Win XP Explorer tree structure

S

sailor

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 1, 2002
Messages
158
I have mostly stuck with Win98se until now but I have one system running Win XP and I am having to deal with it in spite of my dislike of many of its features.

One thing I absolutely *hate* about Explorer in WinXP is how it presents the tree in the left panel. There I can see folders which are not really there but are actually shortcuts. For example, directly under the desktop I see "my documents" and a bunch of folders under that when in reality that folder is in disk C. Directly under "My PC" I also see a bunch of folders which are in reality buried in disk C. If I access the XP computer from the network I see a bunch of folders which are also buried deeper in disk C.

I *hate* this. It just confuses the reality of where folders really are. I want to see them where they really are and I do not want to see virtual shortcuts all over the place.

Is there any way to have Windows Explorer show the actual tree structure like it does in win9X? No virtual folders or shortcuts, just the real things.
 
I'm not trying to turn this into a flame war, but seriously....THAT'S the reason why you've decided to stay with an old, archaic operating system? Because you can't handle the fact My Documents show up in a easy to find place for the millions and millions of computer users who can't grasp the actual directory structure? Wow.

Microsoft moved "My Documents" to the top of the Explorer view so the average user can easily find their documents. MS Office defaults to this folder. It's quite obvious your not working in a corporate setting, or else you'd understand that the majority of people need everything displayed as easy as possible for them. If they need to use any thought to remember where they stored a document, all hope is lost.
 
sailor said:
Is there any way to have Windows Explorer show the actual tree structure like it does in win9X? No virtual folders or shortcuts, just the real things.
Click to expand...

That's a good question, and something I've wondered, too.

And now that you've been scolded for not liking the way the tree is laid out in XP, and hopefully learned the error of your ways, let's see if someone can actually answer it.
 
It wasn't meant to be a scolding. I'm just shocked that such a trivial thing about an OS is keeping someone back in Win98, instead of upgrading to XP. That's like saying you don't want to upgrade to XP because you didn't like the color of the box it came in.

It also bugs me a little when people complain about something Microsoft does that's meant to make things easier for the average user. Few bother to realize Microsoft is a business, and they need to make products targeting the masses, and not just a small percentage of power users. When you work in a corporate setting, you see real examples everyday of why computers need to be as easy as possible to use.

But, to be productive, I personally have never seen an option to change it. I'm not saying it can't be done, I've just never seen it. I am just blown away that someone wouldn't use XP just because it shows one extra directory.

On a side note, you do know you can change the explorer shortcut to go directly to any folder you wish, right? In the target box, type %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e, "D:\" Replace D:\ with any path you wish.
 
There might be an options in the tweakUI tools to remove those context menus.

 
sailor,

This feature has also annoyed me for quite some time as well. I asked a friend if it was possible to disable it, and he said he'd look into it, but he did think it possible. I haven't heard back from him (I posed the question nearly a month ago), but I will surely follow up this evening and determine his progress.

djnes said:
I'm not trying to turn this into a flame war, but seriously....THAT'S the reason why you've decided to stay with an old, archaic operating system? Because you can't handle the fact My Documents show up in a easy to find place for the millions and millions of computer users who can't grasp the actual directory structure? Wow.
Click to expand...
Notice the phrases "my dislike of many of its features" and "One thing I absolutely *hate* about Explorer in WinXP" in the opening statements. The OP is quite clearly disatisfied with more than this one annoyance about which he posted asking for help, which is not the sum total of reasons for not switching to XP. Your response was off topic, your shock is quite clearly misplaced, and the tone of your post derogatory and insulting.

BTW, you'd be hard pressed to find a single user on these boards who does not recognize Microsoft's mega-business status and the market segments their products target. Your annoyance with the unwashed masses and their ignorance concerning Microsoft's targeted users should not apply to this forum. EDIT: I did not mean for this to sound like an order. Just an FYI that I think voicing this type of annoyance in this particular forum isn't the most productive activity.
 
Um, the "My Documents" symbolic link hearkens back to the Win 98 version of the exact same thing anyway, the only difference in it is the location of the actual folder (which, by the way, at least XP allows you to move).

If you are bitching about the file structure because you dislike symbolic links, then you should stop using any modern operating system, because every time you open anything from a website to your Control Panel in Windows you are working with links.

