# Is there a way to change this annoying WinXP feature?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-change-this-annoying-winxp-feature/373521>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 21, 2006, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-change-this-annoying-winxp-feature/373521 "2006-09-21T03:57:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-change-this-annoying-winxp-feature/373521/1 "2006-09-21T03:57:18Z")

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It’s a small thing, but I dearly wish that when I look at the contents of a folder in “List” or “Details” mode, that it would show the size of folders contained within that folder.

As it is, it shows the size of files contained within that folder, but not the size of folders.

I can’t see any reason why they couldn’t have designed it otherwise (but then what do I know about OS design?).

Does anyone know of a way to correct this? Or maybe there’s an option in XP which I just haven’t discovered?

Thanks,

-Kris

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**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-change-this-annoying-winxp-feature/373521/2 "2006-09-21T04:02:30Z")

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There’s software that does this and once you start using this you will realize why it was not built into the OS. Doing so on the fly is prohibitively hard drive/CPU intensive while maintaining a directory of sizes and updating dynamically would slow down every file write operation on the OS. It can be done through some innovative caching/indexing, but it’s not as straightforward as one would think.

As far as software that does this, I’m only aware of commercial packages and I don’t want to post links unless our fellow dopers fail to come up with some free alternatives.

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-change-this-annoying-winxp-feature/373521/3 "2006-09-21T04:04:36Z")

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Right clicking on a folder and clicking properties swill give you the folder size and the # of files it contains.

Freeware app to do what you want

> **[Sharewareriver.com - The Resource for Software & Technology](https://sharewareriver.com/)**
>
> Find valuable and insightful information on software and technology at Sharewareriver.com. Our website directory covers a wide range of topics

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**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-change-this-annoying-winxp-feature/373521/4 "2006-09-21T04:06:23Z")

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[QUOTE=astro]  
Right clicking on a folder and clicking properties swill give you the folder size and the # of files it contains.

Freeware app to do what you want

> **[Sharewareriver.com - The Resource for Software & Technology](https://sharewareriver.com/)**
>
> Find valuable and insightful information on software and technology at Sharewareriver.com. Our website directory covers a wide range of topics

[/QUOTE]

I wish to note that I, of course, know that right clicking on a folder and clicking properties will give me the folder size.

Also, hovering over the folder will cause the folder’s size to be displayed in a box that pops up after a few seconds.

Thanks for the pointer to the app!

-Kris

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**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-change-this-annoying-winxp-feature/373521/5 "2006-09-21T17:44:58Z")

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The best tool I’ve found for this is Treesize Pro.