re: This was the solution (for me) Saturday, July 20, 2002 at 8:24 am Windows XP Annoyances Discussion Forum Posted by John Butler (28 messages posted) Did it work? I never had any problems like Jost described so I would be interested in the end of the tale. I was interested in the information about "sniifing". On Saturday, July 20, 2002 at 3:56 am, Jost Wolf wrote: >Hello, > >I had the just the same problem with Windows XP home always resetting my custom folder >views to its factory defaults. I posted it in a German XP newsgroup and got this >URL: > >http://groups.google.de/groups?q=bagmru&hl=de&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&selm=ugTk9Qv2BHA.204840tkmsftngp05&rnum=1 > >When I checked it again today, I did not work anymore, so here is the text I found >there: > >[start quote] >Hello Fred, > >I would not be surprised if you had heard me shout from where ever in the >world you are. > >Anyway, the " >BagMRU > Size" value worked. My system is now happily creating >Keys under the "Bags" Key with values greater than 400. > >You have no idea how happy I am about this. I love XP Pro and the Folder >behaviour was one thing that REALLY annoyed me. I can understand why >Microsoft have set a default, at what probably seems a reasonable limit of >400 Folders. However I think you might find that lots of people may run >into this issue at some point in time. Setting this >BagMRU > Size value is >almost something that TweakUI could do. > >In any event it would seem that my issues have been resolved. I can now go >and setup my Music folders just the way I want without the fear that Windows >will clobber those settings at some time in the future. > >All that is left to ask is, are there any guidelines on the upper limit to >the >BagMRU > Size? What impact on the Registry Size will increasing the >number of Folders have? Any other side - effects we need to be aware of? > >Many, many thanks for your support. > >This is a real winner! > >Trevor. > > >"Trevor A. White" wrote in message >news:O#cCXRt2BHA.2588@tkmsftngp07 >... > Fred, > > Thankyou very much for your prompt reply. > > I had tried a number of things in trying to get this to work, but I never > though of an imbedded space. However, surely a value name with an imbedded > space is not valid?? > > Do you actually mean a DWORD value of "Size" in the key: > > HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\ >BagMRU > > > > Or do you actually mean a DWORD value with the name " >BagMRU > Size" in the > key: > > HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam > > > I am at work now (it is late afternoon here in South Australia). In any > event I will try this out in a few hours from now once I return home. > > Thanks again for the follow up. > > Trevor. > > > "Shell Team" wrote in message > >news:#wlsBuq2BHA.2368@tkmsftngp07 >... > > Hi Trevor, > > > > I was notified of your post in this forum and it appears the problem might > > be our friend CarriageReturnLineFeed... > > > > The key should be " >BagMRU > Size"...note the space. It looks like my post > > separated right at the keyname value and it was unclear what the key > > actually needed to be. > > > > Please try the key " >BagMRU > Size" instead of "BagMRUSize" and post your > > findings. I'll keep an eye on this thread until you tell me the results and > > if necessary will research the issue further. > > > > Regards, > > > > Fred Nava > > Windows Shell Test Team > > > > > > "Trevor A. White" wrote in message > > >news:#zTywmi2BHA.1260@tkmsftngp04 >... > > > Hi there, > > > > > > A week or so ago I posted a question on the XP Music forum regarding some > > > very odd behaviour I was experiencing with my 'Music Artist' and 'Music > > > Album' folders. > > > > > > I eventually received an excellent response from Fred Nava of the Windows > > > Shell Test Team. (Because my problem was Shell related and not anything to > > > do with Media Player). Anyway, in his response Fred described the functions > > > of Folder Customisation and Folder Sniffing, which Windows does behind the > > > scenes. Fred described the 400 folder limit that XP has by default when > > > storing customisation settings for folders, and how the system will start to > > > re - use these stored settings on a 'Most Recently Used' basis, once the 400 > > > folder limit has been exceeded. Fred went on to tell me how it is possible > > > to increase this limit by creating the following DWORD Registry entry and > > > setting it's value to