Open Each folder in its own window Bug

FWIW I've been analyzing this problem - i.e. the fact that Vista ignores the
Open Each folder in its own window setting. I find this a major usability
aggravation. In case anyone is interested, when changing this option it
toggles the 5th byte in the Settings key below between 0a for open in same
window and 2a for open in own window. I tried some experimentation with the
values (looking at what XP uses) with no success. If nothing else, this
indicates that the problem is not in Folder Options failing to save a
setting, but in Vista failing to use it.

[HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-922192377-234827669-2519656814-1000\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Exp lorer\CabinetState]
"Settings"=hex:0c,00,02,00,2a,01,00,00,60,00,0 0,00

If anyone has any other info about this or any work around, please let us
know.

[painterr]

If you right click on the folder and select "Open" it will open in a new
windows. If you select "Explore" it will open in the same window. Explore is
the default action. If you can change that it should fix it.

This does not work for me. And... ticking "open each folder in its own
window" from "Organize / Folder and search options has no effect. The only
way I can get multiple folder windows to open is to right click a folder and
left click "open".
Or turn off "Organize / layout /Navigation pane.
Seems like there was a time when I did not have this problem.


can anyone post step by step instructions so a noob like me can fix this
problem?
Enlarge on the situation ? ( Tell us more )

Thanks. That's a good point and a lead to some further research.
So far there doesn't seem to be any way to change that default action. (I'm
still researching that.) It's interesting that if you do right click to
Open, the folder always opens in it's own Window, regardless of the "Open
Each folder in its own window" setting. An option to Explore in own window
by double clicking would be acceptable, but doesn't exist either. (right
clicking and selecting Open folder location is the manual equivalent.) The
upshot seems to be that there's just no way to open or explore a folder by
double clicking it rather than having to right click and select menu
options.
I guess a lot of people wouldn't care, but I find it a major annoyance
inconvenience when I want open a number of folders to work with or organize
files.

[cuneyt]

You can check the setting below in the registry:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell

(Default) setting must be have a value of "(Value not set)

This makes windows to use the setting in the folder options.

If the default setting is open windows opens every folder in seperate window; if the setting is expore windows opens every folder in same window without regarding to the setting you specified in folder options.

[Nou Bary]

Hi, I have the same problem and resolve following these steps:

- copy the values data of COMPUTER\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\open\comma nd : (Default) and DelegateExecute to

COMPUTER\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\explore\co mmand respectively but delete the word /separate from de default value and, in case, DelegateExecute does not exists create and paste the value of DelegateExecute from the Open Key.


At the end, You will have the following value in the key COMPUTER\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\explore\co mmand :

(Default) -> "%SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe /idlist,%I,%L" .

DelegateExecute -> value of "COMPUTER\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\explore\c ommand\DelegateExecute"

After that, the parameter works ok, means, if you select open each folder in the same window or open in its own windows, works as should be.

Hi I'm having this same stupid problem. I did the basic check of
checking the folder options but I had it set to "open in same window"
I then checked my registry (even if I am exceedingly hesitant to even
mess with it) for that specified value and it was "Value not set"
I rebooted my computer many times to no avail.

Being the terrible OS noob that I am, please help me in my terrible
plight! It's driving me nuts!

*Edit: I forgot to mention that all of this occurred promptly after I
installed the recent MS Office 2007 patch/update (great job MS...)

Forgive me but what exactly is the problem you have now specifically that
you didn't have before? You say

"Hi I'm having this same stupid problem." Okay. And what is the problem?
Is it that the folders won't open in a new window and now they're opening in
the same window? When you type "control folders" (loose the quotes) in the
run box, and check either "show all folders" or automatically expand to
current folder" does a check in each or either help?

What can't you do that you now want to do?

Does this help you? It tells how to get the folder open in a new Window in
Vista?

OR

BTW have you tried a restore point prior to when you had the problem that
you think is secondary to installing an Office SP of some type for some
version of Office?

Are these any help at all since I'm left guessing about what your problem
actually is with folders?

"Open Containing Folder" in Search for Files and Folders does not workWhen
you perform a file search, and then click the Open Containing Folder in the
context menu of the Search Results window, instead of opening the parent ...

How to Make Folders Appear as Cascading Menu in the Quick Launch ...Some
people would like to view the contents of the folder (cascaded as a list)
rather than opening the folder when clicked. Here is how to make folders in

I apologize, I was not specific enough - the problem is that the
folders ALWAYS open in a new window.
Like I said, I tried the fixes (going into the folder options and
making sure the option to open it in the same window is checked, which
it is/was) and checking my registry.
Despite this, it still opens in a new window.

I have not tried the restore point method, but as I go to look at the
nearest restore point, it happens to be the day that this Office service
pack was installed. It was apparently also installed with a bunch of
other windows patches/updates, which I stand to lose if I restore...

What should I do?

Thanks for the info but have you specifically tried the two fixes for this
in the link below

It may be a contest between how badly you want to fix this as to whether you
use System Restore. Windows Update should automatically pick up any
hotfixes you lose from using the restore point if you do in fact loose any.
You can copy the list from Add/Remove into a notepad of Windows Updates and
then match it against the list after you use a restore point. Or you can
try these two fixes below:

FIX #1:

Scroll down to #4 in the above link:

4. To Open the Folder in the Same Window -
A) Click on Explore.
NOTE: If Open is bolded instead, then turn on the Navigation Pane from step
2. You can also just click or double click on the folder to open it in the
same window.

Fix #2:

Open in the Same Window (Explore) is the default setting. This will show you
how to have Explore or Open (separate) set as the default for OPTION ONE
above.

1. Open a Windows Explorer window.

2. Open Folder Options.
NOTE: For how, see: How to Open and Change Folder Options in Vista

3. To Always Open the Folder in the Same Window -
A) Dot Open each folder in the same window. (See screenshot below step 4)

B) Click on OK.
NOTE: You can now just click on the folder, or right click on the folder and
click on Explore, to always open it in the same window.

C) 5. Close Folder Options and the Windows Explorer window when done

or this automatic regedit from Ramesh:

It was designed for XP, but it may well work in Vista.

I started seeing this problem a few months ago too, and it can be really
annoying, especially when you're trying to do side by side comparisons
of files in different folders, and Vista won't allow you to open up
different folders in different windows. Of course, the "right-click and
Open" option does work as an alternative, but really slows me down.

Anyway, I have discovered that the bug only exists when you have the
"Folders" pane expanded in the left pane. If you minimize the "Folders"
pane in the left pane, then Vista will behave properly and go by the
setting you have in Tools -- Folder Options -- Browse -- Open each
folder in its own window. But once the "Folders" pane is maximized in
the left pane, Vista will completely ignore this setting.

Hope Microsoft can fix this, but in the meantime, just minimize those
folders in the left pane.

[Worf]

All you have to do to force folders to open in their own window is edit the following:
COMPUTER\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell
Default = open

I have tried the following 3 methods:

Organize > Layout > "Navpane" deselect

COMPUTER\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell
Default = open

Tools -- Folder Options -- Browse -- Open each folder in its own
window.

Reboot..

Still this prob persists.....

Please help me from infinite window hell

Try to restore defaults first, close the windows and then change the setting
to open each folder in its own window. Open Explorer, select Organize, then
Folder Options, then restore defaults.