XP forgets explorer window settings

[Gambler FEX online 0]

This is really annoying. Very often explorer forgets window settings, like when I open my computer, sets the size and icon view, close it and a few hours later i open my computer again and its back to default view.

 

Also sometimes when I browse through my directories the icon view is in Tiles. Really wierd, it has been like this since RC1 if I remember correctly, and I have tried a lot of builds after that.

 

As a last resort, is there a way to change the default window size when I open a new folder?

 

 

WinXP 2600

Asus P2B-DS

2x P4 800@824

Elsa Gladiac geforce 2

Game theater XP

[Jeeves 0]

Same frikken crap happens to me. Anyone know how to fix it?

 

-J

[Silencer 0]

same prob here...

[ThC 129 0]

2 ways. 1. when exiting a folder, hold down ctrl, and click file --> exit. 2. Change the folders to how you want them then go to tools ---> folders, make all folders look the same.

 

I think those will work im not sure if they will or not though.

[Scott 0]

Same stuff is happening to me !!!

And YES it is very annoying, don’t know the fix

It is obviously a BUG.

But then again if you where to ring Microsoft they

Would tell you it was a feature NOT a BUG !!

[Gambler FEX online 0]

THC you mean file -> close, right?

I have tried holding ctrl and closing the window by clicking the red X but it still didnt remember. I have also tried deleting the cache and set the windows again but still it forgot. Win2k has never forgotten like this the 2 years I have used it so yes I would say its a bug.

 

And since you guys have the same problem I dont think its my system/programs that does it...

[Gambler FEX online 0]

Just dropping by. Please all report this problem to microsoft:

 

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;en-us;feedback

 

if enough report it, it may get priority and it may get fixed. I have no idea what might cause this glitch, I do not thing something is broken in XP, I think it's a new feature with XP that causes this.

[Davros 0]

Hasn't this been around since Win95? It still annoys the hell out of me!

[Alien 1]

IIRC the trick is to make sure that once you have your settings the way you want them to make sure you hit Refresh before you use the Apply to All Folders function. Since I started doing this back on 98SE I haven't had any probs with it.

[NTGAMEMAN 0]

hmm

i sent that thing ms i hope they fix that problem

they should have fixed it

very simple

 

btw its me wI-OSMAN- i don't know how to change my name

[ThC 129 0]

in order to do the solution i did you cant close it by the X you have to close it by the File ---> Close method holding cntrl that will save the window settings.

[Gambler FEX online 0]

Quote:

in order to do the solution i did you cant close it by the X you have to close it by the File ---> Close method holding cntrl that will save the window settings.

That did not work either. Im looking for more drastic fixes like denying write permissions in the registry. I tried it and it didnt work well but I denied read permissions also and I need to restart explorer.exe so i need to test more.

I use Active Registry Monitor to check for changes and got the bag that changed when I closed a rezised explorer window.

It is a time and space consuming issue, in my case its worst with all those big explorer windows covering my desktop, I resize them smaller almost everytime as a reflex but randomly they reset when I open them later. The "My Computer" shortcut I have in quicklaunch has never reset itself, maybe since I use it alot. thats something to analyze if I have time sigh.

conspiracy theory MS is fully aware of this issue and fixes it inthe next windows so more people will give in and upgrade. in win2k wasnt the emptying of the recycle bin very slow and hang the explorer window/desktop until it was done? I never found out why.. but it was one reason I liked XP better.

BTW win2k has never ever forgotten a window size/setting on me. I wonder if its because XP saves the window status not only when you close the window but also when you browse through it.

[PTS 0]

The way to fix this problem is to open Regedit and go to the following sub-folders:

 

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags]

 

Right-click on each one (i.e. BagMRU and Bags) and select Delete to get rid of both of them. Reboot your PC and set up each of your folders as you like it. These settings should now be saved and restored on the next reboot. By deleting the registry entries above Windows is forced to recreate them and in doing so get rid of corruption and bad entries, typically caused by third-party programs.

[adamvjackson 0]

I haven't experienced this problem, but thanks PTS for the fix! I would've thought that would only apply in a domain environment with roaming profiles.

[Gambler FEX online 0]

Quote:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags]

Right-click on each one (i.e. BagMRU and Bags) and select Delete to get rid of both of them. By deleting the registry entries above Windows is forced to recreate them and in doing so get rid of corruption and bad entries, typically caused by third-party programs.

I have already tried this trick, but it didnt work. I had a clean install of winXP on a vmware virtual machine and I didnt install any programs, I opened a few folders and set them the way I wanted but it forgot it aftera while.

You gave me an idea with the corruption caused by third party programs, do they really have write access to these keys/settings? Why have I never experienced this in win95, win98/se/me and win2k? I have used a lot of programs and different hardware then suddenly whan I get a big bad surprise with XP it does not remember folders.

