Opening a DOS Prompt in the Directory You Want

Opening a DOS Prompt in the Directory You Want

You can use the Explorer to easily open up a DOS window to a specific directory.

1. From Explorer Option Menu select File Types

2. Highlight the object for Folder - NOT File Folder

3. Click the Edit button

4. From the 'Edit File Type' panel click the 'New' button

5. Action is '&Goto DOS Prompt'

6. Application used is C:\windows\command.com /k cd %1

7. Select OK, then Close and Close.

8. Now from Explorer secondary (right) click the folder you want to go to in DOS

9. From the menu select 'GotDOS Prompt' (or hit G) and you are in that directory with a DOS windows

10. For Win NT 4.0 same tip, but substitute cmd.exe for command.com)

Added Non-Expanded Explorer when Right Clicking on a Folder

Added Non-Expanded Explorer when Right Clicking on a Folder

Adding a second Explorer to the menu that pops up when right clicking on any folder or the Start Button.
This is handy to be able to open Explorer non-expanded and also for being able to open a second Explorer (non-expanded) while already in Explorer.

1. Open My Computer
2. Choose View-Options-File Types
3. Select the File Folder file type
4. Click Edit
5. For ACTION, type EXPLORER2
6. For APPLICATION USED, type C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE /n,/e,/select,C:\
7. Click OK and close all windows
8. Run REGEDIT
9. Expand HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
10. Locate and expand DIRECTORY
11. Locate and expand SHELL
12. Locate and expand EXPLORER2
13. Select COMMAND
14. On the right window RIGHT CLICK on DEFAULT
15. Select MODIFY
16. Remove the space and %1 at the end of the line
17. Click OK and close REGEDIT

EXPLORER2 will show up and launch a non-expanded view of Explorer whenever you right-click on the START BUTTON or any folder, even if you are already in Explorer.

The whole procedure can be done in REGEDIT, but this may be safer for users not experienced with REGEDIT

Hiding the File Menu in the Explorer

Hiding the File Menu in the Explorer

To hide the File Menu in Explorer:

1. Start Regedit

2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

3. Create a new Binary Value

4. Name it NoFileMenu

5. Give it a value of 01 00 00 00

6. Reboot the computer

Keeping Filenames in the Case You Want

Keeping Filenames in the Case You Want

To stop Windows from changing the case of your filenames to upper or lower case:

1. Start Regedit
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer \ Advanced
3. Double-click DontPrettyPath (or create this key with a type of REG_DWORD if it doesn't exist)
4. Set the value to 1 to keep the case as you type it or 0 to adjust the case as Explorer requires
5. Click OK
6. Close Regedit

Resetting Graphics PreView in Explorer

Resetting Graphics PreView in Explorer

For Windows98, ME or Windows 2000, if you have View as Web Page enabled but do not see a picture preview in Explorer:

1. Start Regedit

2. Go to Registry key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ file type \ ShellEx \ {BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}

3. Make sure the Default Value "{7376D660-C583-11d0-A3A5-00C04FD706EC}"

Changing Drive Labels in Explorer (Windows2000 and XP)

Changing Drive Labels in Explorer (Windows2000 and XP)

Normally the Explorer shows drive labels as "Compact Disk", "Removable Disk" ect.

To change the name of this label for specific drives:

1. Start Regedit
2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SOFTWARE / Microsoft / Windows / CurrentVersion / Explorer
3. Create a key called DriveIcons
4. Within DriveIcons, create another key with the drive letter you want to change (..\DriveIcons\K)
5. Create another within the drive letter key called DefaultLabel
6. Give the Default Value for this key the label you want to appear for that drive letter. (Jazz Drive etc.)
7. Restart the computer

Changing Drive Icons in Explorer

Changing Drive Icons in Explorer

To change the icon used for specific drives in Explorer

1. Start Regedit
2. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SOFTWARE / Microsoft / Windows / CurrentVersion / Explorer
3. Create a key called DriveIcons
4. Within DriveIcons, create another key with the drive letter you want to change (..\DriveIcons\K)
5. Create another key within the drive letter key called DefaultIcon
6. Set the default value equal to the icon you want to use.
7. If you have a file that has more than one icon in it, such as a DLL file, use the standard C:\full_path\icon_file.dll,x
where x is the number of the icon within the file icon_file.dll.

Running the Explorer in Separate Process (NT/XP Only)

Running the Explorer in Separate Process (NT/XP Only)

By default, the Windows Desktop, Taskbar, and Explorer run in a single process using multiple threads. You can modify the registry so that the Taskbar and Desktop will run in one process with each instance of Explorer in a separate process.

1. Start Regedit
2. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer
3. Create a DWORD value called DesktopProcess
4. Give it a value of 1

Removing Right-Click Items

Removing Right-Click Items

When you right click on a folder or file with the Explorer, a list of options is available.
As more applications get installed, this list may get too large for you.

To remove items from the list:

1. Note the text of the item you want to remove

2. Start Regedit

3. Go to the following sections in the Registry and delete the subkey with the string you noted in Step 1.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\file
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell