Window Folder Problem.

My Folders seem to be resetting themselves randomly. For example, a folder
set to view as "documents" one time, may change to view as "Videos" or
"Music" the next. Sometimes, when trying to reset these, I get a crash and
a 'report this error..." dialogue box. I try to reset the folders system
wide in the folder options box, but their default layout is not as easy to
use, which is why I tried to change them in the first place.

What's causing this and, more importantly, how can I fix it?

Thanks!

--
BadHead
----
OS: Windows XP Professional SP2
MOBO: Gigabyte GA7VT600 1394
CPU: AMD3000+
RAM: 1024MB PCI3200
GRAPHICS: ATI Radeon 9800Pro

By default, Windows is designed to remember 400 different folder settings
(200 local folders and 200 network folders, for a total of 400 folders).
Windows will start to re-use these stored settings on a 'Most Recently Used'
basis, once the folder limit has been exceeded. You can change this to 8000
by adding this edit to the registry.

Run this edit, then reset your preferred folder options:

Increase Folder View Options Limit: (Line 2)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

To use the Regedit: Save the REG File to your hard disk. Double click it
and answer yes to the import prompt. REG files can be viewed in Notepad by
right clicking on the file and selecting Edit.

--
All the Best,
Kelly

Microsoft-MVP Windows® XP
2004 Windows MVP "Winny" Award

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm



"Bad Head" wrote in message
...
My Folders seem to be resetting themselves randomly. For example, a folder
set to view as "documents" one time, may change to view as "Videos" or
"Music" the next. Sometimes, when trying to reset these, I get a crash
and a 'report this error..." dialogue box. I try to reset the folders
system wide in the folder options box, but their default layout is not as
easy to use, which is why I tried to change them in the first place.

What's causing this and, more importantly, how can I fix it?

Thanks!

--
BadHead
----
OS: Windows XP Professional SP2
MOBO: Gigabyte GA7VT600 1394
CPU: AMD3000+
RAM: 1024MB PCI3200
GRAPHICS: ATI Radeon 9800Pro

What determines when one of the 200 positions is used - is it whenever a
folder is opened or closed in Explorer, when a folder view is actually
changed or someother mechanism? I like nearly all of my explorer viewing to
be set to details, with a small number of exceptions like control panel and a
folder of shortcuts to some games to be icons. It certainly seems like I have
to reset the control panel from list (which I never deliberately use) back to
icons far more often every 200 explorer accesses.

An increased limit of 8000 rather than 400 sounds like an improvement,
albeit only a bodge, but I've seen suggestions that this will result in a
performance hit. Is that right and if not, is 8000 a real limit or could it
be set higher still.



"Kelly" wrote:

By default, Windows is designed to remember 400 different folder settings
(200 local folders and 200 network folders, for a total of 400 folders).
Windows will start to re-use these stored settings on a 'Most Recently Used'
basis, once the folder limit has been exceeded. You can change this to 8000
by adding this edit to the registry.

This is what I reply to this issue. I have no problems with the feature =
at all. But it taken years to understand as much as I do, and there is =
more that I don't know, yet.

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

The store may be corrupt. Type regedit in Start Run and delete all these =
keys. Then read the last section carefully (Apply to All).

Delete these keys or values from the registry. This will reset many =
things like saved folder settings.
Type Regedit in Start - Run
Click Start - Turn Off Computer (or maybe Shutdown) - Ctrl + Alt + Shift =
+ click Cancel (or Close) (your Desktop and Start Menu now disappear). =
This is a clean shutdown unlike using Task Manager.


In Regedit navigate to each of these keys and delete them
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer and =
delete the value
Shellstate

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\Cabi=
netState and delete the value
Settings

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\Stre=
ams
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\Stre=
amsMRU (may not exist)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell \BagMRU
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell \Bags
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell NoRoam\BagMRU
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell NoRoam\Bags
[the above one is what reset deletes, 90% of the time it is sufficient =
but 10% of the time the BagMRU needs to be deleted too. If you know what =
cross linked files are the same thing is happening here - the BagMRU =
point to the wrong Bag or serveral BagMRU point to the same bag]



Then in Task Manager, File - Run type explorer. (Start menu and Desktop =
come back).

You then need to reconfigure explorer and the desktop.

