windows explorer won't start on C:

[Diane]

We just got a new computer. Windows Explorer when
started, starts in My Documents. We want it to start at
C:

We looked on our old computer under Properties of Windows
Explorer (it still starts in C: when executed) and Target
says: %SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe
which is what it says on our new computer. I did a
search on this site and found something called: How To:
Customize Windows Explorer in XP and under that there was
an option for: Change the Windows Explorer Default
Startup Folder. It said if I wanted to change it to C:
to change it to:
%SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe /root, C:\

I did this and it starts on C:, however it doesn't start
in "Folders" mode, and it doesn't show me the entire
computer, just C:.

Since I don't know the syntax for Target, I don't know
how to change it so that it shows the entire computer and
yet starts in C: - I also don't understand why it starts
correctly on the old computer and not this new one.

Thanks in advance for the help.
~Diane

 

[David Candy]

explorer /e,c:\
explorer [/n] [/e][,/root,object][[,/select],subobject]

None Explorer rooted at the Desktop
/n Opens a new window even if a window to the folder is already open. Without this it will switch to an already opened folder.
/e Explorer View (default if nothing else is on the command line.)
/root,object Starts Explorer with object the top item (normally Desktop is the top item). Eg: explorer /e,/root,c:\Starts Explorer with the C drive as the only drive available.
/select,subobject Selects the specified subobject.

Replaceable parameters are %1 (one) which is the short file or folder name and %l (L) which is the long file name.

/IDLIST
This is an additional parameter that means a Windows internal structure is being passed. eg:

Explorer.exe /e,/idlist,%IThe %I is a replacable parameter representing an IDLIST.

Rooted Views
To open an explorer item that starts with a special folder as the top folder use the following syntax.

Where the special folder is a sub folder of the desktop

explorer /e,/root,::{CLSID of special folder}
Where the special folder is a sub folder of another special folder (usually, if not always My Computer)

explorer /e,/root,::{CLSID of parent}/::{CLSID of special folder}
Where the special folder is part of the file system

explorer /e,/root,path to folder
See Namespaces on the Icons Page for a list of CLSIDs for special folders.

Examples
Note that /select is inconsistent. Sometime the / is required, sometimes it should be left out, and sometimes it doesn't matter.

Starts explorer with the Windows folder opened and selected.

explorer /e,/select,c:\windowsStarts explorer with Windows the top level folder and command opened and selected.

explorer /e,/root,c:\windows,/select,c:\windows\commandStarts explorer with Windows the top level folder and Tips.txt showing instead of the file listing.

explorer /e,/root,c:\windows,/select,c:\windows\tips.txtStarts explorer with My Computer the top level folder and all branches except for drives collapsed.

explorer /e,/root,::{20d04fe0-3aea-1069-a2d8-08002b30309d}Starts explorer with C:\ the top level folder.

explorer /e,/root,c:\Starts the Dial Up Networking folder in folder view.

explorer.exe ::{20d04fe0-3aea-1069-a2d8-08002b30309d}\::{992cffa0-f557-101a-88ec-00dd010ccc48}

 

[Guest]

Thanks. I got it to work they way I wanted using the
information below.

-----Original Message-----
explorer /e,c:\
explorer [/n] [/e][,/root,object][[,/select],subobject]

None Explorer rooted at the Desktop
/n Opens a new window even if a window to the

folder is already open. Without this it will switch to an
already opened folder.

/e Explorer View (default if nothing else is on the command line.)
/root,object Starts Explorer with object the top

item (normally Desktop is the top item). Eg:
explorer /e,/root,c:\Starts Explorer with the C drive as
the only drive available.

/select,subobject Selects the specified subobject.

Replaceable parameters are %1 (one) which is the short

file or folder name and %l (L) which is the long file
name.

/IDLIST
This is an additional parameter that means a Windows

internal structure is being passed. eg:

Explorer.exe /e,/idlist,%IThe %I is a replacable

parameter representing an IDLIST.

Rooted Views
To open an explorer item that starts with a special

folder as the top folder use the following syntax.

Where the special folder is a sub folder of the desktop

explorer /e,/root,::{CLSID of special folder}
Where the special folder is a sub folder of another

special folder (usually, if not always My Computer)

explorer /e,/root,::{CLSID of parent}/::{CLSID of special folder}
Where the special folder is part of the file system

explorer /e,/root,path to folder
See Namespaces on the Icons Page for a list of CLSIDs for special folders.

Examples
Note that /select is inconsistent. Sometime the / is

required, sometimes it should be left out, and sometimes
it doesn't matter.

Starts explorer with the Windows folder opened and selected.

explorer /e,/select,c:\windowsStarts explorer with

Windows the top level folder and command opened and
selected.

explorer /e,/root,c:\windows,/select,c:\windows\commandSt

arts explorer with Windows the top level folder and
Tips.txt showing instead of the file listing.

explorer /e,/root,c:\windows,/select,c:\windows\tips.txtS

tarts explorer with My Computer the top level folder and
all branches except for drives collapsed.

explorer /e,/root,::{20d04fe0-3aea-1069-a2d8-

08002b30309d}Starts explorer with C:\ the top level
folder.