If I only knew the reason. MS say they cannot reproduce the issue, but I will try to deny write access to anything but the system. Sorry for the rant ill be back when i've more results.

[adamvjackson 0]

It would be interesting to run SysInternal's RegMon while changing the settings as you prefer in Explorer, to see exactly which keys were altered. Ideally, this would be done on a clean install, such as what Gambler FEX just did with VMware. If I had the time, I would... Any volunteers?

[Gambler FEX online 0]

update: I get unexpected results, it might not work after all (explorer changes bags for some windows after a while it seems)

 

 

Yes, that would be good. I did it but dont remember all keys that changed, just the one I thought important, a folder under

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags

 

 

I think ive found a good workaround. The short version: delete bags and as new windows saves settings in bags uncheck inherit permissions, copy them and uncheck Full control on everything (only read access left).

 

long version

 

1. with regedit (start run regedit) go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags

delete Bags and BagsMRU folders, dont have to restart, dont close regedit (no need).

 

2. Open for instance Recycle Bin (prefferably doubleclick on the desktop) Set it the size you want, listing and size of columns etc etc and close it.

 

3. press F5 in regedit (to refresh it). There should now be a new "folder" under Bags, probably named "1"(if its not you browsed through some folders to get to the recycle bin or somethine else. Whenever you go through a folder or close it XP saves its settings in Bags thus you get more than just the "1" folder in Bags and hard to tell which one is for recycle bin you just set up)

 

4. The trick is here: right click this "1" folder and choose Permissions. Click Advanced and uncheck "Inherit from parent the ....." and click the Copy button. Click OK to back to Security panel. Here uncheck "Full Control" on all Groups or user names. All of them should only have read access!

 

5. Thats the trick, repeat on other folders you want to lock settings to. You wont be able to even change their position so thats why this is only a workaround and not a real fix. ;( That could have been workarounded if I could set full control permissions on reg_dword that keeps the position info.

 

 

its wierd I couldnt find bags in win2k registry, where is windows saving explorer setting here?

[Gambler FEX online 0]

Update some findings

network connections folder have reset itself (forgotten). I set it up closed it and a new slot (1168) was created, but empty, and when I open network connections again its back to "forgotten state" (i.e too big space craving window). I did a test with another folder and it remebered it all right, it created a 1169. I deleted the 1198 slot but it still didnt create a new 1168 in any way.

 

 

I've not had any folder/window forgotten on me for little over a week, which is incredible in my experience with this problem.

 

I increased the number of BagMRU slots XP uses and so far it havent forgotten once. The problem seems that XP creates a Bags slot even for folders you just browse through, not just when you close an explorer window vieweing that folder.

 

So it runs out of Bags..

 

I got it from here:

google groups

 

Heres the important stuff:

Under the Registry Key

[HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\]

 

Create a new DWORD Value called "BagMRU Size" and set it to whatever number of slots you want. Remember to select the Base "decimal" when changing the value because it's easy to forget and enter it as hexadecimal thus getting an actual number that's somewhat bigger.

 

 

I set mine to 2048 and have bags numbered as high as 1167, so I'm "running out," I'll try a higher count if XP starts forgetting at 2048. I've not noticed any performance hit, but I have a fairly new PC.

 

Even if it does, it have remembered the control panel and recycle bin for so long its much better to have to set them up twice a month than twice a day. If we only could specify what folders we wanted XP to remember... BTW I didnt find any Bags on win2k registry.

[styx 0]

News for those who have never had it happen in 2k - it's happening to me!

 

Single line of icons, even Search and Control panel etc

 

And I have no such registry entry (Bags)

 

CRTL+Close hasn't worked, either . . .

 

*keeps searching google...*

[sireddie 0]

PROBLEM FINALLY SOLVED!!!

 

I've allso been looking for a way to make new (and old) windows to have a smaller size than the default window size. So today I started google:ing to find a way, and I found this forum amongst others.

 

In one of these forums someone mentioned a software that might work. So I downloaded it and gave it a shot. To my suprize it did everything I wanted it to do. Set specific window-sizes (with both old and new windows), specify windows positions and so on.

 

My search is now over and I'm a very happy camper now that this anoying issue is finally solved. So do as I did and give it a shot.

 

Note that the program isn't freeware and you have to pay for it. If you're a poor fellow and can't afford to buy it there is another way of getting the full version. You'll probably figure out how by yourselves.

 

Get the free trial version here:

http://www.actualtools.com/windowguard/

 

Hope this will end your endless search as it did for me.

 

[Cormac 0]

Eddie, you realise that you are posting to a post that is over 2 years old.

[sireddie 0]

Figured others searching google for the same problem would appreciate my post, saving them a lot of time.

 

Just trying to pull my straw to the stack.