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D

Understanding Saved Views and Browsing Folders
In Windows 2000 Professional, the view you use is not always permanently =
saved in Windows Explorer. You can control whether the views you use are =
saved permanently or temporarily by using the Remember each folder's =
view settings check box on the View tab of the Folder Options dialog box =
(see figure 9.3).=20

By default the Remember each folder's view settings option is enabled. =
When you choose to leave this setting enabled, the following happens:=20

a.. The changes you make to a folder's view is automatically saved =
when you close the folder.=20
b.. The view you use to view one folder is not applied to other =
folders.=20
c.. When you open a folder, it opens in the view you used when you =
last viewed it.=20
When you clear the check box for Remember each folder's view settings, =
the following happens:=20

a.. When you start Windows Explorer, the first folder you view =
displays in the folder's saved view. Windows Explorer holds that view in =
temporary memory and applies it to all the folders that you visit while =
Windows Explorer remains open unless you manually alter the view.=20
b.. As you browse to other folders (after the initial folder is =
opened), the saved view for each folder is ignored, and when you quit =
Windows Explorer, the folder view that you have been using to view =
multiple folders is deleted from temporary memory.=20
c.. The next time you open Windows Explorer, once again, it is the =
saved view of the first folder you open that determines how you view =
multiple folders.=20
Setting All Folders to the Same View
Some users want to have all their Windows Explorer folders set to the =
same view. In Windows 2000 Professional, the default setting is that any =
change made to a folder's view is automatically saved when you close the =
folder and is not applied to other folders. However, you can set all =
folders to the same view by using the Folder Options command as =
described in the following procedure.=20

To set all folders to the same view=20
1.. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, set the view to your =
preference.=20
2.. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.=20
3.. In the Folder Options dialog box, click the View tab.=20
4.. Under Folder Views, click Like Current Folder.=20
Important The Remember each folder's view settings check box on the View =
tab of the Folder Options dialog box (see Figure 9.3) affects how the =
view settings of individual folders are applied and saved. For more =
information about the impact of clearing this check box, see =
"Understanding Saved Views and Browsing Folders" earlier in this =
chapter.=20

Windows 2000 Resource Kit

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

And check

NoSaveSettings=20
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer=20
Data type Range Default value=20
REG_DWORD 0 | 1 0 =20

Description
Prevents users from saving certain changes to the=20
desktop. Users can change the desktop, but some changes,=20
such as the positions of open windows and the size and=20
position of the taskbar, are not saved when users log=20
off. Shortcuts placed on the desktop are always saved.

This entry stores the setting of the Don't save settings=20
at exit Group Policy. Group Policy adds this entry to the=20
registry with a value of 1 when you enable the policy. If=20
you disable the policy or set it to Not configured, Group=20
Policy deletes the entry from the registry and the system=20
behaves as though the value is 0.

Value Meaning=20
0 (or not in registry) The policy is disabled or=20
not configured. Changes to the desktop are saved.=20
1 The policy is enabled. Some changes to the desktop are not saved.=20

Windows 2000 Resource Kit Reference

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3 D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D

Saved folder settings are stored in BagMRU. Defaults and =
network/removable drives are stored in Streams key (as everything was in =
earlier versions).=20

You have to do Apply To All while in a file folder.=20
For each type of object (File Folder, Control Panel, My Computer, etc) =
that you do an Apply to All in it's clsid and the settings are =
created/updated at=20
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\Stre=
ams\Defaults=20

{F3364BA0-65B9-11CE-A9BA-00AA004AE837} is ordinary folders, and other =
numbers are what ever they are (My Comp, Control Panel, etc - note My =
Docs is an ordinary folder). They only appear IF you do an apply to all =
in that type of object.

as well as a higher set of defaults at=20
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\Stre=
ams=20
Settings=3D=20

So the point being in the order that you do things. You want to do your =
overall default setting last. This is how I advised someone who asked

Can someone please tell me how to force Windows to keep=20
the seperate folder view settings I choose? I have=20
checked and rechecked the box in folder options for it to=20
remember, but it has no memory for that issue. To be more=20
specific; I want to always have the thumbnail view in My=20
Pictures and also in the Control Panel Dialog, but every=20
time I open them I have to manually set that view.


Set Control Panel how you want then Tools - View - Apply To All Folders. =
This sets the global default and the Control Panel type of objects =
defaults (but the system default remains the same - it can't be changed =
but all other defaults/settings override it). Then go to an ordinary =
folder (as My Pics is for this feature) and set it how you want all =
folders but CP. Then Tools - View - Apply To All Folders. This sets the =
global default and the file folder type of object defaults (CP's default =
settings will still override the global). Then set My Pics how you want =
it and do nothing else as we are saving it by the checkbox Remember =
Folder Settings AND BY THE PATH WE GOT THERE. EG

Desktop\My Comp\C:\Documents & Settings\user name\My Docs\My Pics
is a different setting to
Desktop\My Comp\My Docs\My Pics

There is some searching for similar settings but the path used, if too =
different, means it won't find the settings for similar named folders.

