Greetings.  I'm thinking someone knows this off the top of their head,
but this is bugging my why I can get this to work.

Running Windows ME, 4.90.3000.

In Windows Explorer, I only have a single pane.  I want to "lock" the
view to a double pane showing the Folders view in the left pane, so
whenever I open Explorer, it will show this view.  I have two other
computers that have this view as the default, but for some reason, my
third computer has only one pane.  Of course, if I click on the
Folders icon, the left pane magically fills with the Folders view. 
Have been fiddling with it for a while now, but can't seem to figure
it out.

Suggestions?

Hello respree,

Thank you for your question.

If you are comfortable working in the registry, this Microsoft
Knowledgebase article will most likely get you back to the display you
prefer:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q192315

"...When you start Windows Explorer, the All Folders pane may be
missing, or the entire Windows Explorer window may be empty.
 
CAUSE
This behavior can occur if the ExplorerBar value in the following
registry key is damaged:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main ..."
				

Do read the entire article for their caveats and cure.

This seems to have worked for others having the same problem as
discussed in several Usenet groups. Should this not work for you,
please post a clarification and I'll be happy to drill down a bit
further.


Search Strategy:

"windows explorer" +"folders pane" disappears OR stick OR "does not
stay open"


Regards,

-=clouseau=-

---

Request for Answer Clarification by respree-ga on 13 May 2003 17:35 PDT

Thank you for your response, but I'm afraid the link provided did not
solve my particular problem. That article applies to Win 95/98.  I am
running Win ME.

I took a look at my registry hoping the cure would have been the same,
but the boys at Microsoft seem to have changed where the ExplorerBar
entry lives in the registry or its now called something else (although
I can't imagine what).

Sorry for so much work for only $2, but I thought someone might know
that answer off the top of their head and say "check this box." =(

---

Clarification of Answer by clouseau-ga on 13 May 2003 18:06 PDT

Hello again respree,

Most often, settings such as Internet Explorer or Windows Explorer
settings are the same with 95, 98 and ME. Did you search the registry
at all? You might try a search for -  Internet Explorer\Main  - to see
if the key appears that way.


Everything I seem to find points to this as the cure. 

http://www.generation.net/~hleboeuf/explorer.htm
"All Folders" Pane Missing or Windows Explorer Is Blank 
When you start Windows Explorer, the All Folders pane may be missing,
or the entire Windows Explorer window may be empty.
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=192315 (W95/98 Dec. 17, 2000)

There are many more.

Take a look at this thread on ExpertseXchange:
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/Win98/Q_20209187.html


One other thought mentioned is the Internet Explorer Repair tool. This
does seem to be an Ie problem that manifests itself as a Windows
Explorer problem. See this thread:

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=e0QnQJzxCHA.2868%40TK2MSFTNGP12&rnum=6&prev=/groups%3Fq%3D%2522folders%2Bpane%2522%2B%252Bmissing%2B%252Bwindows%2Bme%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26selm%3De0QnQJzxCHA.2868%2540TK2MSFTNGP12%26rnum%3D6

And even another Usenet thread agrees that the fix is in the registry,
even for ME:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=kr%25Y7.1901%24h2c.798%40news2.bloor.is&rnum=10&prev=/groups%3Fnum%3D50%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DISO-8859-1%26q%3D%2522folders%2Bpane%2522%2B%252Bmissing%2B%252Bwindows%2Bme%26sa%3DN%26tab%3Dwg



And this thread is linked from there:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=266Y7.267230%24bs2.51269901%40news02.optonline.net&rnum=1&prev=/groups%3Fselm%3D266Y7.267230%2524bs2.51269901%2540news02.optonline.net


After a pretty extensive search, everyone with this problem has either
solved it with removing that registry entry OR the repair feature of
IE.

See if another try at finding that registry entry or the IE repair
helps you and let me know.

Regards,

-=clouseau=-

Thank you for your help.  I think the only cure is an over the top
reinstall.  I tried the repair cure mentioned in the thread, but
unfortunately that didn't work.  I did search the registry and found
something close.  There are 5 entries called ExplorerBar in that
general area, but I don't feel comfortable messing around in the
registry (because I don't know what I'm doing).  Thanks again.  Its a
minor nuisance.  Don't know whether it justifies the reinstall.