Windows 8.1 File Manager always opens to "This PC"?

[John Doe]

I would like to compliment and congratulate those who have been
smart enough to avoid posting. I know there are intelligent people
out there who can comprehend the question (or would at least ask
for clarification if they didn't) and can see that there is no
straightforward solution.

 

[...winston]

John Doe wrote, On 6/16/2014 5:45 PM:

Nobody has asked for clarification of my question.

Based on your approach that probably a good sign that no one cares.

 

[John Doe]

This is the so-called "MVP" troll that persistently claims you
cannot put a file manager shortcut on your taskbar that opens to a
specific drive, contrary to well-known fact. In fact, that's the
easy part of what I'm trying to do.

--

 

[Nil]

HTH!

Larc

Wait for it... Your kind and generous attempt to be helpful will be
scorned in 10 seconds... 9... 8... 7...

 

[John Doe]

| My objective is clearly stated in the original post...
|
| "I want a file manager shortcut opening to drive D. And I don't
| want to temporarily reproduce a taskbar icon whenever it's
| open"
|
| It works properly in Windows prior to version 8.1. They must've
| done something to file manager.

Maybe I've missed something along the way and this has already
been suggested, but if you want File Explorer to open on D every
time, do the following:

1- Right click on the desktop and create a new shortcut 2- Under
"Type the location of the item" put in

%windir%\explorer.exe D:\

That's the same method suggested several times already in this
thread. It's half of the process.

Again... You can get the shortcut on the taskbar, but the shortcut
behaves badly in Windows 8.1. Unlike almost every other shortcut
on your taskbar, that particular shortcut in Windows 8.1 produces
a duplicate taskbar icon whenever you open it. Problem with having
a duplicate taskbar icon is that you expect the icon to be in the
same place when manipulating the window, the way it is with every
other taskbar icon. And you don't want duplicate icons for
everything or you likely run out of space on the taskbar.

I suspect it has something to do with Microsoft fiddling with
Explorer. The only other program I've seen operate like that is
Komodo Edit 6 (verified it today).

 

[John Doe]

In fact, I have been polite to everybody who has provided that
half-answer. At least they have a clue about the subject of my post.
They just haven't tried or haven't noticed that the result doesn't work
in Windows 8.1.

Nildo the Troll seriously needs to get a life. I suspect it has to
do with being the weaker of three children, Nildo always whining
about being unable to grab a teat...

--

Path: eternal-september.org!news.eternal-september.org!feeder.eternal-september.org!feeder.erje.net!eu.feeder.erje.net!news-2.dfn.de!news.dfn.de!fu-berlin.de!uni-berlin.de!individual.net!not-for-mail
From: Nil <rednoise9 REMOVETHIScomcast.net>
Newsgroups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.comp.os.windows-8
Subject: Re: Windows 8.1 File Manager always opens to "This PC"?
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2014 20:44:38 -0400
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HTH!

Larc

Wait for it... Your kind and generous attempt to be helpful will be
scorned in 10 seconds... 9... 8... 7...

 

[Phantom Post]

Again... You can get the shortcut on the taskbar, but the shortcut
behaves badly in Windows 8.1. Unlike almost every other shortcut
on your taskbar, that particular shortcut in Windows 8.1 produces
a duplicate taskbar icon whenever you open it. Problem with having
a duplicate taskbar icon is that you expect the icon to be in the
same place when manipulating the window, the way it is with every
other taskbar icon. And you don't want duplicate icons for
everything or you likely run out of space on the taskbar.

I suspect it has something to do with Microsoft fiddling with
Explorer. The only other program I've seen operate like that is
Komodo Edit 6 (verified it today).

I actually hate to jump into this POS thread, but here goes:

FWIW I have a couple of programs, Xnews and Pegasus Mail, that both do the
duplicate icon in the task bar thing in 64 bit Windows 8.1 Pro w/upd 1.
Neither program was "installed" but had it's folder copied to the C: drive
and then had a shortcut made that was pinned to the task bar. Me, I just
figured it was some quirk of Windows and adapted to it. But that's me.

Now, everybody carry on . . .

 

[...winston]

John Doe wrote, On 6/16/2014 8:07 PM:

Nothing of significance (pretty much like BD, Tony, etc.)

Two rules:
- Only applications can be pinned to the task bar.
- Files can be pinned to applications

 

[John Doe]

I actually hate to jump into this POS thread, but here goes:

The Force has a strong influence over weak minds.

