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View Saved Windows Explorer Folder Settings

Windows Explorer can remember custom folder settings for each folder on the computer system. Those saved settings include the display mode, the window position, the last modified date and the last size of the Window.

The folder settings are stored in the Windows Registry and ShellBagsView from Nirsoft provides the means of displaying all of them. The software program is the usual Nirsoft program meaning it is fully portable, runs on Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Vista and supports several command line parameters.

One reason why it might be good to run the program from time to time is to check if hidden folders are listed in the Registry. Those settings could hint at encrypted partitions or hidden folders on the system which is probably not desired.

shellbagsview

The findings can be exported in html reports. There is unfortunately no way of deleting the entries. Another interesting finding is that Windows saves new directory information in the Registry even if the option “Remember Each Folder’s View Settings” is unchecked. If anyone knows a way around this, so that no information of that kind are stored in the Registry let me know.

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About the Author:Martin Brinkmann is a journalist from Germany who founded Ghacks Technology News Back in 2005. He is passionate about all things tech and knows the Internet and computers like the back of his hand. You can follow Martin on Facebook or Twitter.

Author: , Wednesday August 13, 2008 -
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Responses so far:

  1. Daniel says:

    It would be interesting if we could save the settings and import to another folder.

  2. archer says:

    no way to delete, but how about edit capability?

  3. Transcontinental says:

    I guess everyone knows this .reg data which erases all “bags” (and folder settings!), bags which are rebuilt clean on next boot :

    [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU]
    [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags]

    [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU]
    [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags]

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