Sorry, but the only way to avoid this is to go back to using DOS. Have fun.
 
MEfreak said:
blah blah blah
Click to expand...
If you do a lot of reading on the OS Forum, you'll find that quite a few people don't realize how Microsoft has to practice it's business. Search for "SP2" as an example. You should spend more time around here before you go around lecturing other people. If you didn't appreciate my post, move along. Your accusing me of being unproductive, but then you do the same thing....hypocritical? I think so. My shock was not displaced, and after your post, you have absolutely zero room to point the finger at anyone else and accuse them of being derogatory and insulting. If you'd like to have a mature discussion, I'd be happy to participate. If you have something negative to say about me, read the rules, then PM me your comments.
 
GreNME said:
Sorry, but the only way to avoid this is to go back to using DOS. Have fun.
Click to expand...
There's always Windows For Workgroups 3.11. I still have my floppy install disks.
 
GreNME said:
Um, the "My Documents" symbolic link hearkens back to the Win 98 version of the exact same thing anyway, the only difference in it is the location of the actual folder (which, by the way, at least XP allows you to move).

If you are bitching about the file structure because you dislike symbolic links, then you should stop using any modern operating system, because every time you open anything from a website to your Control Panel in Windows you are working with links.

Sorry, but the only way to avoid this is to go back to using DOS. Have fun.
Click to expand...

Guy comes in here and says he doesn't like the way Explorer displays the tree in XP, and asks for help changing it.
Instead of trying to help, you choose to insult him?
 
Come on folks, MEfreak is right.

He asked for help on how to remove the item from the view. Help or don't post, you're crossing the line recommending DOS/WFWG and you guys know it...

Furthermore it's FRIDAY. If you can't be happy about that I can try to come up with a cookie. :D

 
Phoenix86 said:
If you can't be happy about that I can try to come up with a cookie. :D

Click to expand...
Can you find that cookie, because I'm leaving this weekend for a week long business trip, so I'm not happy despite it being Friday. I am going to a Black Label Society concert tonight though, so I'm happy about that.
 
djnes said:
Can you find that cookie, because I'm leaving this weekend for a week long business trip, so I'm not happy despite it being Friday. I am going to a Black Label Society concert tonight though, so I'm happy about that.
Click to expand...
Sorry, you fail to meet the required minimum requirements to obtain a cookie. Insert $.25 and play again. :p

edit: Possible Fix

 
I believe you can kill the My Documents links in the Start Bar settings (right click in the bar). The checkbox for it only says whether to display it on the Desktop, but it applies in Explorer as well.

As for seeing strange subdirectories (folder? What's a folder? :confused: ) when viewing it from the network, that's because of Shares. If you go into each directory's properties and the Sharing tab, you can easily get rid of those. Just disable the stupid Sharing Wizard. Wizards are one reason I stick to 2000.
 
t. shuffle said:
Guy comes in here and says he doesn't like the way Explorer displays the tree in XP, and asks for help changing it.
Instead of trying to help, you choose to insult him?
Click to expand...
I'm not insulting him. I'm saying that what he is asking help changing he may as well be asking help changing in 98 as well, which he is claiming as his preference. Windows 98 does the same damn thing.

w98explore-lnks.jpg


VMWare installs of multiple OSes is a good thing. ;)
 
rcolbert said:
VMWare rules the world.

Having a Windows 98 VM is like farting in church. :D
Click to expand...
Ha! I was thinking of sticking 3.1.1 on it as well. ;)
 
sailor,

Sorry, no luck on my end - my go to guy said he wasn't able to change the behavior. However, I am not totally convinced that he made a proper attempt, either ;)

GreNME said:
I'm not insulting him. I'm saying that what he is asking help changing he may as well be asking help changing in 98 as well, which he is claiming as his preference. Windows 98 does the same damn thing.
Click to expand...
Perfectly understandable that you'd want to point this out, as the OP did "slap" XP a bit for behavior that he at least implied does not occur in win 98.

That said, even if the behavior is identical in both OS versions, it cannot be changed, correct? This is how I read your previous response, but I want to make sure that I am reading it correctly.
 
As far as I know, it can be changed but would likely break a lot of functionality. Those symbolic links are built into installation, save-to, and operational paths. Sure, you could sit there and go through the registry and change every single instance so that things would work better, as well as making sure to manually check installation paths when putting new programs in, but that's still no guarantee.

