Changing the Windows Explorer View to 'List' via Registry Change

Hello,

Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2, Windows 2003 AD Domain in Windows 2000 mode.

I've written a script that changes the windows explorer view to 'list'. It
works by writing values to the 'Streams' key in HKCU and seems to work fine
when I run this as an administrator.

Standard Users do not have access to the Tools-> Options in Windows Explorer
(disabled via Group Policy)

However, when I login as a non-administrator, the view is still 'icons'.
I have written a second script to interrogate the registry to verify that
the changes that I made had been written successfully - they had.

Given that the non-administrator user has group policy settings applied to
them, would this be the reason why my registry changes are not taking effect?

As far as I can tell, there is no mention of the 'Streams' key in the ADM
files that are applied to the client/user.

The following policies are applied to Windows Explorer and seem to update
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer
Do not track shell shortcuts during roaming
Hide these drives in My Computer
Hide Manage on Explorer contect menu
No 'Computers Near Me' in Network Places
No 'Entire Network' in Network Places
Prevent access to these drives in My Computer
Remove DFS, Hardware Tabs
Remove Search
Remove UI to change Keyboard navigation indicator and menu animation settings
Remove Folder Options on tools
Turn on Classic Shell

I have performed a test and updated my scripts to write to the 'Policies'
Key (by adding the user to an administrative group). The results were that
the registry entries were created, but again, no change was made in Windows
Explorer

Also I could not find a policy that defined the Windows Explorer view,
otherwise I would have used that as a method of setting the view for the user.

I've included below the script that modifies the registry - It does a check
for XP or 2000 as we have both clients in our environment.

Any help would be appreicated either in suggesting an alternative method of
changing the explorer view, or suggestions why the registry changes are not
being 'read' or 'applied' by users who have the GPO's applied.

Script: It's an AutoIT script......

;@OSVersion
;Returns one of the following: "WIN_2003", "WIN_XP", "WIN_2000", "WIN_NT4",
"WIN_ME", "WIN_98", "WIN_95"

If @OSVersion = "WIN_2003" OR "WIN_XP" Then
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams",
"Settings", "REG_BINARY",
"08000000040000000100000000777e137335cf11ae6908002 b2e1262040000000200000043000000")
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults",
"{F3364BA0-65B9-11CE-A9BA-00AA004AE837}", "REG_BINARY",
"1c0000000400000000000000000090000000000001000000f ffffffff0f0f0f014000300900000000000000030000000fdd fdffd0f0004002000100028003c00000000000100000002000 00003000000f50060007800780000000000010000000200000 003000000ffffffff000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000")
RegDelete("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Wi ndows\ShellNoRoam\Bags")
Endif

If @OSVersion = "WIN_2000" Then
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams",
"Settings", "REG_BINARY",
"09000000040000000000000000777e137335cf11ae6908002 b2e12620300000001000000")
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults",
"{F3364BA0-65B9-11CE-A9BA-00AA004AE837}", "REG_BINARY",
"1c000000040000000000000000006c000000000001000000f ffffffff0f0f0f0140003006c0000000000000030000000fdd fdffd0e0004002000100028000000000000000100000002000 00003000000780060007800780000000000010000000200000 003000000ffffffff")
Endif

