Windows Explorer in Win XP

[pesuki]

How can I get My Documents minimised in Windows Explorer?

 

[pat mcgroin]

Im pretty sure this is what youre after because I didnt like it either.
Right click the WExplorer icon and change the target line

Mine reads %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n,/e,c:\
It just shows the different drives and folders with none expanded

If you want it both ways or different ways you can create more shortcuts and change that line to read anything that you want to get to specific areas eg. music, external drives, letters to Santa etc.

I goto certain areas of storage often and this is much easier than opening WExplorer and having to drill down to the specific area each time I need to see something.
Just be sure to give each new shortcut a useful name, and remember they can be 126 characters long.

 

[pesuki]

Im pretty sure this is what youre after because I didnt like it either.
Right click the WExplorer icon and change the target line

Mine reads %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n,/e,c:\
It just shows the different drives and folders with none expanded
/quotemsg]

I'm sorry, but when I tried this, I am getting Drive C expanded. I copy-pasted the target line from the above post so I'm sure I wasn't guilty of any typo.

There is no particular file I want expanded under Explorer I just want a compact view showing all drives so that I can expand whichever I need at a particular moment.

Can you or any other member help?

 

[pat mcgroin]

Oops sorry your right.
I was on Vista when I typed that and it is set up differently.

Just delete the ,c:\ from the end and the c: drive wont be expanded.

 

[pesuki]

Oops sorry your right.
I was on Vista when I typed that and it is set up differently.

Just delete the ,c:\ from the end and the c: drive wont be expanded.

I'm sorry I'm still not getting it. You mean delete the part [ ,c:\ ] or just the letter c from that part?

I have now made so many changes experimenting with the possibilities that I do not even have the original target line. My present target line reads:

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e, E:

It opens with drive E expanded because my drive E is the least cluttered. But if I want to have everything minimised how should I change it? It would help if you can give me the entire line so that I can copy-paste it.

I'm sorry - I'm a novice (at age 71, living in a Senior Citizens Home in Chennai, India) and I need to be led by hand every step of the way.

And I should have specified that I am using Win XP Pro, the version pre-loaded in the old Dell laptop that a grandnephew dumped on me!

 

[pat mcgroin]

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n,/e
Paste that in there and you should be all set to go.

 

[pesuki]

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n,/e
Paste that in there and you should be all set to go.

Sorry, that gives me Drive C expanded, I don't know why...

If one of the drives/folders must necessarily be expanded, I would prefer to have E, with the target line:

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e, E:

 

[pat mcgroin]

Ok this time I actually went into XP instead of trying to remember what to do.
Sorry, Im pretty lazy sometimes.
I think this will work for you.
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,

This opens in the my computer section with all drives and user folders listed.
I tried what I told you to do and guess what? It did exactly as you said and I didnt like it either,

At first it looks a bit like what the my computer icon shows but you will see the differences.
If you want yours set up like mine you can change to details and then select the details that you would like to see under the view|choose details menu and set it however you would like.
You can also change the column width by grabbing the little line at the edge of the column name at the top and pull it to the width you desire.
Once you have it the way that you want you can use tools|folder options|view and apply to all folders to keep it the same.

Also you are correct by putting the E: at the end will highlight the E: directory.
You can also create extra shortcuts and then create custom paths to goto any place that you want with only one click.
eg name the shortcut Santa and use the line
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,e:\documents\letters\letters to santa
Below is a link to some other examples that can be used
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314853

If you need any more help please post back and I promise I will do a better and faster job of answering you.

 

[pesuki]

Thank you, Pat McGroin, I copy-pasted the target line you gave, and it worked like a charm ! This is exactly what I wanted. And I followed up on changing the details I wanted the way I want them to appear, and now I'm happy.

As for other shortcuts, objects, roots etc. I don't think I need to do any more tinkering at my current level of inexperience, but if I badly want any folder to open when I click on my Windows Explorer, I shall venture, knowing that expert help is on hand on this forum.

THANKS.

Ok this time I actually went into XP instead of trying to remember what to do.
Sorry, Im pretty lazy sometimes.
I think this will work for you.
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,

This opens in the my computer section with all drives and user folders listed.
I tried what I told you to do and guess what? It did exactly as you said and I didnt like it either,

At first it looks a bit like what the my computer icon shows but you will see the differences.
If you want yours set up like mine you can change to details and then select the details that you would like to see under the view|choose details menu and set it however you would like.
You can also change the column width by grabbing the little line at the edge of the column name at the top and pull it to the width you desire.
Once you have it the way that you want you can use tools|folder options|view and apply to all folders to keep it the same.

Also you are correct by putting the E: at the end will highlight the E: directory.
You can also create extra shortcuts and then create custom paths to goto any place that you want with only one click.
eg name the shortcut Santa and use the line
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,e:\documents\letters\letters to santa
Below is a link to some other examples that can be used
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314853

If you need any more help please post back and I promise I will do a better and faster job of answering you.