How open Windows Explorer with files view?

I would like Windows Explorer to open with the folders immediately showing in the left pane, instead of that blue screen with the whitish boxes labeled File and Folder Tasks, Other Places, and Details -- as it is, I always have to click on the Folders button on the toolbar to make the folders appear on the left. (Note that, as far as I can tell, this is NOT one of the options you see by clicking Tools, then Folder Options, nor is it addressed in Q307856.)

Thanks!

 

Right click on My Computer and choose "Explore. "

 

Interesting, but how do I make a shortcut for that?

I'm keyboard-oriented -- I have a submenu off my Start menu for Explorer, with shortcuts for each of my drives, so I can hit Ctrl-Esc (open start menu), l (opens explorer menu), e , and voila explorer opens on my E drive. But then I have to manually click on the Folders button to see the folders on the left....

Thanks again!

 

The Windows key plus e opens WinEx in the view you want.

Just interested...why ctrl/esc to open the start menu? Why not just the Windows key?

 

Old habit, acquired with Win95 on PCs with no such button. (Yes, I'm old....)

(Note that for my keystroke method to work, there has to be only one item on that menu with that first letter -- so "l" works for my explorer submenu (titled "look't ") only because I have a single-user machine and I've removed "Log Off" from my Start menu....)

<]|[:^D

 

Set up a shortcut with
%SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe /e,C:\ (since I hate the thing opening with "documents & settings" expanded).

Drag a copy down to the "quick launch" section if you are like me and often want to start explorer without minimizing all the open windows.

Then set your folder options (under Tools) to classic.

 

But even with Classic the left pane is still that blue thing until I click on Folders -- that's my sole question, how to get the folders to show up on the left by default.

 

No1UNo, In Windows Explorer you should be able to click on VIEW > EXPLORER BAR > FOLDERS and place the check mark beside FOLDERS. That should always open the view that you are wanting. If there is no check mark beside any item listed there, you'll get the default view that you are seeing.

If that setting isn't "sticking ", go to TOOLS > FOLDER OPTIONS > VIEW > and make sure the "remember each folders view settings" box is tagged.

 

Geez, I did this over and over, and it never saves the info -- I feel I must be missing something simple but profound, but obviously I can't figure out what it is!

Are you saying that following the steps you describe OUGHT to work, or that you did it and it DID work -- i.e. the next time you opened WinExp, you were actually viewing the folders on the left? (Since you say "should" I fear the former.)

Because while I certainly agree that it ought to work, I can't get it to either remember that setting for that folder (an essential first step) OR apply it to all folders (the ultimate goal)....

 

try this also

Set to classic view first, within explorer click tools/folder options then general tab. Place a tick in Use windows classic folders. Then under the browse menu tick Open each folder in same window. You MUST click APPLY & ok for the settings to HOLD. Now click on the view tab & place a checkmark in Remember each folders view setting. Click APPLY/OK again

 

Yes, it works for me exactly as I described it. I tried it several times without any problem. It is supposed to toggle that view on and off each time you click it. You will see the check mark appear when it's toggled on. When I toggle it off, I get the blue side screen as you describe. It keeps the last setting I leave it on and opens that way until I choose to change it, if ever.

I can't imagine why it doesn't work for you. I suppose it would mean that you have a system file that is corrupt. You could give SFC a try. Just type, SFE /SCANNOW from a command line and wait for it to complete. Hopefully it will find something amiss and correct it.

Good luck.

 

It just occured to me that if you are making your own shortcuts to Explorer and not including the /e switch in the command line, it will open as you are experiencing. Perhaps that's the whole problem.

Check your command line and make sure the /e, is included, eg,

C:\Windows\Explorer.exe /e,C:\

All commas and spaces must be exactly as above.

edit, I just noticed that Newt already submitted that same advice in a different format. Either way will work so long as all characters and spaces are correctly included.

%SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe /e,C:\ is equivalent to the command line I offered.

 

This works! Thanks!

So, golly, being a sometimes-not-dumb person, why didn't I figure this out from reading MS Q307856? Because this is what it says:

/e Starts Windows Explorer using the default view.

Not terribly informative -- since from when I first installed WinXP 2 weeks ago I'd been seeing the blue pane on the left in Explorer, I figured that WAS the XP default view....

Thanks again for your help and patience!

 

Zephyr - I probably should put in a short explanation every time I show a shortcut using %systemroot% rather than a specific drive letter. I think the strangeness causes some folks to just read right over it and decide "Nope, no way am I going to do anything that weird ".

Note: %systemroot% simiply tells the computer to look at the boot drive for the values and will work nicely for all drives in a multi-boot system. C:, D:, Z:, whatever.

 

Very true Newt, and I like No1UNo's variable %sometimes-not-so-dumb% as well.

Thanks to all for the feedback.