Thanks in Advance,
Adrian

On 4/7/2008 6:51 AM adrianr plucked Senior Frog's Magic Twanger and said:
> Hello,
>
> Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2, Windows 2003 AD Domain in Windows 2000 mode.
>
> I've written a script that changes the windows explorer view to 'list'. It
> works by writing values to the 'Streams' key in HKCU and seems to work fine
> when I run this as an administrator.
>
> Standard Users do not have access to the Tools-> Options in Windows Explorer
> (disabled via Group Policy)
>
> However, when I login as a non-administrator, the view is still 'icons'.
> I have written a second script to interrogate the registry to verify that
> the changes that I made had been written successfully - they had.
>
> Given that the non-administrator user has group policy settings applied to
> them, would this be the reason why my registry changes are not taking effect?
>
> As far as I can tell, there is no mention of the 'Streams' key in the ADM
> files that are applied to the client/user.
>
> The following policies are applied to Windows Explorer and seem to update
> HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer
> Do not track shell shortcuts during roaming
> Hide these drives in My Computer
> Hide Manage on Explorer contect menu
> No 'Computers Near Me' in Network Places
> No 'Entire Network' in Network Places
> Prevent access to these drives in My Computer
> Remove DFS, Hardware Tabs
> Remove Search
> Remove UI to change Keyboard navigation indicator and menu animation settings
> Remove Folder Options on tools
> Turn on Classic Shell
>
> I have performed a test and updated my scripts to write to the 'Policies'
> Key (by adding the user to an administrative group). The results were that
> the registry entries were created, but again, no change was made in Windows
> Explorer
>
> Also I could not find a policy that defined the Windows Explorer view,
> otherwise I would have used that as a method of setting the view for the user.
>
> I've included below the script that modifies the registry - It does a check
> for XP or 2000 as we have both clients in our environment.
>
> Any help would be appreicated either in suggesting an alternative method of
> changing the explorer view, or suggestions why the registry changes are not
> being 'read' or 'applied' by users who have the GPO's applied.
>
> Script: It's an AutoIT script......
>
> ;@OSVersion
> ;Returns one of the following: "WIN_2003", "WIN_XP", "WIN_2000", "WIN_NT4",
> "WIN_ME", "WIN_98", "WIN_95"
>
> If @OSVersion = "WIN_2003" OR "WIN_XP" Then
> RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams",
> "Settings", "REG_BINARY",
> "08000000040000000100000000777e137335cf11ae6908002 b2e1262040000000200000043000000")
> RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults",
> "{F3364BA0-65B9-11CE-A9BA-00AA004AE837}", "REG_BINARY",
> "1c0000000400000000000000000090000000000001000000f ffffffff0f0f0f014000300900000000000000030000000fdd fdffd0f0004002000100028003c00000000000100000002000 00003000000f50060007800780000000000010000000200000 003000000ffffffff000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000")
> RegDelete("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Wi ndows\ShellNoRoam\Bags")
> Endif
>
> If @OSVersion = "WIN_2000" Then
> RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams",
> "Settings", "REG_BINARY",
> "09000000040000000000000000777e137335cf11ae6908002 b2e12620300000001000000")
> RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults",
> "{F3364BA0-65B9-11CE-A9BA-00AA004AE837}", "REG_BINARY",
> "1c000000040000000000000000006c000000000001000000f ffffffff0f0f0f0140003006c0000000000000030000000fdd fdffd0e0004002000100028000000000000000100000002000 00003000000780060007800780000000000010000000200000 003000000ffffffff")
> Endif
>
> Thanks in Advance,
> Adrian
>
>

I have a question. Why would you want to do this? Setting Windows
Explorer view can be done with a click-drag click on the View Icon.
If desired as the view throughout, it can be propagated through Folder
Options. I'd rather see your talents utilized scripting something that
takes 10 plus mouse clicks.


--
________
Brian M. Kochera

mailto:brian1951@earthlink.net

Hey Brian,

I do want to implement this throughout, but users do not have access to
Tools/Options/Folder Options in Explorer. This has been removed via
Group Policy and I can't change that. The user environment has been locked
down so I need another way of achieving what could be done simply via the
'Folder Options'.

Thanks,

Adrian

"Brian K" wrote:

> On 4/7/2008 6:51 AM adrianr plucked Senior Frog's Magic Twanger and said:
> >
>
> I have a question. Why would you want to do this? Setting Windows
> Explorer view can be done with a click-drag click on the View Icon.
> If desired as the view throughout, it can be propagated through Folder
> Options. I'd rather see your talents utilized scripting something that
> takes 10 plus mouse clicks.
>
>
> --
> ________
> Brian M. Kochera
>
> mailto:brian1951@earthlink.net
>

Aren't Folder View settings saved here?