The links are there to make it easy to get to stuff. I currently have my "My Documents" folder pointing to a 100 GB hard drive separate from the drive my install is pointed on. As far as my OS is concerned, all of the data the system used is under the single file system tree. It keeps things convenient even when I sandbox my data for safety and redundancy.

I don't know why someone wants to take that out of the OS. Can it be done? Theoretically, I guess so. Practically, it would be a pain in the ass.
 
djnes said:
I'm not trying to turn this into a flame war, but seriously....
Click to expand...
Well, you fooled me.
THAT'S the reason why you've decided to stay with an old, archaic operating system? Because you can't handle the fact My Documents show up in a easy to find place for the millions and millions of computer users who can't grasp the actual directory structure? Wow.
Click to expand...
The reasons I have for staying with Win98SE are none of your fucking business and I do not know what makes you think you are entitled to know.
Microsoft moved "My Documents" to the top of the Explorer view so the average user can easily find their documents. MS Office defaults to this folder.
Click to expand...
And I am not entitled to ask if it is possible for me, the non-average user, to disable that? Or do we all have to like the same style? When someone asks you for advice on what to buy his wife for her birthday do you also give him a speech about how fat and ugly she is and how he should dump her? Or does it occur to you that he may like her even if you don't? Do you lecture the Chinese for not using a phonetic alphabet which is so much easier? Do you think Americans should all learn Spanish, which has straight phonetic spelling, rather than the inconsistency of English? Do you think America should immediately change to the decimal metric system which is, obviously, superior? Or do you think people should be free to make their own choices?
It's quite obvious your not working in a corporate setting, or else you'd understand that the majority of people need everything displayed as easy as possible for them. If they need to use any thought to remember where they stored a document, all hope is lost.
Click to expand...
Look, Mr. Know-it-all, I do not know how old you are (although you sound like 17 going on 13) but I was probably already working in a corporate setting before you were born. And, even though English is my second language, I could also tell the difference between "your" and "you're", which you seem to mistake.
It wasn't meant to be a scolding. I'm just shocked that such a trivial thing about an OS is keeping someone back in Win98, instead of upgrading to XP. That's like saying you don't want to upgrade to XP because you didn't like the color of the box it came in.
Click to expand...
I did not say that and, even if I did, again, it is none of your fucking business. I probably wouldn't like your mother and yet, the fact that you are in this world is proof that someone did like her enough. I am not asking you to share my likes or dislikes. I asked a fucking question on how to do something. I did not ask your opinion on my tastes.
It also bugs me a little when people complain about something Microsoft does that's meant to make things easier for the average user.
Click to expand...
It bugs me when, instead of answering my question, you choose to tell me what I should like. Microsoft can do whatever the fuck they please and I am free to ask if it can be changed. And MS generally do provide all sorts of ways to customize their products to the preferences of the customer. I do not understand why you barge in here like I insulted your mother.
Few bother to realize Microsoft is a business, and they need to make products targeting the masses, and not just a small percentage of power users. When you work in a corporate setting, you see real examples everyday of why computers need to be as easy as possible to use.
Click to expand...
Again, what is so difficult about giving users the option of disabling that?
But, to be productive, I personally have never seen an option to change it. I'm not saying it can't be done, I've just never seen it.
Click to expand...
That's about the only pertinent thing you have said in response to my question.
I am just blown away that someone wouldn't use XP just because it shows one extra directory.
Click to expand...
I did not say I would not use XP for that reason and, even if that was my reason, IT IS NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS. How many times do I need to say it?