The system defaults (and saved settings for individual folders already =
opened) are the only setting unless you've done an Apply To All, eg no =
global or type defaults.



Plus if you hold down control and click close while in a file folder it =
also updates=20
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer=20
Shellstate=3D=20

This is mainly setting irrelevent things except it holds the global =
sort, which all the others override. But File Open dialog boxes only use =
this setting, so it basically only affects sorting in File Open dialogs. =
But it seems that sometimes an earlier windows versions setting get =
written here and other settings then aren't saved



--=20
----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.newmatilda.com/home/default.asp
"Tiptonian" wrote in message =
...
What determines when one of the 200 positions is used - is it whenever =
a=20
folder is opened or closed in Explorer, when a folder view is actually =

changed or someother mechanism? I like nearly all of my explorer =
viewing to=20
be set to details, with a small number of exceptions like control =
panel and a=20
folder of shortcuts to some games to be icons. It certainly seems like =
I have=20
to reset the control panel from list (which I never deliberately use) =
back to=20
icons far more often every 200 explorer accesses.=20
=20
An increased limit of 8000 rather than 400 sounds like an improvement, =

albeit only a bodge, but I've seen suggestions that this will result =
in a=20
performance hit. Is that right and if not, is 8000 a real limit or =
could it=20
be set higher still.
=20
=20
=20
"Kelly" wrote:
=20
By default, Windows is designed to remember 400 different folder =
settings=20
(200 local folders and 200 network folders, for a total of 400 =
folders).=20
Windows will start to re-use these stored settings on a 'Most =
Recently Used'=20
basis, once the folder limit has been exceeded. You can change this =
to 8000=20
by adding this edit to the registry.

Good stuff, David. )

--
All the Best,
Kelly

Microsoft-MVP Windows® XP
2004 Windows MVP "Winny" Award

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm



"David Candy" wrote in message
...
This is what I reply to this issue. I have no problems with the feature at
all. But it taken years to understand as much as I do, and there is more
that I don't know, yet.

================================================== ======

The store may be corrupt. Type regedit in Start Run and delete all these
keys. Then read the last section carefully (Apply to All).

Delete these keys or values from the registry. This will reset many things
like saved folder settings.
Type Regedit in Start - Run
Click Start - Turn Off Computer (or maybe Shutdown) - Ctrl + Alt + Shift +
click Cancel (or Close) (your Desktop and Start Menu now disappear). This is
a clean shutdown unlike using Task Manager.


In Regedit navigate to each of these keys and delete them
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer and
delete the value
Shellstate

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\CabinetState
and delete the value
Settings

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\Streams
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\StreamsMRU
(may not exist)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell \BagMRU
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell \Bags
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell NoRoam\BagMRU
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell NoRoam\Bags
[the above one is what reset deletes, 90% of the time it is sufficient but
10% of the time the BagMRU needs to be deleted too. If you know what cross
linked files are the same thing is happening here - the BagMRU point to the
wrong Bag or serveral BagMRU point to the same bag]



Then in Task Manager, File - Run type explorer. (Start menu and Desktop come
back).

You then need to reconfigure explorer and the desktop.

================================================== =================

Understanding Saved Views and Browsing Folders
In Windows 2000 Professional, the view you use is not always permanently
saved in Windows Explorer. You can control whether the views you use are
saved permanently or temporarily by using the Remember each folder's view
settings check box on the View tab of the Folder Options dialog box (see
figure 9.3).

By default the Remember each folder's view settings option is enabled. When
you choose to leave this setting enabled, the following happens:

a.. The changes you make to a folder's view is automatically saved when
you close the folder.
b.. The view you use to view one folder is not applied to other folders.
c.. When you open a folder, it opens in the view you used when you last
viewed it.
When you clear the check box for Remember each folder's view settings, the
following happens:

a.. When you start Windows Explorer, the first folder you view displays in
the folder's saved view. Windows Explorer holds that view in temporary
memory and applies it to all the folders that you visit while Windows
Explorer remains open unless you manually alter the view.
b.. As you browse to other folders (after the initial folder is opened),
the saved view for each folder is ignored, and when you quit Windows
Explorer, the folder view that you have been using to view multiple folders
is deleted from temporary memory.
c.. The next time you open Windows Explorer, once again, it is the saved
view of the first folder you open that determines how you view multiple
folders.
Setting All Folders to the Same View
Some users want to have all their Windows Explorer folders set to the same
view. In Windows 2000 Professional, the default setting is that any change
made to a folder's view is automatically saved when you close the folder and
is not applied to other folders. However, you can set all folders to the
same view by using the Folder Options command as described in the following
procedure.

