I’ve posted some computer questions here before, and always gotten help. This one isn’t a big deal, but it’s driving me crazy. I run Windows ME and have luckily had few problems with this computer that is nearly four years old.
I often use Windows Explorer, and it used to appear with the usual Internet Explorer task bars along the top (File/Edit/View/Favorites/Tools/Help, the icons, and the URL bar as well). The screen would be neatly divided into two sections, with 1/3 on the left showing the entire My Computer, and 2/3 on the right showing the contents of whatever folder I was currently in. This was a nice setup, and I got used to it.
As of yesterday, when I now open Windows Explorer, the usual task bars along the top are GONE, and I can’t get them to come back permanently. Furthermore, it now takes up the entire screen, and I have to click some random area on the screen to get a SECOND Windows Explorer window to appear, with the “Folders” command option. Then the 1/3-sized window appears with the overview of the folders, but there is an “X” to close out of it, which never was there before.
I hope I have explained this well enough. It’s really annoying, especially because I had everything set up just like how I liked it and was used to it. Does anyone know how I can bring Windows Explorer back to the standard viewing mode I preferred, and most importantly, KEEP IT THAT WAY?
On the menu, go to View | Tool Bars … and check the items for Standard buttons and Address bar. That’ll get you started.
As to keeping it that way, it’s designed to start however you left it last. So if you quit with it maximized, next time it starts it’ll be maximized. If you quit with the the folder section displayed 1" wide, it’ll be 1" wide when you restart.
The usual source for the problem you describe is that the Windows Explorer and teh Internet Explorer are really two facets of the same program internally. You often get websites that pop up windows of strange sizes and with no menus or other “chrome” as we call it. When you’re done browsing, you close all those garbage windows and guess what: the last window you close sets the settings for how IE & WE look when they restart.
In a bit more detail, IE and WE have some overlapping and some separate settings, so it’s not quite that simple. As well, if you use a shortcut to start WE, some parameters there can have an influence on what you get.
And no, there’s no reliable way to say: lock all settings like this and always restart this way.
I know you probably don’t want to hear this as my answer, but ditch Win ME. It’s garbage. It’s buggy and constantly does stupid little things like the situation you describe.
I’m sure there’s a fix somewhere that may work for this one specific problem, but I recommend getting up to XP (or even down to Win 98, I kid you not) at any cost. You’ll see a huge difference in stability and functionality.