xp + folder settings = crap :(

[midnightrambler]

I have a frustrating problem with Windows XP's way of handling individual folder settings.

Try this: create a new folder, open it and note the default folder settings. now change the view, move some columns around and stuff like that... close the folder. each time you open the folder again you expect the settings for this folder to be like you configured it... i did too before i was taught otherwise... now move the folder to another location and/or rename it, then open it again. woohoo, now your settings are gone and the default settings have been applied again. but how you ask?? well, rename the folder to its original name and move it to its original location and now open it again... what do you see? right, your settings are back again ...but that's total crap, because no modern OS would behave that way, but then again, it's windows ...

as i got to know from another forum, windows xp saves the names of the folders and their paths in the registry, together with their individual settings ...

now this obviously is not good, because you always get frustrated when realizing the lost settings and have to apply them again, consuming your precious time and making yourself more work than you already have

the only way to prevent the loss of specific folder settings is to restrain from moving or renaming these folders... now eat that!

so to all you people out there:

1. is there a solution to this problem?
2. would (could) someone program a utility that constantly runs in the background and updates the registry as soon as a folder with its settings is moved or renamed? (unfortunately i am not a programmer) if someone would program a solution to the problem, i may well be willing to pay for it.
3. how can i contact microsoft so that i really get their attention on this matter? will this problem be part of longhorn too? if so, too bad ...

i would be very (!!) grateful for your help, since i currently consider xp's feature of applying individual folder settings as more or less useless, seeing that i very often need to rename or move folders...

[61strat]

Add me to the list with a similar problem. Open folder, change view to icon, adjust folder size, close folder. Reboot, open folder: back to tiles and original size.

Is there some sort of virus going around...this is a new one for me...

[chelsi]

Try this:
Go into Tools, folder options, view tab, and uncheck the 'remember each folder's view settings option'.

[obe1k]

I am also having this annoying problem.
Checking all the right boxes in the Folder options works for a while, but every now and then, there will a certain folder that keeps going back to that damn tiles view.

A solution would be to change the actual default view setting to the one you want thru the registry or something like that. Obviously, using the Folder Options view tab doesn't change the default setting, because there are folders that revert back to the "default" after you've supposedly changed the "default" setting.....

anyway, here's something that might help:
http://www.bootdisk.com/bootlist/088.htm

It's about half way down the page under the heading:
'Increase XP Folder Settings From 400 To 8,000'
Haven't tried it yet but it seems like just a temporary fix, instead getting down to the true problem....

cheers

[belgarath]

As always, before editing the registry, back it up first!!!!

First, open regedit and delete the following keys:-
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU]
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags]

Next, navigate to this location:-
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell]

Right click in the right hand pane and choose "New" and "Dword value"
Give it the following name (note the space between "BagMRU" and the word "Size")
"BagMRU Size"
Next, right click on the new key and choose "modify"
Choose "decimal" and enter the value "8000"
Then navigate to the following:-
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam]
And do exactly the same.

Finally, navigate to:-
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
Create a new Dword value called "NoSaveSettings"
Give it a value of 0(zero) decimal
Reboot and that should fix it.

[Masteralx xp]

Dude i just had the same problem :evil: ..folder settings wont stay the same..i tried the bagMRu reg thing dont work for me..but what did work was.. :idea: in folder options i clicked hide system folders.on and off n a MESSAge appears... then i turned it bak off..n hey what do u know my system can remember it settings....GREAT,,,,,,,that was annoying......hope itll work for someone elese..... :cheesy:

[rkojito]

How do I do this in Windows 2000? The registry folders seem to be different.
Thanks.