New XP user can't use normal zip files

[Don Leighty]

I hate this whole MS implementation of zipped folders. No matter what
I do, I can't entirely eliminate the wacky new zip behavior from my
new system.

I've tried unregistering zipfldr.dll, but after rebooting some of the
"zip folder" behavior reappears. For example, if I put a removable zip
disk that contains zip files into the drive, the zip files show up in
the folder pane (with Zip icons, but on the same level as sibling
folders). Selecting them displays the contents in the right-hand
pane, as though they were normal folders.

Did zipfldr.dll not unregister? Or this only good until the next
reboot? I tried deleting the file, but the attempt failed (as though
it was in use).

In desperation, I've changed all of my zip files to a new extension,
associated that with the Winzip application and icon, and added
registry entries to make them drop targets. That only leaves the menu
items ("extract", ...), but I'm not sure how to get those to show up.

Using nothing but "fake" zip files from now on seems like an extreme
workaround, but does anyone else know how to force XP to just leave
zip files alone completely?

Thanks.

Best wishes,
Don Leighty

 

[Bill W]

I hate this whole MS implementation of zipped folders. No matter what
I do, I can't entirely eliminate the wacky new zip behavior from my
new system.

I've tried unregistering zipfldr.dll, but after rebooting some of the
"zip folder" behavior reappears. For example, if I put a removable zip
disk that contains zip files into the drive, the zip files show up in
the folder pane (with Zip icons, but on the same level as sibling
folders). Selecting them displays the contents in the right-hand
pane, as though they were normal folders.

Did zipfldr.dll not unregister? Or this only good until the next
reboot? I tried deleting the file, but the attempt failed (as though
it was in use).

In desperation, I've changed all of my zip files to a new extension,
associated that with the Winzip application and icon, and added
registry entries to make them drop targets. That only leaves the menu
items ("extract", ...), but I'm not sure how to get those to show up.

Using nothing but "fake" zip files from now on seems like an extreme
workaround, but does anyone else know how to force XP to just leave
zip files alone completely?

Thanks.

Best wishes,
Don Leighty

If you want to stop the Windows XP zip progam altogether, go to the RUN
command and enter: regsvr32 /u %windir%\system32\zipfldr.dll
Clinck on OK and the Windows zip program will run no more until you
reregister zipfldr.dll. You can now use the zip program of your choice.

Regards,
Bill

 

[Don Leighty]

If you want to stop the Windows XP zip progam altogether, go to the RUN
command and enter: regsvr32 /u %windir%\system32\zipfldr.dll
Clinck on OK and the Windows zip program will run no more until you
reregister zipfldr.dll. You can now use the zip program of your choice.

Regards,
Bill

Thanks, Bill, but as I said in my original post, this is what I have
already tried.

Unregistering zipfldr.dll *reduced* the compressed files behavior
after rebooting, but did not completely eliminate it. My "normal" zip
files still look like folders in some locations, and like their old
selves in other locations. Completely erratic. Searches still list
changed files inside the zip archives (which I hate because of the
added clutter). And opening a zip file doesn't put it on the recent
documents list (which I also hate).

It sounds like the "successful" unregistering of zipfldr.dll wasn't
really so successful. Except that some of the compressed files
functionality seemed to go away (some zip files work normally). How
some work, but not others is what's driving me nuts.

Don Leighty