Permanent Folder Arrangement

Every time I open My Computer or My Documents, I see all foolders and sub-folders viewed as TILES. I want to see them as ICONS, so I go to View and select Icons view but next time when I come back, I again find the folders viewed as Tiles, rather than Icons. How I can make it permanat.

I am using XP Home SP 2.

 

After selecting the view you want, go to the menu:

Tools|Folder Options|View

and click on "Apply to all folders."

This should make the setting stick!

 

Thanks, I did it. I wonder how you have got these blue colors, look nice! Also is it XP or ...?

 

Also can I selectively change View options for a folder without loosing general View option, for example I will like to see My Pictures folder as Tiles. How I can do it?

 

Yes, simply by selecting the view you want from the Explorer "View" menu list or the "View" button on the Explorer toolbar (after having selected the folder in question from within Explorer, of course).

BUT, as you have stated, these settings are not sticking. This is a known and documented problem which, presumably, was "fixed" with the issue of SP2 for Windows XP.

However, I've seen the problem (actually, more correctly referred to as a limitation, IMO) occur for me in SP2 anyways, because I want to store (in the registry, it'll make your registry size grow !) more than the default 200 each of network and local folders' customization assignments. Here is Microsoft's writeup for addressing the problem: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;813711

You may or may not be comfortable first backing up your registry and then adding the keys:

Code:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam

and then adding the DWORD value "BagMRU Size" and assigning the desired number of customizations stored.

If you're NOT comfortable with that, an alternative is to download and install Microsoft's latest version of TweakUI (version 2.10.0.0) at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx, whereupon you can change the "BagMRU Size" on the Explorer/Customizations tab. TweakUI will then apply the value to "BagMRU Size" in both the "Shell" and "ShellNoRoam" registry keys.

NOTE: The MS KB article incorrectly refers to this value as "BagMRU Size". I believe this value name should be as I wrote it, with a space between "Bag" and "MRU" ! Modifying this value through TweakUI supports my belief.
EDIT: Darn it ! I did some checking around and apparently even the most recent version of TweakUI actually has the WRONG key name, NOT the MS KB article ! So, my bad folks. According to kellys-korner: http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm (see Line # 2), "BagMRU Size" appears to be the correct spelling of this value name ! This would then mean that the TweakUI solution for this limitation is USELESS.

 

I use a blue color for Windows and Menus - less contrast for me. The screenshot in my post above is from my laptop with XP.

You can configure the color settings for all Windows versions in the Desktop Display Properties|Appearance tab:

http://www.rsjones.net/imgs/display1.gif
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Fo XP, Click on the Advanced Tab; under "Item" select "Desktop"; then click on the Color1 button and click on "Other"

http://www.rsjones.net/imgs/display2.gif
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This brings up the color palette

http://www.rsjones.net/imgs/display3.gif
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After configuring your color, click on "Add to Custom Colors" and this will appear in the color palette drop down box, as shown in the second image. You just click on this color to set it for the Desktop item. The other items for which you can change the screen color are "Menu" and "Window" - the latter sets the screen color for your programs, such as your Word Processor.

XP Appearance settings are stored in the Registry in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop.

 

Thanks I am able to do it currently, will come back if there is some issue again.

 

Thanks for the reply and help, so nice of you, esp for the pics.

 

Well, there will be. It's just a question of how long it'll take you to run past the 200th folder customization. If you only customize one folder a month, reinitializing your cache should last until Windows XP has dropped well off of your radar screen.

 

Unless I'm mistaken - at least on SP1 - everytime you open/close a folder, the settings are stored. If a lot of different folders are opened/closed, that 200 limit will be reached rather quickly

 

You could be right Rmus, I'm not certain. In that case, 200 certainly seems like a silly limit.

Note to anyone following this thread: I had to make a late correction to my post, #5, of this thread, above. It appears that "BagMRU Size" is the correct spelling for the key value name in question. Sorry for the confusion !

 

Yes, I deleted the BagMRU and Bags Keys and watched them accrue as I opened/closed folders.

In the early days of WinXP, some posted on their sites (Kelly's Korner was one) a .reg file to merge a limit of 8000 into the Registry. I think this was before the XP version of TweakUI was released.

But eventually, you end up with a huge number of Registry entries (Bags). I didn't like the idea of thousands of entries in the Registry - won't hurt anything, I know, but just the thought of it...

So, for awhile, I used a fix I developed for my Win2K workstation which has a set limit of 200 Streams.

If you make a list of all of the directories you want to customize, and then

1) delete the BagMRU and Bags keys,

2) open/customize/close each of your directories.

3) Export those keys to a safe place.

When the limit is reached, delete the current keys and import the saved keys to restore your customizations.

To add a new customized directory, do the above, open/customize/close the new directory, then export the keys as before.

This is all done very quickly with .reg and .bat files.

Now, since I use Deep Freeze, on each reboot the Registry is restored to previous state with the customizations as before, so I don't worry about limits or Registry bloat

 

Yes, I can confirm that. The name of the key is BagMRU (no space)

The top entry is using TweakUI

The bottom entry is via a .reg file I still have (I think from Kellys Korner)

http://www.rsjones.net/imgs/dir_bagMRU.gif
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Yup, I appreciate the backup Rmus -- I referenced the kellys-korner .reg in my correction of post #5.

Sorry, aigle, I didn't mean to complicate or confuse the issue for you. I hope at least some of that was useful.

 

You're welcome. I was testing/writing off-line and didn't see your edits.

 

Before going into the registry, I would make sure that your Folder Options (from any explorer window click Tools > Folder Options) are set to "Remember each folder's view settings"

 

Thanks for help.