FWIW I have a couple of programs, Xnews and Pegasus Mail, that
both do the duplicate icon in the task bar thing in 64 bit
Windows 8.1 Pro w/upd 1. Neither program was "installed" but
had it's folder copied to the C: drive and then had a shortcut
made that was pinned to the task bar.

My Xnews taskbar shortcut works correctly.

 

[Phantom Post]

My Xnews taskbar shortcut works correctly.

Darn!

 

[John Doe]

Darn!

This is what the Windows 8.1 taskbar shortcut looks like...

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2909/14440522332_64bc833365_o_d.png

 

[dadiOH]

I would like to compliment and congratulate those who have been
smart enough to avoid posting.

I suspect there will be more smart ones when you post in the future.

I know there are intelligent people
out there who can comprehend the question (or would at least ask
for clarification if they didn't) and can see that there is no
straightforward solution.

Did you bother trying your shortcut inside a folder and making that folder a
toolbar on the taskbar?

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net

 

[John Doe]

I'm not looking for a workaround.

A persistent lying troll posting through Outlook Express
and acting like it knows all about USENET...

--

 

[Ed Propes]

I actually hate to jump into this POS thread, but here goes:

FWIW I have a couple of programs, Xnews and Pegasus Mail, that both do
the duplicate icon in the task bar thing in 64 bit Windows 8.1 Pro
w/upd 1. Neither program was "installed" but had it's folder copied
to the C: drive and then had a shortcut made that was pinned to the
task bar. Me, I just figured it was some quirk of Windows and adapted
to it. But that's me.

Now, everybody carry on . . .

This has me curious now. I have xnews on my taskbar but it does not
dupplicate itself. The one difference I see is that I placed an icon on
the desktop and then drug it to the taskbar. I didn't "pin" it to the
taskbar. My OS is the same. Must be we have different breeds of elctrons
flowing through our machines.

Ed in E Texas

 

[dadiOH]

I'm not looking for a workaround.

You were looking for a solution. If you would get off your stupid, lazy ass
and actually try something you might find one.

A persistent lying troll posting through Outlook Express
and acting like it knows all about USENET...

I use OE because I like it. I know very little about usenet but I know
enough to be able to interact with people in a gentlemanly manner. With
some exceptions, always warranted.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net

 

[Paul]

My objective is clearly stated in the original post...

"I want a file manager shortcut opening to drive D. And I don't
want to temporarily reproduce a taskbar icon whenever it's open"

It works properly in Windows prior to version 8.1. They must've
done something to file manager.

I tried a few more experiments.

For example, I tried starting explorer.exe as a separate
process. Task manager tells me a separate process is running,
but the same behavior is exhibited.

Explorer runs the entire desktop.

Explorer owns that folder icon, with the thumbnails
floating above it.

When Explorer is asked to perform as a file manager,
it seems that icon on the task bar inherits the results.

I can find web pages where further hacks are suggested,
changing Runas to _Runas to disable the behavior of always
running Explorer as a single user. The objective there,
is to start an instance of Explorer running as a different
user. My guess is, this is discounted for security reasons.
But I'm not hacking up my registry, any more than it already
is. Trying the Explorer /separate flag and seeing the same
behavior from the taskbar tells me, this is "design intent".
And I'm "swimming against the current". You're welcome to
keep hacking up your Registry if you want. The particular
registry key there has TrustedInstaller as the owner, so
that's the first thing you have to change to try it.

*******
Explorer as another user...

CDCBCFCA-3CDC-436f-A4E2-0E02075250C2

HK_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\{CDCBCFCA-3CDC-436f-A4E2-0E02075250C2}\RunAs

to

HK_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\{CDCBCFCA-3CDC-436f-A4E2-0E02075250C2}\_RunAs

Normally that key is set to "interactive user", so a separate
process ends up with the same ownership as the rest of the
desktop. Renaming the key is a dodge to avoid that.
*******

I don't think I can really "break" explorer and destroy the
desktop so Windows 8 no longer boots. But I'm also not heading
in that direction, with any "hack experiments". Too much work
for too little gain.

Paul

 

[John Doe]

I don't think I can really "break" explorer and destroy the
desktop so Windows 8 no longer boots. But I'm also not heading
in that direction, with any "hack experiments". Too much work
for too little gain.

Yes, since the obvious workaround is really very easy, that is to
accept it opening to "This PC" and then single click on drive D.

It's interesting IMO but at this point it seems cooked.