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How to restore Windows Explorer default behaviour ?

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Hello Tech Republic members,

I’ve been followinf TR’s questions for several months now, but this is my very first call for help, as I’m somehow really stuck right now…

I’ve recently taken up a new position in a big organization that provides me with a computer running Windows XP SP3. Following bill Detwiler’s advice here : http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/itdojo/replace-windows-explorer-with-a-free-feature-rich-file-manager/3050?tag=content;siu-container , I gave CubixExplorer a try.

After testing it for a while and really appreciating the tab functionnalities, I tried to make it the default Windows file manager.

Here’s what I did :
– I opened Windows Explorer, went to Toosl/File options/Files types (the names may not be 100% accurate as I’m using a french version of Windows).
– I wanted to modify the “Folder” file type, but the “Modify” button was greyed out. Only the “Advanced” button was permitted.
– In the “Advanced” window, I create a new action called “Explorer” and pointing to the CubicExplorer executable (without arguments though, as I did not know them) and set it as default.
– I did the same for the “Files folder” file type.
– One weird thing I noticed is that while I can create new actions, I cannot modify them or delete them… I believe it’s GPO-related, but I can’t confirm.

So… after that, I gave a try, and while Windows did indeed start CubicExplorer when I clicked on a folder, it would only open the top-level folder (i.e. “My computer”), not the folder I clicked on. However, THIS IS NOT MY CURRENT PROBLEM (I’m pretty sure it’s linked to the absence of arguments in the “Explorer” actions I created).

I then tried to revert the behaviour so that the folders are opened with Windows Explorer. I opened both the “Folder” and “Files folders” file types and tried to select the original Windows actions… only to discover that there are no such things !

“Folder” actions include “explore” and “open”, but “Files folder” do not. Only “find”, and two actions linked with VLC (“play in VLC” and “add to VLC playlist”).

I then created a new “Explorer (Windows Explorer)” action for “Files folder, pointing to explorer.exe and set it as default… and here’s my real problem : while Windows Explorer does indeed start when clicking on a folder, it opens it in a new window, instead of the current one (this is especially problematic when using folder view), overriding the file options “display” settings.

I phoned our hotline, but the support guy could not help me and only offered a billable OS reinstallation… or suggested that I dive into the registry to try and restore the default behaviour myself, which I’m willing to do… with a bit of your help.

So here’s my question : how can I restore the default “open folder in the same window” without having to reinstall the whole OS ?

Thanks for reading me !

Regards from France,
breversa

(Edit : typos)

Topic

Clarifications

In reply to How to restore Windows Explorer default behaviour ?

Clarifications

system restore

In reply to How to restore Windows Explorer default behaviour ?

why not just do a system restore to a time before you made changes/installed software.

Reponse To Answer

In reply to system restore

Hello Sue,
I’d like to point out that my issue does not come from installing CubicExplorer, but from tweaking the default “Files folder” actions. But I indeed did not think of restoring to a previous date. Thanks for your suggestion, I’ll try it first thing tomorrow morning (GMT+1). 🙂

Reponse To Answer

In reply to system restore

Hello again,

As you suggested, I did a system restore to a date before my changes, and it solved my problem ! Thanks a lot ! 😀

I did not think of this solution because the windows system restoration feature is way too blurry to me : what files are concerned ? How are they saved/restored ? As a Linux guy, I don’t like it when the system does something without giving me any detail ; this feels like being told “Let me do this alone, you don’t need to know what I’m doing, you’re too dumb to understand anyway”. 🙁

However, the facts are here : the system restoration “magic” solved my problem.

Thanks Sue ! 🙂

I’m happy it took care

In reply to How to restore Windows Explorer default behaviour ?

of your problem. System restore is un-doing any changes you made to the computer since the date of the restore point you choose. It does not delete or change any of your documents and is usually worth trying as a possible quick fix.

Reponse To Answer

In reply to I’m happy it took care

Yeah… It’s just that “undoing ANY change” is way too vague to me. I need details ! 🙂

Anyway, thanks again.

[Author]

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