be greater than 400. > > > > > > HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam [BagMRUSize] > > > > > > and > > > > > > HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell [BagMRUSize] > > > > > > > > > After creating these Registry values, and completely resetting the MRU > > > history for my folders, I thought my troubles would be over. But it was not > > > to be. When Windows XP gets to 400 folders having been 'viewed', it starts > > > reusing the 'least used' entries in the 'Bags' Registry keys. > > > > > > > > > So, finally to my question. Is there anyone here from the Windows Shell team > > > who could confirm if the BagMRUSize value is correct. Have I placed this > > > within the correct Key(s) ie: Shell and ShellNoRoam. Can anyone shed any > > > more light on how to increase the number of folders that XP will remember > > > settings for. > > > > > > Any additional tips would be greatly appreciated. > > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks for reading. > > > > > > PS: I did not post this back on the original thread as it seemed unlikely > > > that Fred would visit there again. > > > > > > However, here is the text of Fred's message, for those that are interested: > > > > > > > > > >>> Cut <<< > > > Hi Trevor, > > > > > > > > > > > > I'm sorry to hear that you've experienced the type of frustration you've > > > detailed in your post. > > > > > > > > > > > > > I have setup hundreds of folders in a structure of 'Music Artist' and within > > > > them 'Music Album' folders. > > > > > > > > But every other day I will be using the system and discover that some > > > > folders that I had previously setup the way I wanted have now reverted to > > > > the standard 'All Documents' folder style. Or, I might find that some 'Music > > > > Album' folders have now become 'Music Artist'. And then, worst of all I > > > > will find some folders, often on a completely different Drive, that have > > > > nothing to do with music and that I have never added any customization to, > > > > will suddenly be displayed as 'Music Artist' with the folder view set to > > > > 'Thumbnail' for example. > > > > > > > > > > > > The problems/behaviors you are encountering center on the interaction > > > between two features, Folder Customization, which you know about, and Folder > > > Sniffing, which you might not know about. Folder Sniffing is a feature that > > > inspects the content of any previously - unopened folder and based on the > > > dominant file type and quantity of files, presents the folder in one of the > > > templates used by Folder Customization. The information used by both of > > > these features is stored in the registry at > > > HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell and > > > HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam depending on the type of folder > > > it is. Since data is stored on a "Most Recently Used" basis, at any given > > > time, it will only contain data for the last 400 or so folders opened. If > > > more information must be stored, the oldest folder's data will be > > > overwritten. At that point, since there is no persisted data for that > > > folder, if it were re - opened, a new "sniff" would occur and the folder would > > > be presented as determined by its dominant content and quantity of files. > > > The number of folders that can have data stored for them can be manually set > > > by create a new Value at the Shell and ShellNoRoam Key. Create a " >BagMRU > > > > Size" value, make it a DWORD type, and set it to a number higher than 400, > > > 1000 for example. Please note that this is only meant to be done on Windows > > > XP. It is not guaranteed to work on any past or future release of Windows. > > > > > > > > > > > > > Basically I want to clean the whole bloody lot out. If it will not work > > > > properly then I would rather just remove it. Is there some straightforward > > > > way that I can remove ALL the folder customizations from the system? > > > > > > > > > > > > Removing all persisted data about folder settings can be accomplished by > > > going to an Explorer Window and going to the Tools - >Folder Options dialog, > > > selecting the View tab and clicking the "Reset All Folders" button. This > > > will wipe all stored folder settings data from the registry. This being > > > said, Folder Sniffing will take place on all folders opened at that point > > > since no persisted data exists now. There is no way to turn off Folder > > > Sniffing. > > > > > > > > > > > > > I would like to go back to a standard 'Documents of all file types' with >a > > > > 'Detail' view for all my folders. Rather than continue with this blasted > > > > frustration. > > > > > > > > > > > > You can make all folders use Details view by going into any folder and > > > changing the view to Details, bring up the Folder Options dialog and in the > > > View tab, click the "Apply to All Folders" button. All your folders should > > > now be in Details view. Your Tasks Pane will still be based on the dominant > > > file type. > > > > > > > > > > > > I hope this answers your questions. > > > > > > > > > > > > Fred Nava > > > > > > Windows Shell Test Team > > > > > > >>> Cut <<< >[end quote] > > >That worked for me just perfectly! Even the trashcan remembers its settings now! > >Good luck, Jost Wolf Written in response to: This was the solution (for me) (Jost Wolf: Saturday, July 20, 2002 at 3:56 am) Responses to this message: re: This was the solution (for me) (Jost Wolf: Saturday, July 20, 2002 at 12:41 pm) All messages in this thread [show all] Question about 'Force Windows to Remember Window Positions' (alex: Fri, Apr 12, 2002, 3:37 am) re: Question about 'Force Windows to Remember Window Positions' (Robert: Fri, Apr 12, 2002, 3:30 pm) Question about 'Force Windows to Remember Window and Folder Positions' (Robert Law: Sat, May 11, 2002, 1:57 am) re: Question about 'Force Windows to Remember Window and Folder Positions' (Tom: Sun, May 26, 2002, 7:14 am) Re to Oomingmak: Question about 'Force Windows to Remember Window and Folder Positions' (Robert Law: Mon, May 27, 2002, 2:17 am) re: Re to Oomingmak: Question about 'Force Windows to Remember Window and Folder Positions' (Rick Juggernaut: Sat, Jun 29, 2002, 8:06 am) re: Re to Oomingmak: Question about 'Force Windows to Remember Window and Folder Positions' (Ander: Wed, Jul 10, 2002, 4:00 pm) re: Re to Oomingmak: Question about 'Force Windows to Remember Window and Folder Positions' (Darrell: Mon, Jul 15, 2002, 8:09 am) This was the solution (for me) (Jost Wolf: Sat, Jul 20, 2002, 3:56 am) re: This was the solution (for me) (John Butler: Sat, Jul 20, 2002, 8:24 am) re: This was the solution (for me) (Jost Wolf: Sat, Jul 20, 2002, 12:41 pm) re: This was the solution (for me) (John Butler: Sat, Jul 20, 2002, 1:04 pm) re: This was the solution (for me) (jaxxsterz: Sun, Feb 23, 2003, 12:48 am) re: This was the solution (for me) (Arache: Sun, Mar 16, 2003, 4:04 am) HOW to FORCE a custom default? (aoz: Sat, Aug 9, 2003, 8:50 pm) re: HOW to FORCE a custom default? (nick: Mon, Aug 18, 2003, 6:41 am) re: This was the solution (for me) (scott: Sun, Feb 15, 2004, 6:50 pm) re: This was the solution (for me) (Giga: Fri, Jun 25, 2004, 12:46 am) re: This was the solution (for me) (WhiteNinja2: Tue, Nov 9, 2004, 8:21 am) re: This was the solution (for me) (monkey: Tue, Jan 25, 2005, 8:32 pm) re: This was the solution (for me) (jmagness: Sun, Mar 19, 2006, 12:11 pm) re: This was the solution (for me) (dg: Fri, Jun 2, 2006, 9:28 pm) XP "save" or "Save as" ICONS? (Ward Christensen: Thu, Jun 29, 2006, 10:25 am) re: XP "save" or "Save as" ICONS? (Wm Williams: Sat, Feb 10, 2007, 7:02 am) Question about 'Force Windows to Remember Window and Folder Positions' (surferXPro: Sat, Nov 2, 2002, 3:20 am) re: Question about 'Force Windows to Remember Window and Folder Positions' (Chuck Kutschenreuter: Wed, Nov 13, 2002, 3:49 pm) I'm glad to have a solution for autosizing windows. (octanq: Mon, Feb 14, 2005, 12:22 pm) re: I'm glad to have a solution for autosizing windows. (Albert van Osch: Wed, Mar 8, 2006, 5:40 am) re: Question about 'Force Windows to Remember Window and Folder Positions' (Patrick: Sat, Apr 12, 2003, 11:58 am) re: Question about 'Force Windows to Remember Window and Folder Positions' (Dennis: Sun, Oct 19, 2003, 10:18 pm) re: Question about 'Force Windows to Remember Window Positions' (surferXPro: Sat, Nov 2, 2002, 1:38 am) re: Question about 'Force Windows to Remember Window Positions' (MARK GILES: Sun, Dec 21, 2003, 1:48 pm) F5 doesn't save Notepad postions.. (Billy Girlardo: Thu, Jan 29, 2004, 4:29 am) re: Question about 'Force Windows to Remember Window Positions' (viv: Sun, Apr 11, 2004, 12:41 pm) re: Question about 'Force Windows to Remember Window Positions' (lynnennis: Thu, Jan 29, 2009, 9:28 am) Reply or follow-up to this message Search this forum Start a new thread on a different subject Report abuse of the forum Return to the Windows XP Discussion Forum