Windows explorer panes dissapeared

Factual Questions
1

Using Windows 2000. My windows explorer has lost the address bar, the back/forward/refresh etc., and the file/edit/view/etc. toolbar panes. Why, I have no idea. I accidentally selected a bunch of folders and hit enter and so it created over a dozen new windows opening each - the last of which was without those three panes, and since then all new windows explorer instances are like that. I rebooted, didn’t help.

I went through “folder options” under the control panel and reset everything to the default, but that didn’t do anything.

There doesn’t seem to be a place on the window where I can right click and select which toolbars should be visible, so I can’t figure out how to get them back. Any ideas?

2

I don’t have 2000 running in my house, but try View->toolbars and check what you want. This works on 98 and XP. If that isn’t available, someone else will have to help you.

I find many rogue web sites that disable stuff like this. Almost every time I go to friends’ houses I find it has happened and they don’t know what’s missing. They don’t know what a URL is, or how to use it, so they never miss it.

3

The toolbar that would contain “view” is missing, though.

I think what happened is that I already had a ton of windows open, and when I accidentally opened like 10+ more, windows ran out of graphical interface memory and couldn’t draw the window. That’s why the explorer window was incomplete. Why subsequent ones, after a reboot, are doing the same thing I have no idea.

4

Right-click on an empty space somewhere in the header area. That should get you the options you want.

I see you have tried rebooting, so never mind about that.

5

Does this help:?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555130
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/198177

I just noticed this applies only to XP, so you might find some differences in 2000. Search the MS support database under 2000 if you need to.

6

There was no header area to right click, but the registry editing did the trick. Thank you.

7

Great! Glad to hear you’re back in business and the XP advice worked on 2000. I wonder if Microsoft knows that?

Now ask me how to restore the default buttons in Corel products when the program misbehaves and wipes everything out. That trick I know by heart!

8

They’re very similar - microsoft probably did a good job making extra money on XP upgrades when the operating systems are almost the same. What changes they did make to XP mostly annoy me, so I’m sticking with 2k until I decide I need vista for DX10.