I get sick and tired that every time I ask a question on "how can I do X?", some self-righteous asshole feels the need to feel superior by telling me how wrong I am in wanting to do X. Look, the question is not whether doing X is a good idea. I am not asking for your opinion about doing X. I am asking for help in doing it. Go take your damn sense of superiority to some schoolyard where you can impress the kids. To me you are just an annoyance.
If you do a lot of reading on the OS Forum, you'll find that quite a few people don't realize how Microsoft has to practice it's business. Search for "SP2" as an example.
Click to expand...
Oh, give me me a break. This thread is not about the cosmological implications of Microsoft's business model. Please take your bullshit to some other thread and don't hijack this one.
You should spend more time around here before you go around lecturing other people. If you didn't appreciate my post, move along.
Click to expand...
The irony is just overwhelming. You come in to my thread to piss on it and then you ask people to move along if they don't like your posts. Did it occur to you to do the same thing?
Your accusing me of being unproductive, but then you do the same thing....hypocritical? I think so.
Click to expand...
If you do not see the irony you are too thick for words. And, I guess "working in a corporate setting" has still not taught you the difference between "your" and "you're". It makes me wonder what kind of "corporate setting" that might be.
My shock was not displaced, and after your post, you have absolutely zero room to point the finger at anyone else and accuse them of being derogatory and insulting. If you'd like to have a mature discussion, I'd be happy to participate. If you have something negative to say about me, read the rules, then PM me your comments.
Click to expand...
Please, kindly take your crap to another thread and do not hijack this one.

My thanks to those who had some positive help to offer. I will keep doing some tests and see what I can do.
 
GreNME said:
I'm not insulting him. I'm saying that what he is asking help changing he may as well be asking help changing in 98 as well, which he is claiming as his preference. Windows 98 does the same damn thing.
Click to expand...
I'll tell you what. You ask your own questions and let me ask mine, thankyouverymuch. I am old enough to know what I want to change and it is very well expressed and reflected on the OP. Don't tell me what I should be asking. I know what I want to ask. If you don't like the question please go and piss on some other thread.

WIN98 and WinXP are not the same in this respect. In WIN98se I have the "My Documents" show in one place in the tree only while in XP it shows up in *three* different places and *I* don't like it. I am not saying you should not like it. You can like it and I don't care. Good for you. But I don't like it. I like WIN98 which gives me the option of having it the way I like. I do not need to see the "My Documents" folder in triplicate. And if I need to get to it, or any other, in a hurry, I can always put a shortcut on the desktop. You know, like I always did with Win98SE.
 
Sailor: In my attempt to help, have you looked into alternative File Managment programs for Windows. Did a quick google (But I am sure you can do a more specific one for you needs) but these look like what you would want.

http://www.altap.cz/salam_en/osx_finder.html

http://www.uexplorer.com/file_manager_window_xp.htm

However, the "Base Structure" of Windows (having those 3 My Document Folders) Will still EXIST the file management programs don't have to display them (which is what you want). Installing programs and such will still dump them all over the place and use those 3 folders and what not, but the file management GUI won't display them. :) ...Did that even make sense? Haha. :p
 
abudhu, thanks for your input but this is not worth too much effort for me. I am running WIN98se in 4 machines and XP in one (mainly just for the few things where I need XP instead of WIN98se). It would be nice if i could do this but it is no big deal. I can live with it if I have to.

I just had an amusing exchange with an older lady. She asked my advice for a new computer. As all she does is send and receive a few wmails, I asked her what was the matter with her present computer and she said she had too many documents saved and "needed more memory" . I asked her if she meant more disk space but she said no, definitely more memory. After some questions I found out she thought she was saving her documents to memory, not to disk. I tried to explain that she was saving them to disk but she was adamant. No, she was saving them to "My Computer" and NOT to the disk. She was adamant. It was clear to her that she was saving to "My Computer" and, obviously to her, I had no clue. The computer said she was saving to "My Computer", not to disk, and Bill Gates wouldn't lie, would he?

Anyway, it was quite apparent that her system was sluggish because it was loaded with all sorts of crapware and all it needed was a good cleaning. But she wanted a new system with more memory and by golly she was going to get it. I told her any system would be good for her. . . for a few months, until it was loaded with crap again.
 
sailor said:
I'll tell you what. You ask your own questions and let me ask mine, thankyouverymuch. I am old enough to know what I want to change and it is very well expressed and reflected on the OP. Don't tell me what I should be asking. I know what I want to ask. If you don't like the question please go and piss on some other thread.

WIN98 and WinXP are not the same in this respect. In WIN98se I have the "My Documents" show in one place in the tree only while in XP it shows up in *three* different places and *I* don't like it. I am not saying you should not like it. You can like it and I don't care. Good for you. But I don't like it. I like WIN98 which gives me the option of having it the way I like. I do not need to see the "My Documents" folder in triplicate. And if I need to get to it, or any other, in a hurry, I can always put a shortcut on the desktop. You know, like I always did with Win98SE.
Click to expand...
I don't think you are really getting it here. What you may think you see as different is really the same thing, so what you are getting angry about is your own misconception based on your assumption to begin with. No one here can help you with that, I'm afraid.

