, today it is in "List view
>> and not grouped. I have also had some folders even randomly changing type
>> ("All Items", "Pictures and Videos", "Music Icons" etc.) This was
>> particularly annoying when it decided that the root of the C: drive was a
>> music folder, as there is no option to "Customise" this folder and put it
>> back to "All Items"!
>>
>> I don't do anything to change the view of these folders, nor anything
>> which would affect the view of all folders (ie. clicking "Apply to
>> Folders" in the folder options).
>>
>> Does anyone know why this happens, and what I can do to stop it
>> happening? I understand there are some registry keys which control this,
>> but I don't see why they would keep randomly changing like this.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Mark.
>

On Sat, 14 Apr 2007 14:43:46 +0100, Mark Bourne
<Mark@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>
>> This is all assuming that your hardware is up to snuff - RAM, CPU, video
>> etc.
>>
>I'd hope so, since it's a new computer. Although there's always the
>possibility of a problem. I'll contact the manufacturer if this could be
>a sign of hardware problem.

How folders display their contents has NOTHING to do with your RAM or
CPU, that's absurd for anyone to suggest that.

Have you gone to Control Panel, Folder Options and under the View tab
checked to be sure "Remember each folder's view settings" is checked?

For what it is worth over the years I've seen Windows' Explorer do all
kinds of goofy things including change folder settings on it's own for
no apparant reason. Now it has learned a new trick in Vista. In spite
of me setting things up to show some special details you can pick
under more... it will sometimes "forget" to show these added
categories.

Worse, I set up a single "download" folder that's not on my root
drive. This is the place anything I download or get sent to me first
ends up. So this folder can contain simple text files, PDF files, Word
documents, spreadsheets, still images of every possible file type, Mp3
files, video files, attachments, anything. I have this file set to
show details. Normally it sticks. However if I clean this folder out
so nothing remains as I do daily moving or discarding files to their
more appropriate place, if I then happen to receive or download some
files of a type that Windows normally likes to set up a different
folder view with by default it sometimes, but not always, will change
the view to show thumbnails overriding my details setting, if for
example if all that's left in the folder is 4 or 5 still images. Makes
no sense why. Most likely just another yet unfixed Windows bug.

Keith Miller MVP wrote:
> First & foremost:
>
> 'Organize' -> 'Folder & Search Options' -> 'View' tab (or Alt+T ->
> 'Folder Options')
>
> Make sure that 'Remember each folder's view settings is checked'
>
Yes - that is checked.

> As for a specific folder forgetting it's view, folder views are unique
> based
> on the namespace path to the folder -- the saved view for
> 'Desktop\UserName\Pictures' has no bearing on the view of
> 'Desktop\Computer\c:\Users\UserName\Pictures', it can remember different
> view settings -- even use a different template. So make sure that's not
> the
> cause of the discrepancy that you are seeing.
>
I don't think that's the cause, but will look out for it from now on. I
do sometimes navigate from shortcuts to "Computer", "C:\",
"C:\Users\Mark\Documents", or "Desktop\Mark", so it could depend on
which route I take.

> To obtain some consistency, you might want to consider using 'Apply to
> Folders'. 'Apply to Folders' in Vista works on a per-template basis.
> Different
> defaults can be saved for 'All Items', 'Documents', 'Pictures & Video',
> etc.
> You need to be sure of what template the current folder is using before
> using 'Apply to Folders'.
>
I have already done that, and it does fix changed views but not changed
types. The problem is not always that the view is changing, but
sometimes even the folder type/template changes.

> This also means that the default will only be applied to folders of that
> type.
>
> As for over-zealous content-sniffing (forcing the Pictures template on a
> folder), you can kill that with the following regedit. It will override
> autosense & set the template for any folder without a saved view as 'All
> Items'.
>
Thanks - I'll try that. Although some folders I have previously viewed
and seen with the "All Items" template (I haven't set this template -
it's just detected as that), and later come back to and found they have
a different template (usually "Music Details" if it has changed). Is the
automatic decision cached? Or is it only manually set templates which
are saved, in which case maybe it is reasonable that it could make a
different decision another time?

> Copy the text between the lines below into notepad & save as a .reg file.
> Watch out for line wrap -- [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\...\Shell] is all one line,
> there is a space between 'Local' and 'Settings'.
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
>
> [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local
> Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell]
> "FolderType"="NotSpecified"
>
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> Merging the .reg file will set the 'All Items' template for any folders
> that
> don't currently have a view saved with a different template. You can clear
> all saved views by deleting the
>
> "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local
> Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags"
>
> key BEFORE merging the .reg file. If any folders open with a different
> template after clearing the 'Bags' key & merging the .reg file, they most
> likely have a template specified via their desktop.ini file.
>

Thanks,
Mark.