Windows Explorer left display pane

[Anne]

I do not use the documents folder nor the desktop for data storage. My data
is always on another hard drive and I an extra internal and several external
hard drives.

Everytime I open explorer, the folder list shows with Documents expanded. I
have to minimize that, then scroll up and minimum my user name folder, then
maximize the Computer folder. That is what I want to see when I open
explorer.

It is possible to save that setting. I have seen a lot of posts on folder
view, but I am not sure if anyone actually talks about the left half of this
view setting.

Why is My computer now part of the desktop and sub of user? Already in XP I
hated that the C drive always opened explanded.

 

[Tom Allen]

I do not use the documents folder nor the desktop for data storage. My
data
is always on another hard drive and I an extra internal and several
external
hard drives.

Everytime I open explorer, the folder list shows with Documents
expanded. I
have to minimize that, then scroll up and minimum my user name folder,
then
maximize the Computer folder. That is what I want to see when I open
explorer.

It is possible to save that setting. I have seen a lot of posts on
folder
view, but I am not sure if anyone actually talks about the left half
of this
view setting.

Why is My computer now part of the desktop and sub of user? Already in
XP I
hated that the C drive always opened explanded.

Does the 'Computer' desktop shortcut not do what you want.
If the icon isn't there Personalise > Change Desktop Icons > put a
tick in 'Computer'.

You can also open Explorer, drag the Computer folder to the desktop to
create a shortcut.

You can also produce Explorer shortcuts to show any expanded drive or
folder using a command line with switches such as
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n,/e,D:\

You can also drag such shortcuts to the Start/Programs menu if you don't
want them on the desktop.

This has been discussed quite often here.

Tom

 

[Eric]

I do not use the documents folder nor the desktop for data storage. My data
is always on another hard drive and I an extra internal and several
external
hard drives.

Everytime I open explorer, the folder list shows with Documents expanded.
I
have to minimize that, then scroll up and minimum my user name folder,
then
maximize the Computer folder. That is what I want to see when I open
explorer.

It is possible to save that setting. I have seen a lot of posts on folder
view, but I am not sure if anyone actually talks about the left half of
this
view setting.

Why is My computer now part of the desktop and sub of user? Already in XP
I
hated that the C drive always opened explanded.

That depends on how you open Explorer. In Windows XP I usually open it by
clicking a shortcut to Explorer.scf (which selects the root C drive folder
and expands it) since most of what I do with it involves the hard drive. If
you run Explorer.exe instead it also opens the file explorer and defaults to
the My Documents folder. You could also right click on My Computer and
select Explore. Then the C drive doesn't open expanded. I don't know what
the parameters are offhand to make your own shortcut to do that, but you can
find the command under the explore option for the My Computer in the
registry.
By clicking shortcuts, double clicking things, and right clicking things,
there are various ways in XP as well as Vista to open a file explore window.
If you don't like the 'default', you find a default view you like and open
with that method.

 

[Anne]

This did the trick for me, it looks just like I want it:
You can also open Explorer, drag the Computer folder to the desktop to
create a shortcut.

Thanks,
Anne