What you seem to be demanding is that Windows XP be Windows 98. Many people have done this, for reasons varying from dislike of change to only having just figured out the "98 way" and now having to figure out a whole new paradigm. Maybe you're somewhere in-between, and maybe you're somewhere completely different. I don't care, as that's your own prerogative. The thing is that what you are asking is for XP to not have something that even Windows 98 has, or that you want it to work like 98 and not a real multi-user operating system (no argument is ever going to prove Windows 98 is a multi-user OS, but you're welcome to try).

So bitch at me about pissing on your thread or whatever all you want, but what I am telling you is the truth that you seem unwilling to hear: you want the impossible and the impractical. If you're so dead-set on having an older version of Explorer, there are ways you can replace Explorer with an older version with XP. Hell, if it blows your skirt up you can go ahead and use Progman.exe until your heart's content. What you can't do is make the newer Explorer be the older Explorer. You may as well be asking how to turn a new plasma television into a UHF black & white CRT television.

If you want to replace your Windows shell with an older version, then start here. Stop asking how to turn Windows XP into Windows 98, because it's a nonsensical request.
 
GreNME said:
I don't think you are really getting it here. What you may think you see as different is really the same thing, so what you are getting angry about is your own misconception based on your assumption to begin with. No one here can help you with that, I'm afraid.
Click to expand...
I am not getting angry about anything. I am annoyed with people like you who piss over threads when they have nothing useful to offer. Others here have understood perfectly what I wanted to do and have given me useful information. If the answer is that what I want cannot be done, then that's the answer. I do not need your stupid lectures on how stupid I am for wanting what I want. There are people like you in almost every thread and it is pretty annoying. People with nothing constructive to offer, only stupid criticism. This place would be much better off without people like you. Please go away and leave me alone.
 
Sailor, try my possible fix?

GreNME, you gave the warnings that it'd be a PIA, but can you help him change the behavior? It's obvious he still wants to...

 
Phoenix86 said:
Sailor, try my possible fix?
Click to expand...
Yes, thanks, I did try it but I could not get it to work. It seemed to make no difference, for good or for bad. It was worth the try though.

Anyway, it's not a big deal for me. I was wondering if there was an easy way of doing it but it is not something I want to spend a lot of effort on. Thanks anyway.
 
SAILOR:


To my knowledge it is not possible to change that behaviour in WinXP. If I understand the question correctly, you are wanting to see the Direct My Documents folder for the logged in user directly, yes? I don't believe that is possible under the 2K/XP interface, because of the way the OS handles multiple users on a single machine.

EDIT: I have an idea.... I'll get back to you on it....
 
X-Teq's X-Setup allows all sorts of bizarre configs (and in the wrong hands can be detrimental to system performance). I have never had reason to do what the OP requests, but X-Setup may be able to do it.
 
Drucifer said:
SAILOR:


To my knowledge it is not possible to change that behaviour in WinXP. If I understand the question correctly, you are wanting to see the Direct My Documents folder for the logged in user directly, yes? I don't believe that is possible under the 2K/XP interface, because of the way the OS handles multiple users on a single machine.
Click to expand...
Well, I see the folder "My Documents" (with all the same subfolders) in three places in the tree:
(1) Under the Desktop
(2) Under My PC
(3) Under C: - Documents and settings - sailor -

Now, I *really* do not need to see the same things in three different places. It just adds clutter and hassle when I am trying to find other things I understand that in the actual structure of the disk the thrid instance is the only real one and the first two are just virtual shortcuts. If there is an easy way of doing it (like there is in Win98se) I would like to remove the first two instances. But if it is too troublesome or it might hurt Bill Gates' feelings or some people here might think it is evil and immoral to even consider doing this, then I can live with seeing things in triplicate. I am in no hurry to change over from 98 to XP anyway so it is not really that important. I plan to stick with WIN98se for the time being.

Microsoft usually understand that people like backwards compatibility and they usually provide it. I see in XP you can configure the desktop as Windows Classic , Standard or XP. I think they could have provided the capability to eliminate the virtual shortcuts just like they do in Win98 but, anyway, it is not worth spending a lot of effort on this.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top