Windows registry entries for default explorer view
I'm making an automated installer for Windows XP, and I want the default view to be the "details" view on all folders - that is, the effect gotten by setting one folder to the details view, then going to Tools -> Folder Options -> View -> "Apply to All Folders". I also want the status bar to be showing, same as going View -> Show Status Bar.
What registry entries should I modify, and to what, to have this be the case?
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams
"Settings"=hex:08,00,00,00,04,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,77,7e,13,73,35,cf,11,ae,\ 69,08,00,2b,2e,12,62,04,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,43,00,00,00
.
However, as you can see the data is in an uncomprehensible format. The bold, fifth hexadecimal value in my example indicates the display style setting. Possible values:
01: Large Icons
02: Small Icons
03: List View
04: Details
. There may be others.
. Source of Information
.
Tested on XP SP3:
Save as bat file and run
:: Show Status Bar reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main" /v StatusBarOther /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f :: Apply Details view to All Folders reg add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams /v Settings /t REG_BINARY ^ /d 08000000040000000000000000777E137335CF11AE6908002B2E1262040000001000000043000000 /f :: Restart explorer taskkill /f /im explorer.exe start explorer.exe
Some clues on the cryptic binary string:
080000000300000000000000E0A51F0E7335CF11AE6908002B2E1262040000001000000043000000 08000000040000000000000000777E137335CF11AE6908002B2E1262040000001000000043000000 | | | | Mode CLSID with first 3 segments in small endian
CLSID Key Description Mode {0057D0E0-3573-11CF-AE69-08002B2E1262} Icons 1 {0E1FA5E0-3573-11CF-AE69-08002B2E1262} List 3 {137E7700-3573-11CF-AE69-08002B2E1262} Details 4 {8BEBB290-52D0-11D0-B7F4-00C04FD706EC} Thumbnail 5 {65F125E5-7BE1-4810-BA9D-D271C8432CE3} Tiles 6 {8EEFA624-D1E9-445B-94B7-74FBCE2EA11A} Filmstrip 7
Handling Already Saved Folder Views
If you want to apply this to folders with saved view settings, then you can run the below script that has added logic in it from the Option One as listed on Reset Folder View Settings of All Folders
:: To reset folder view settings of all folders
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /F
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /F
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags" /F
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU" /F
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /F
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /F
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Wow6432Node\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /F
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Wow6432Node\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /F
:: To reset size of details, navigation, preview panes to default
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Modules\GlobalSettings\Sizer" /F
:: Show Status Bar
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main" /v StatusBarOther /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Apply Details view to All Folders
reg add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams /v Settings /t REG_BINARY ^
/d 08000000040000000000000000777E137335CF11AE6908002B2E1262040000001000000043000000 /f
:: To kill and restart explorer
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe
You could have found by yourself:
- Export the registry key
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
- Change the Explorer option you are interested in
- Export the registry key
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
again - Use a "diff" tool such as WinMerge to find the differences between the 2 files.