How many have been blessed by the latest upgrade of microsoft's Windows Explorer? Instead of the array of icons across the bottom of the screen, we now have a little icon with an up/down arrow which, for a Poserite, is a goddam nightmare when switching between Poser, graphics package, and your latest download. Where's Judge Lynch when you need him?

what upgrade? did I miss something? check out http://www.explorerxp.com/ for a pretty good replacement for the "official" explorer

Message edited on: 11/22/2005 11:12

I guess that I did too. Instead of Windows Explorer, I use a 'real' replacement called DirectoryOpus. It actually gags Explorer and runs in its stead.

It happened in the night ... under cover of darkness ... without warning too.

How about a screen shot showing what you mean? I'm more than a little confused s there are no updates for Explorer available that I can see on the Microstiff site.

That's why I use old style Explorer. (Win2K version) And Firefox for browsing.

Message edited on: 11/22/2005 14:49

ere are a few tips if you use WinXP. Some of these are to be used with caution. Everything was virus checked with NOD32 and is clean. (And if you've never heard of NOD32 - time to go look at it.) This is the list of tweaks which I apply no matter what, come hell or high water, on any clean XP install. 1. Get out of Teletubby Land. Right click on My Computer and select Properties/Advanced/Performance Settings. Click Best Performance. Click ok. Done. Reset the damn background to something, ANYTHING but the default one. Ahhhhhh..... so much better. 2. Setting folders the way they bloody well should be - FUNCTIONAL Open My Documents. In the View menu, select Status Bar, List, and Arrange Icons by Name. Next, right click on an empty spot in the My Documents toolbar and select Customize. Choose any of the Available Toolbar Buttons you wish (or remove) and click Add / Remove. Click to the Tools menu and select Folder Options. Under the View tab, tell XP to show you the full path, to show hidden and system files, not to hide any file extensions, and not to hide protected folders--plus any other settings you want. When you have the folder options set the way you desire, click the "Apply to all folders" button at the top of the dialog. This adjusts all windows opened by Explorer, so they'll inherit the visual choices you made for this one window. (You can always reset it if you don't like it.) 3. I liked the old search, thank you very much If you want to use the classic search engine in the Internet Explorer Start Regedit Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerMain If it is not there, create a String Value of Use Search Asst Give it a value of no If you prefer to use the classic search style in Explorer, Start Regedit Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerCabinetState Add a String Key called Use Search Asst Give it a value of no (I have a registry file for both of those, if anyone wants them) 4. OMFG! OVERKILL! Right click on the Recycle Bin, select Properties, and on the Global tab, decide how much space you want the Recycle Bin to consume. It does not need that much. Do you really need to keep over a gig of deleted files? PER DRIVE? Check those settings, they are nuts. Make sure you adjust them per drive. You think that's nuts? You're in for a shock. Open Internet Explorer, and select Tools/Internet Options. Under Temporary Internet Files, click the Settings button and select a reasonable size for this cache area. Generally speaking, if you have a fast connection, 5 Mbytes to 10 Mbytes is adequate; 25 Mbytes or so is usually enough with a slower dial-up connection. On my machine, XP would like to store 916mb of temporary files. I DON'T THINK SO, Mr. Gates! 5. I have my own graphics prog I want to use to view pics, go away Win Fax/Picture viewer If the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer is set as the default for many of your graphic file types, you can remove it so other graphics programs can be used. Run Regedit Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT / SystemFileAssociations / image / ShellEx / ContextMenuHandlers Delete the key ShellImagePreview (Got a registry file for that one too) 6. Guest? I don't have no stinkin guests. Do I look like a B&B! For security purposes, you might want to turn off the Guest account Open up the Control Panel Click on User Accounts Click on Change an account Click on the Guest account Click Turn off the guest account 7. Ain't got no fast users either! Open Control panel. User Accounts. Then "Change the way users log on". Turn off the welcome screen and fast user switching. Apply options. 8. Stop the damn error reporting already! Right click on the My Computer icon on the desktop Select Properties / Advanced Click on the Error Reporting tab Check Disable error reporting No more damned popups when it goes wrong. 9. If I want a baloon I go to a fair! To turn off balloon tips in applications that support XP Themes: Start Regedit Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced Create a DWORD value of EnableBalloonTips Give it a value of 0 (Again, I have a reg file if anyone wants it) 10. Internet time server! You can set your system clock to a time server on the Internet. Double-click the time on your taskbar Click the Internet Time tab Check Automatically synchronize with an Internet time server Click on the Update Now button 11. Increasing System Performance If you have 512 megs or more of memory, you can increase system performance by having the core system kept in memory. Start Regedit Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlSession ManagerMemory ManagementDisablePagingExecutive Set the value to be 1 Reboot the computer (BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THIS!!!) (Got reg file for it) 12. NUMLOCK! Give it BACK! To have numlock turned on for each user: Start Regedit Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelKeyboardInitialKeyboardIndicators Change the value from 0 to 2 Turn Numlock on manually Log off and back on again. For all users, make the same change to HKEY_USERS.DEFAULTControl PanelKeyboardInitialKeyboardIndicators (Got reg file for it) 13. Open Windows Explorer with all drives showing and the system folder expanded Open the shortcut. On the first line, put %SystemRoot%explorer.exe /e Save the shortcut. Done.

