Make Windows Vista folders function like Windows XP

Here is how you can make Windows Vista folders function like Windows XP folders:

Microsoft Windows Vista Explorer Folder View Settings

Reset Windows Explorer Folder View Settings:

STEP ONE:

Normal way to Reset a folder type view settings:

NOTE: This resets all folder's of this type to the default settings. This may not solve all of you Explorer View settings problems. If not, continue to the next step to fix them.

1. Open Control Panel. (In Start Menu)

NOTE: If you do not see icons in Control Panel, then click Classic View in upper left corner.

2. Click on Folder Options icon.
3. Close Control Panel.
4. Click on View tab.
5. Click on Reset Folders button.
6. Click Yes to the confirmation pop-up.
7. Click OK to close Folder Options.

STEP TWO:

Reset All Folder View Settings:

NOTE: This deletes the current settings so they will be rebuilt when you restart, thus resetting them.

1. Open Start Menu.
2. In white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.
3. Click Continue for UAC prompt.
4. In regedit, go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags
5. In left pane, right click on Bags, and click Delete.
6. Click Yes to the confirmation pop-up window.
7. In regedit, go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU
8. In left pane, right click on BagMRU and click Delete.
9. Click Yes to confirmation pop-up window.

Disable Automatic Folder Type Discovery for Templates:

NOTE: This will allow you to have what folder type template you set for the window to be remembered instead of the automatic default template Vista assigns to it.

OPTIONAL: This is a optional section, but steps 1-9 must have been done first before you do this section.

10. In regedit, go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell
11. In left pane, right click on Shell and click New and click Key.
12. Type Bags and press Enter.
13. In left pane, right click Bags and click New and click Key.
14. Type AllFolders and press Enter.
15. In left pane, right click AllFolders and click New and click Key.
16. Type Shell and press Enter.
17. In right pane of Shell, right click on a empty area and click New and click String Value.
18. Type FolderType and press Enter.
19. In right pane, right click FolderType and click Modify.
20. Type NotSpecified and click Ok.

Increase Folder View cache Memory:

NOTE: This will increase the amount of memory for changes to window view settings.

OPTIONAL: This is a optional step, but the increased cache will help ensure that Vista does not forget.

21. In regedit, go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell NoRoam
22. Right click BagMRU Size, in right pane. (See screenshot below)
23. Click Modify.
24. Dot the Decimal and type 20000 and click Ok. (See screenshot below)

NOTE: 5000 is the default setting.

Wrapping it up:

25. Close regedit.
26. Restart your computer to apply the reset and to let Vista rebuild the registry keys with a clean slate.

NOTE: Make sure that you go into Folder Options and check Remember each folder's settings.

Source & Credit: Brink at Vistax64

 

Nice.

Been looking for this.