Default Windows Explorer Opening Location

[EJWill]

Windows Explorer when opened up directly, defaults itself to the User Libraries folder.

 

Now there are ways to change this by modifying the shortcuts to point to elsewhere on launch. Such as changing the target too:

 

%windir%\explorer.exe ::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

 

This defaults explorer to open My Computer on launch but it relies on changing every known explorer shortcut.

 

I'm looking for a way to do this via GPO (Server 2008 R1), and apply directly onto explorer. I've scoured the registry for references to explorer.exe and the Libraries CLSID name, but no joy.

 

Has anyone got any other ideas, or has successfully come across a cure to this pest?

Edited January 27, 2010 by EJWill
Included Server 2008 version.

[featured_spectre]

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows-server-2008/47814-default-save-directory.html check that link, I posted up how to change it to where you want it to go.

 

Regards

 

Carl

[EJWill]

Sadly that's a different issue. If you ran Explorer.exe directly from %windir%, it opens up showing the Libraries.

 

By default, Windows 7 has a pinned Libraries link on the Task Bar and another shortcut too Windows Explorer in the Start Menu->All Programs->Accessories folder.

 

If a new link was created to Windows Explorer this would also defaulted to Libraries. I need a way of modifying the Default Windows Explorer opening location.

[featured_spectre]

thats odd, as doing as I did in my previous post, it defaulted across the entire my computer / explorer / et all.

[EJWill]

Could you provide a more detailed example of what you have?

 

Just in case I may be doing something wrong.

[featured_spectre]

In the GPO, I clicked on

 

User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer\Common Open File Dialog\Items displayed in Places Bar

 

Changed the default location to my documents - a redirected folder for the user areas.(Previous default open / save location being my computer).

 

When I forced the machines to have a GPO update, the setting took on ALL machines, for all settings. When explorer is opened, it now defaults to my documents, when they open a file, it now opens my documents and same when they saved (Previously each opened up my computer)

[featured_spectre]

You can also copy and paste these items in bold into the Target area to have Windows Explorer open to these locations.

 

Windows Explorer (default)

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe

Computer

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /root,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

Documents

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n,::{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}

Recycle Bin

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /N,::{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}

Network Neighborhood

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /N,::{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}

Default Web Browser (ex: Internet Explorer)

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /N,::{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}

Computer Search Results Folder

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /N,::{1F4DE370-D627-11D1-BA4F-00A0C91EEDBA}

Network Search Results Folder

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /N,::{E17D4FC0-5564-11D1-83F2-00A0C90DC849}

Web Folders

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /N,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{BDEADF00-C265-11D0-BCED-00A0C90AB50F}

Control Panel

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /N,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}

Printers and Faxes

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /N,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}\::{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}

Scanners and Cameras

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /N,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}\::{E211B736-43FD-11D1-9EFB-0000F8757FCD}

Fonts

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /N,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}\::{D20EA4E1-3957-11d2-A40B-0C5020524152}

Network Connections or My Network Place

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /N,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}\::{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E}

Administrative Tools

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /N,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}\::{D20EA4E1-3957-11d2-A40B-0C5020524153}

Tasks Scheduler

%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /N,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}\::{D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF}

[EJWill]

In the GPO, I clicked on

 

User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer\Common Open File Dialog\Items displayed in Places Bar

 

Changed the default location to my documents - a redirected folder for the user areas.(Previous default open / save location being my computer).

 

When I forced the machines to have a GPO update, the setting took on ALL machines, for all settings. When explorer is opened, it now defaults to my documents, when they open a file, it now opens my documents and same when they saved (Previously each opened up my computer)

 

Are you sure it's in this GPO?

 

http://www.simplehelp.net/images/saveas/saveas06.jpg

[featured_spectre]

ahh thats where we differ, i am on 2008R2...sorry should have said

[EJWill]

That's quite depressing to find that R2 has the feature I need. Sadly we're stuck using plain old 2008.

 

So I guess the question still stands for now.

[EJWill]

I'm currently experimenting with merging ADMX files between 2008 R1 and Windows 7, however I need a little help from the 2008R2 bods.

 

Can someone post a picture of what the 'Items displayed in Places Bar' GPO is supposed to look like?

[featured_spectre]

EJ Will, come over to my school and see it personally? Bring some of your techs with you!

 

PM Me for details

 

Carl