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Weirdness with File Types, Icons, and Actions


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#1
IntoTheForge

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Alright, here's my plight.

I'm pissing around in Windows Explorer : Tools-Folder Options-File types, changing the icons for stuff. I changed the icons for (NONE) Drive and (NONE) File Folder types to something a little more snazzy in shell32.dll. After that, when I try to access a drive or file folder in windows explorer, a new explorer window with the search sidebar pops up. The only action associated with either under the icons after I changed them is (find); I didn't pay attention to what was under them before I changed the icons. I guess this is what's opening the search window; I have a stopgap solution of setting a new action: Open, linked to C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe. This opens each folder in a new window, but I really would like the old functionality of opening new folders in the same window back. Like industrialism, this is where trial and error is not the best way to learn. The only thing I could think to do is expand a new copy of explorer out of .\I386 (OEM Compaq)\EXPLORER.EX_ and replaced the one in Windows, but that did nothing. I have no I idea what I did when I changed those icons.

On the bright side, my mum's harddrive and folder icons are a little more snazzy.
Cause it's not exactly... my computer.
Help?
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#2
Throoper

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Try doing a System Restore to a point before you changed them.
GO HERE for a program to change system icons.
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#3
IntoTheForge

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Thanks for the link; the last restore point is over a year ago, and a lot of things have been installed and upgraded since then. I'll use it if I have to and reinstall and upgrade again, but is that the only thing that comes to mind?

Edited by IntoTheForge, 28 December 2008 - 06:26 PM.

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#4
Throoper

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the last restore point is over a year ago

Huh??? No System points since then? It should be setting them a couple times a week.
Anything that old is probably useless anyway.

On the File types tab of folder options, is the Advanced button now a Restore button for those file types?
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#5
IntoTheForge

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That's weirded me out - nothing I edit in the Advanced menu makes the button turn to a Restore button. I've been messing with media files, archives and documents with that menu since I got this computer and that button has never said restore. I know what you're talking about.
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#6
Throoper

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Try the fixes from HERE.
They should reset the Registry entries back to the default state.
There's one for Drives and one for File Folders. Just download them, unzip them and double click the Reg file to run them. Say yes to the "Are you sure" box.
Keep me posted.
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#7
IntoTheForge

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The drive edit worked, but there isn't one for file folder - just folder on that site. I see what he did though, taking it out of a healthy registry - that's slick. Too slick for me to tell someone how to find that in their registry though.
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#8
Throoper

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The drive edit worked, but there isn't one for file folder - just folder on that site. I see what he did though, taking it out of a healthy registry - that's slick. Too slick for me to tell someone how to find that in their registry though.

Sorry. My mistake. The one you need is Directory. That's for the file type File Folder.
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#9
IntoTheForge

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Woot.
Thou art +3 splendiferous.
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#10
Throoper

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Glad that worked for you :)
If you like to tinker with things in Windows, you might like this site. Kelly's Korner
:)
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#11
IntoTheForge

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Awesome. I'm used to the KDE manager, so Windows Explorer is weird territory for me. I think I'll dualboot PCBSD when I get my own rig going. Thanks for the info and links!
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#12
IntoTheForge

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Now it's weirding out again. If I want Explorer to open a file folder in the same window I HAVE to have the folder sidebar enabled, no exceptions, Explorer seems unable to customize folders created after the most recent restart, and completely ignores my attempts to change the folder view (thumbnails, list, details, etc.). It's also opening pseudo-random folders in a new window regardless, like the My Music folder in Shared Documents, and other multimedia-rich folders preset to thumbnails or filmstrip.

If someone's Windows Explorer is acting correctly both with and without common tasks, folder, and search sidebars, I wonder if I find the stuff in their registry mentioned in the registry change files located on the webpage mentioned in post #6 and change the registry change files to reflect the content of a healthy or ground-state Windows registry if that'll do it...

:)

Edited by IntoTheForge, 07 January 2009 - 07:14 PM.

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#13
Throoper

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Let me answer the last part first about using a good registry. A big, definite maybe.
The problems you describe may or may not be related to each other and are controlled by various registry keys.
Plus the problem of any customizations in the other registry might cause an even bigger problem. Usually the reg fixes are from new default installations that haven't had any changes made. You might lose your customizations and have to add them back with the UI as you go along, but you don't have the worry of some entry that can cause the key(s) to not work on your machine.
I think it would be better to go at it one issue at a time. Less chance of compounding the problems and you'll have a better handle on any unexpected results from changes you make.

That all said, a couple questions for you.

1: Did running the Directory reg fix get things working normally? If yes, for how long?

2: Have you tried making any changes in the Folder Options since?

3: Concerning the Folder View, can you change the View at all or is it just not retaining the view?

4: Any other problems with folders?
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#14
IntoTheForge

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Less chance of compounding the problems and you'll have a better handle on any unexpected results from changes you make.

Somewhere the ghost of Lorenz is chuckling and shaking his head...

1. Running the drive registry fix fixed the way explorer opened drives, but the directory registry fix only restored the functionality of opening file folders in the same window when the folder sidebar is open. Having any other sidebar open, or common tasks turned off would revert Explorer's behavior to opening a new explorer window in a separate process, regardless of the fact that launch folder windows in a separate process is turned off. So kind of yes. This has been the behavior since I ran the directory registry fix, unchanged.

2. I haven't changed anything in folder options, save to turn common tasks on and off to see what it would do. Turning off common tasks makes explore revert to its behavior of opening folders in a separate window and process.

3. I can change the folder views. Before the registry fixes, no folder would retain a change of view and all folders would start in details view, which is the view the folder view I had on when I originally messed up the directory actions. Now with the fix, as long as the folder sidebar is on, all folders retain their views when I navigate to them. When I turn the sidebar off, such as when I have the search sidebar on, everything reverts to details view. Any folder I click on or open using the command line start in details view and lose their previous view.

4. Not a folder problem, and just another cosmetic one, but since this started, random pictures and videos would not generate a thumbnail in thumbnail or filmstrip view. I always keep do not cache thumbnails on, but this has not been a problem before.

Would you like a hijackthis log?
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#15
Throoper

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Okay, I think these are all fixable.
We'll do them one at a time and make sure they stick before moving to the next one.
First one is getting the folders to open the way you want.

Open Folder Options>General tab, check "Open each folder in the same window" and OK.
Open the Registry Editor. Start>Run>type regedit>OK.
In the left pane, navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Shell
Click on Shell (not the plus sign) to display the value in the right pane.
Right click on (Default), click Modify and type NONE on the "Value data" line and OK.
Now click the plus sign to expand the Shell key.
Don't make any changes, just look to see what you have for actions. There should be Find and Open.
Let me know if there is any thing else or if one is missing.
Close regedit and see if the folders will open in the same window now.

Edited by Throoper, 08 January 2009 - 09:06 PM.

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