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU


What if, logged on as Administrator, you "Reset All Folders", set your
"List View", then "Apply to All Folders", then copy the registry
settings from HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell NoRoam\
and incorporate into your script?


ju.c

"adrianr" <adrianr@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8CA19C8D-D365-4334-A9B9-6CA68B0B278A@microsoft.com...
> Hello,
>
> Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2, Windows 2003 AD Domain in Windows
> 2000 mode.
>
> I've written a script that changes the windows explorer view to
> 'list'. It
> works by writing values to the 'Streams' key in HKCU and seems to work
> fine
> when I run this as an administrator.
>
> Standard Users do not have access to the Tools-> Options in Windows
> Explorer
> (disabled via Group Policy)
>
> However, when I login as a non-administrator, the view is still
> 'icons'.
> I have written a second script to interrogate the registry to verify
> that
> the changes that I made had been written successfully - they had.
>
> Given that the non-administrator user has group policy settings
> applied to
> them, would this be the reason why my registry changes are not taking
> effect?
>
> As far as I can tell, there is no mention of the 'Streams' key in the
> ADM
> files that are applied to the client/user.
>
> The following policies are applied to Windows Explorer and seem to
> update
> HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer
> Do not track shell shortcuts during roaming
> Hide these drives in My Computer
> Hide Manage on Explorer contect menu
> No 'Computers Near Me' in Network Places
> No 'Entire Network' in Network Places
> Prevent access to these drives in My Computer
> Remove DFS, Hardware Tabs
> Remove Search
> Remove UI to change Keyboard navigation indicator and menu animation
> settings
> Remove Folder Options on tools
> Turn on Classic Shell
>
> I have performed a test and updated my scripts to write to the
> 'Policies'
> Key (by adding the user to an administrative group). The results were
> that
> the registry entries were created, but again, no change was made in
> Windows
> Explorer
>
> Also I could not find a policy that defined the Windows Explorer view,
> otherwise I would have used that as a method of setting the view for
> the user.
>
> I've included below the script that modifies the registry - It does a
> check
> for XP or 2000 as we have both clients in our environment.
>
> Any help would be appreicated either in suggesting an alternative
> method of
> changing the explorer view, or suggestions why the registry changes
> are not
> being 'read' or 'applied' by users who have the GPO's applied.
>
> Script: It's an AutoIT script......
>
> ;@OSVersion
> ;Returns one of the following: "WIN_2003", "WIN_XP", "WIN_2000",
> "WIN_NT4",
> "WIN_ME", "WIN_98", "WIN_95"
>
> If @OSVersion = "WIN_2003" OR "WIN_XP" Then
> RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams",
> "Settings", "REG_BINARY",
> "08000000040000000100000000777e137335cf11ae6908002 b2e1262040000000200000043000000")
> RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults",
> "{F3364BA0-65B9-11CE-A9BA-00AA004AE837}", "REG_BINARY",
> "1c0000000400000000000000000090000000000001000000f ffffffff0f0f0f014000300900000000000000030000000fdd fdffd0f0004002000100028003c00000000000100000002000 00003000000f50060007800780000000000010000000200000 003000000ffffffff000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000")
> RegDelete("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Wi ndows\ShellNoRoam\Bags")
> Endif
>
> If @OSVersion = "WIN_2000" Then
> RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams",
> "Settings", "REG_BINARY",
> "09000000040000000000000000777e137335cf11ae6908002 b2e12620300000001000000")
> RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults",
> "{F3364BA0-65B9-11CE-A9BA-00AA004AE837}", "REG_BINARY",
> "1c000000040000000000000000006c000000000001000000f ffffffff0f0f0f0140003006c0000000000000030000000fdd fdffd0e0004002000100028000000000000000100000002000 00003000000780060007800780000000000010000000200000 003000000ffffffff")
> Endif
>
> Thanks in Advance,
> Adrian
>
>

Hi,

I've seen various posts about where the settings are stored.
The ShellNoRoam seems to store settings for individual folders and this key
I believe is Windows XP only.
I have to implement this across Windows 2000 and Windows XP clients.

The 'Streams' seems to define/tell Explorer to not update the
ShellNoRoam/Bags (with the setting I used).
What is puzzling me is why my 'streams' change works as a user with no GPO
applied, but when I apply GPO,
the settings (whilst still set in the registry) do not seem to take effect.

I'll have a go with the 'ShellNoRoam' suggestion and see if that does the
job - Many Thanks for the suggestion!