Do you mean your taskbar? The bar that runs across the bottom of your screen? I've never seen anything like what you're describing, but it is possible to customise the taskbar in various ways (sometimes accidentally), depending on what version of Windows you're using. This may be an XP feature that I'm not familiar with. If you right-click on a blank part of the mouse bar, and select Properties, you may find something in there that will help.

Quote - How many have been blessed by the latest upgrade of microsoft's Windows Explorer?

I don't see any updates for Windows Explorer. Are you sure you got an official update or a dreaded spyware program?

Right-click on the Taksbar at the bottom of the screen. Choose Properties. When the Properties dialog appears, UNCHECK the option that says "Group Similar Taskbar Buttons." Done. If you really don't like Windows making decisions for you, also UNCHECK the "Hide inactive icons" option down at the bottom under Notification Area.

If this is the case, sounds like too many applications running on too little Screen Resolution. These days, I wouldn't go below 1024x768 (and recommend 1600x1200 or larger). If you have an LCD, the best it can do. Another trick is to unlock the Taskbar and drag the top edge upwards. This will add 'rows' so that more icons/application buttons can be displayed before such things occur. Then relock afterwards. If you really can't increase Screen Resolution and the Taskbar with added rows takes up to much real estate, check "Auto-hide the Taskbar".

LOL @ Silke!! NOW I know why I didn't upgrade to XP when I upgraded my PC:-)) (I stuck with Win 2k Pro for different reasons; it worked, and I didn't want to fork out 300 odd for a different operating system.) Trust Microsoft to come up with a solution that is stamped all over with: "Look, you don't know what you are doing, so we'll do it for you. And even if you DO know what you're doing you'll have to look darned hard to find a way to turn it off. WE KNOW what you want! And you better believe it!" Cheers, Diolma

I'm pretty sure that Jimdoria had the correct fix. I have been wondering how to get rid of that problem myself, but never took the time to research it. Thank you Jimdoria for the simple fix. I am a happy camper now! If that is not the fix that Huolong was looking for, at least your post helped me. Thanks again!

It went away, just as silently as it came.

@Diolma Oh I read you, dear! I didn't want to upgrade to XP. I fought long and hard against it. Win2K worked and worked well. It was FAR less memory hungry, far more stable than XP. It was like... Win98 vs WinNT4 workstation. Gimme Workstation any day. But work required me to learn XP so I ended up installing the darn thing. I hated it. (Still do) Teletubby Land... cutesey icons... a rubberducky as a login icon... XP was designed for 3 year olds, I kid you not. And even now I wouldn't touch XP Home with a ten foot pole. It's Satan, I'm telling you. BURN it. It's evil! So since I refused to enter teletubby land... I hacked the bejezus out of the registry until it looked, felt and responded like Win2K. I can live with it now. Just a shame I have to do it on every new install. :/

I use WinXP, admittedly I had to hack it to pieces to get rid of the Teletubbyness but it's rock solid compared to WinME (I shudder as I remember the day I installed that nightmare).