To set all folders to the same view
1.. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, set the view to your preference.
2.. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
3.. In the Folder Options dialog box, click the View tab.
4.. Under Folder Views, click Like Current Folder.
Important The Remember each folder's view settings check box on the View tab
of the Folder Options dialog box (see Figure 9.3) affects how the view
settings of individual folders are applied and saved. For more information
about the impact of clearing this check box, see "Understanding Saved Views
and Browsing Folders" earlier in this chapter.

Windows 2000 Resource Kit

================================================== ========================

And check

NoSaveSettings
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer
Data type Range Default value
REG_DWORD 0 | 1 0

Description
Prevents users from saving certain changes to the
desktop. Users can change the desktop, but some changes,
such as the positions of open windows and the size and
position of the taskbar, are not saved when users log
off. Shortcuts placed on the desktop are always saved.

This entry stores the setting of the Don't save settings
at exit Group Policy. Group Policy adds this entry to the
registry with a value of 1 when you enable the policy. If
you disable the policy or set it to Not configured, Group
Policy deletes the entry from the registry and the system
behaves as though the value is 0.

Value Meaning
0 (or not in registry) The policy is disabled or
not configured. Changes to the desktop are saved.
1 The policy is enabled. Some changes to the desktop are not saved.

Windows 2000 Resource Kit Reference

================================================== ==========================

Saved folder settings are stored in BagMRU. Defaults and network/removable
drives are stored in Streams key (as everything was in earlier versions).

You have to do Apply To All while in a file folder.
For each type of object (File Folder, Control Panel, My Computer, etc) that
you do an Apply to All in it's clsid and the settings are created/updated at
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults

{F3364BA0-65B9-11CE-A9BA-00AA004AE837} is ordinary folders, and other
numbers are what ever they are (My Comp, Control Panel, etc - note My Docs
is an ordinary folder). They only appear IF you do an apply to all in that
type of object.

as well as a higher set of defaults at
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\Streams
Settings=

So the point being in the order that you do things. You want to do your
overall default setting last. This is how I advised someone who asked

Can someone please tell me how to force Windows to keep
the seperate folder view settings I choose? I have
checked and rechecked the box in folder options for it to
remember, but it has no memory for that issue. To be more
specific; I want to always have the thumbnail view in My
Pictures and also in the Control Panel Dialog, but every
time I open them I have to manually set that view.


Set Control Panel how you want then Tools - View - Apply To All Folders.
This sets the global default and the Control Panel type of objects defaults
(but the system default remains the same - it can't be changed but all other
defaults/settings override it). Then go to an ordinary folder (as My Pics is
for this feature) and set it how you want all folders but CP. Then Tools -
View - Apply To All Folders. This sets the global default and the file
folder type of object defaults (CP's default settings will still override
the global). Then set My Pics how you want it and do nothing else as we are
saving it by the checkbox Remember Folder Settings AND BY THE PATH WE GOT
THERE. EG

Desktop\My Comp\C:\Documents & Settings\user name\My Docs\My Pics
is a different setting to
Desktop\My Comp\My Docs\My Pics

There is some searching for similar settings but the path used, if too
different, means it won't find the settings for similar named folders.

The system defaults (and saved settings for individual folders already
opened) are the only setting unless you've done an Apply To All, eg no
global or type defaults.



Plus if you hold down control and click close while in a file folder it also
updates
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer
Shellstate=

This is mainly setting irrelevent things except it holds the global sort,
which all the others override. But File Open dialog boxes only use this
setting, so it basically only affects sorting in File Open dialogs. But it
seems that sometimes an earlier windows versions setting get written here
and other settings then aren't saved



--
----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.newmatilda.com/home/default.asp
"Tiptonian" wrote in message
...
What determines when one of the 200 positions is used - is it whenever a
folder is opened or closed in Explorer, when a folder view is actually
changed or someother mechanism? I like nearly all of my explorer viewing
to
be set to details, with a small number of exceptions like control panel
and a
folder of shortcuts to some games to be icons. It certainly seems like I
have
to reset the control panel from list (which I never deliberately use) back
to
icons far more often every 200 explorer accesses.

An increased limit of 8000 rather than 400 sounds like an improvement,
albeit only a bodge, but I've seen suggestions that this will result in a
performance hit. Is that right and if not, is 8000 a real limit or could
it
be set higher still.



"Kelly" wrote:

By default, Windows is designed to remember 400 different folder
settings
(200 local folders and 200 network folders, for a total of 400 folders).
Windows will start to re-use these stored settings on a 'Most Recently
Used'
basis, once the folder limit has been exceeded. You can change this to
8000
by adding this edit to the registry.