Adrian

"ju.c" wrote:

> Aren't Folder View settings saved here?
>
> HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags
> HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU
>
>
> What if, logged on as Administrator, you "Reset All Folders", set your
> "List View", then "Apply to All Folders", then copy the registry
> settings from HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell NoRoam\
> and incorporate into your script?
>
>
> ju.c
>

On Apr 7, 12:51*pm, adrianr <adri...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2, Windows 2003 AD Domain in Windows 2000 mode.
>
> I've written a script that changes the windows explorer view to 'list'. *It
> works by writing values to the 'Streams' key in HKCU and seems to work fine
> when I run this as an administrator.
>
> Standard Users do not have access to the Tools-> Options in Windows Explorer
> (disabled via Group Policy)
>
> However, when I login as a non-administrator, the view is still 'icons'.
> I have written a second script to interrogate the registry to verify that
> the changes that I made had been written successfully - they had.
>
> Given that the non-administrator user has group policy settings applied to
> them, would this be the reason why my registry changes are not taking effect?
>
> As far as I can tell, there is no mention of the 'Streams' key in the ADM
> files that are applied to the client/user.
>
> The following policies are applied to Windows Explorer and seem to update
> HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer
> Do not track shell shortcuts during roaming
> Hide these drives in My Computer
> Hide Manage on Explorer contect menu
> No 'Computers Near Me' in Network Places
> No 'Entire Network' in Network Places
> Prevent access to these drives in My Computer
> Remove DFS, Hardware Tabs
> Remove Search
> Remove UI to change Keyboard navigation indicator and menu animation settings
> Remove Folder Options on tools
> Turn on Classic Shell
>
> I have performed a test and updated my scripts to write to the 'Policies'
> Key (by adding the user to an administrative group). *The results were that
> the registry entries were created, but again, no change was made in Windows
> Explorer
>
> Also I could not find a policy that defined the Windows Explorer view,
> otherwise I would have used that as a method of setting the view for the user.
>
> I've included below the script that modifies the registry - It does a check
> for XP or 2000 as we have both clients in our environment.
>
> Any help would be appreicated either in suggesting an alternative method of
> changing the explorer view, or suggestions why the registry changes are not
> being 'read' or 'applied' by users who have the GPO's applied.
>
> Script: *It's an AutoIT script......
>
> ;@OSVersion
> ;Returns one of the following: "WIN_2003", "WIN_XP", "WIN_2000", "WIN_NT4",
> "WIN_ME", "WIN_98", "WIN_95"
>
> If @OSVersion = "WIN_2003" OR "WIN_XP" Then
> RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Explo*rer\Streams",
> "Settings", "REG_BINARY",
> "08000000040000000100000000777e137335cf11ae6908002 b2e1262040000000200000043*000000")
> RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Explo*rer\Streams\Defaults",
> "{F3364BA0-65B9-11CE-A9BA-00AA004AE837}", "REG_BINARY",
> "1c0000000400000000000000000090000000000001000000f ffffffff0f0f0f01400030090*0000000000000030000000fd dfdffd0f0004002000100028003c0000000000010000000200 0*00003000000f500600078007800000000000100000002000 00003000000ffffffff00000000*0000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000")
> RegDelete("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Wi ndows\ShellNoRoam\Bags")
> Endif
>
> If @OSVersion = "WIN_2000" Then
> RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Explo*rer\Streams",
> "Settings", "REG_BINARY",
> "09000000040000000000000000777e137335cf11ae6908002 b2e12620300000001000000")
> RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Win dows\CurrentVersion\Explo*rer\Streams\Defaults",
> "{F3364BA0-65B9-11CE-A9BA-00AA004AE837}", "REG_BINARY",
> "1c000000040000000000000000006c000000000001000000f ffffffff0f0f0f0140003006c*0000000000000030000000fd dfdffd0e000400200010002800000000000000010000000200 0*000030000007800600078007800000000000100000002000 00003000000ffffffff")
> Endif
>
> Thanks in Advance,
> Adrian

HI!

I had the same problem, and finally I solved this way:

Navigate the registry to:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Policies
\Explorer]

and delete all entries except :

"NoDriveTypeAutoRun"=dword:00000091

close the registry, modify folder's view, apply to all folders.

Verify, it works!

I advise you to export the old registry key before to modify it, if
then works, up to you to create a batch file...

I hope this will help you

Best
Alessandro