Most people don't moan and groan when they have a new version of an app, and have to invest time and effort to learn what's new and care even less to chase habits when getting into what's been changed. But when it comes to boring fundamentals like an OS, they complain. Why? An OS has to be created for a specific target group.mac has, traditionally, more the grapghic industry behind it, while Windows controls administration and about ninety percent of home users. Therefore win os can indeed be shockingly naive for experienced users outside the admin and the average home user. But when you learn to know it and you can tweak it a bit -to get P5 running ok you need serial packs, get rid of the content tab and enter code again to be able to see all your thumbnails- you do get a quite ok OS. I have used 2K, but prefer XP for many things. Not the indeed- silly interface and icons (I have a similar dislike against OSX) but its stability and the implementation of restore points. etcetcetc. my idea

Jimdoria has the right suggestion for the question. Interestingly, I actually like that feature. I keep tons of windows open at one time at work, and it has been a boon to me at work to be able to go to the taskbar, and locate all of my grouped apps quickly. I still use W2k at home with Poser, so I don't know how it would affect that, but like I said, it has been a boon for me work-wise.

Nice post, Silke.

My problem with Microsoft's approach is that they choose to use a paternalistic (sometimes to the point of condescending) attitude to their users. By default, all the "We know better than you do" features are turned on, and the ways to turn them off are usually hidden deep in the "only ultra-experts" areas.

(The ones that aren't I've forgotten about, 'cos I've already turned them off..)

IF they offered their products with installation (or even post-installation) options for "beginners/advanced/expert" users, I'd be far happier..

Cheers,
Diolma

Message edited on: 11/23/2005 15:33

more tips for XP : http://majorgeeks.com/page.php?id=12 use this to turn off a lot of services you don't need / use. really makes things stable and fast :) (use the Safe config first - you can fine tune from there) it's worth doing. my XP Pro just glides along.. add on the best windows shell I've found for Speed and Stability - http://www.astonshell.com/aston/ and you've got a totally stable system. I normally have up times in weeks now.. I only have to take her down if I do an update or install.. :) also - dump Internut Exploder and get something like Firefox. this is not the old security arguement.. just that Firefox is more stable and faster than Internut Exploder...

My system bluescreened like... once. In uh... 2 years. BTW - check out NOD32 (nod32.com) as a very good Antivirus solution. I know most people use Norton, but this is not only much smaller, it's also not as intrusive. Not to mention it often beats the pants of most Antivirus solutions out there. I've run NOD32 for over 2 years now. Not a single virus. Ever.

hmm.. not heard of that one.. I'll stick with my AVG - daily updates and free... (or $38.99. total. thats it. no "for 1 year")

I use WinXP but I haven't used Windows Explorer for years. I downloaded 2xExplorer when I had Win98 and I still use it with XP. I love it and for Poser users, it is a great tool (for installing runtimes). ;o)

There is a free version of PowerDesk still out there for the Googling. I bought it with Fix-It for my NT machines, and I run the free one at work on XP just fine. It has a bit of trouble with mini-CDs for some reason, but otherwise it's all the explorer I need. At home, I used the best fix for XP: abstinence. M

I just love the XP bashing :) whats next? poser six bashing? ooops had that already.. daz bashing? nope.. had that non daz bashing? nope had that microsoft bashing? nope.. had that oh I know! lets bash those that don't bash anything! they've not been bashing yet... gotta love the forums..

Khai -- You left out "bashing the folks who bash things." I'm sure it was an oversight. I can fax you a drumstick.... M

nono
no oversight
we had those booked for the next answer.. as you proved :)

Message edited on: 11/24/2005 11:17