QUERY: Windows Explorer settings

[Andrew Wan]

I don't know where Windows Explorer settings are stored. But it appears to
be profile-based. Possibly stored in ntuser.dat (in Documents and
Settings\User\ folder).

By default (Windows Explorer):

- status bar is not shown
- Show common tasks in folders ON
- Each folder has it's own personal setting
- Do not show hidden files and folders ON
- Hide extensions for known file types ON
- View by Tiles
- (in Detail View) Name, Size, Type & Date Modified columns by default


I like to change the skeleton profile so that:

- status bar is shown
- Show common tasks in folders OFF
- Each folder views are the same
- Do not show hidden files and folders OFF
- Hide extensions for known files types OFF
- View by Detail
- (in Detail View), defaults plus Attributes & Owner columns

I guess these changes will be stored in user profile (registry ntuser.dat?).
What if one rebooted into Windows 98SE boot disk/CD or linux. Then copied
ntuser.dat/.LOG from user account into "Default User" folder. Will this
work? Will all new users have all these changes for Windows Explorer?

 

[Newbie Coder]

Andrew,

It would take me a while to list all the registry keys yo need, but the
easiest thing for you to do is download REGMON from
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/regmon.mspx

And log successful writes when logging

Have the folder options open, tick one box & then click apply. You will soon
see the registry key you need & the value

I hope this helps,

 

[Andrew Wan]

Good point about using a Registry Monitor. That would be showing the current
user's profile registry. Then I would load up the Default User registry and
apply these changes. That would be a lot safer yes.

Will try this out and let you know.

All this falls under changing the "skeleton" profile, which is Default User
+ All Users.

 

[Nepatsfan]

In

I don't know where Windows Explorer settings are stored. But
it
appears to be profile-based. Possibly stored in ntuser.dat
(in
Documents and Settings\User\ folder).

By default (Windows Explorer):

- status bar is not shown
- Show common tasks in folders ON
- Each folder has it's own personal setting
- Do not show hidden files and folders ON
- Hide extensions for known file types ON
- View by Tiles
- (in Detail View) Name, Size, Type & Date Modified columns
by default


I like to change the skeleton profile so that:

- status bar is shown
- Show common tasks in folders OFF
- Each folder views are the same
- Do not show hidden files and folders OFF
- Hide extensions for known files types OFF
- View by Detail
- (in Detail View), defaults plus Attributes & Owner columns

I guess these changes will be stored in user profile
(registry
ntuser.dat?). What if one rebooted into Windows 98SE boot
disk/CD or
linux. Then copied ntuser.dat/.LOG from user account into
"Default
User" folder. Will this work? Will all new users have all
these
changes for Windows Explorer?

Take a look at this article.

How to create a custom default user profile
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/319974/en-us

Good luck

Nepatsfan