[Madhits45]

I've found a solution to MS taking Auto Arrange & Align to grid out of windows 7. I'm coming right from XP so for those of you who knew some of this from vista bare with me.

It should be noted that if any feature disappears from a version of windows and it was in the last version you can bet Microsoft just removed the feature from the user interface and most likely its just buried away somewhere. Much like this one was taken away through the registry.

Auto arrange is your is feature that Microsoft has forced upon us in Win7 and here is how to turn it off. My fix turns it off Globally but you can do it whatever way you like.

Ill attempt to explain what these reg values do but some are still unknown.

I would like some confirmation on what some of the other keys do under this entry. So if you can help please do as some are still a mystery. Some of the keys below were in other versions of windows but have different values from previous versions of windows. For example FFlags is one that was but you can not use XP or vista FFlags values as they are different.

First navigate to this section of the registry. Then Delete the Bags key there. This will clear out all saved folder view currently stored in the registry.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

;Delete all Bags entries, storing view settings first
;___________________________________________________
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags]

Bags can then be recreated either manually or just open up explorer and navigate to any folder. Refresh regedit and it will be back.

Then under Bags create \AllFolders\Shell\{5C4F28B5-F869-4E84-8E60-F11DB97C5CC7}]

If you copy the above txt and the text below and you can do it all at once in a reg file. Just copy and paste the following into a txt file and rename to reg and import. For the newbies UAC will come up and ask you to confirm say yes.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell\{5C4F28B5-F869-4E84-8E60-F11DB97C5CC7}]

Then you see the entry under that section and can navigated to in regedit.

What you have created there is the generic template folder. {5C4F28B5-F869-4E84-8E60-F11DB97C5CC7}

One thing I am still trying to figure out is where in the registry these values are pulled if you do not set them like we are doing here. Since under customize this folder these templates get created with default MS values.

The Global template for folders are as follows.

{5C4F28B5-F869-4E84-8E60-F11DB97C5CC7} =none specific
{7d49d726-3c21-4f05-99aa-fdc2c9474656} =Docs template
{94d6ddcc-4a68-4175-a374-bd584a510b78} =Music template
{b3690e58-e961-423b-b687-386ebfd83239} =Pics template
{5fa96407-7e77-483c-ac93-691d05850de8} =Video template

The templates above sets up how a folders view is interpreted in windows. Keep in mind the AllFolders entry used below does not exist in win 7 default unless you apply the template through customize this folder context menu or set them yourself. The edits to these templates are also applied moving forward to all folders you customize with the template. Where the MS default template originates in the registry is unknown. You can edit all of the templates in the way we are editing the generic template. The one difference is with the video template you get an option to hide/show file names. Other then that they are the same except how the files are shown.

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell\{5C4F28B5-F869-4E84-8E60-F11DB97C5CC7}]

Entries under the above key and what they do:

“Rev”=dword:00000000 = When this is set to 0. I believe this is what actually causes auto arrange and align to grid to show in context menus. Need to confirm this as I'm not sure and no amount of googling has helped.

“FFlags”=dword:43000001 = auto arrange checked but showing. 43000000 turns it off for any folder the template is applied to.

“Vid”=”{0057D0E0-3573-11CF-AE69-08002B2E1262}” = the icon view used. See below (same as vista).

View Mode vid
Icons 1 {0057D0E0-3573-11CF-AE69-08002B2E1262}
List 3 {0E1FA5E0-3573-11CF-AE69-08002B2E1262}
Details 4 {137E7700-3573-11CF-AE69-08002B2E1262}
Thumbnail5 {8BEBB290-52D0-11D0-B7F4-00C04FD706EC}
Tiles 6 {65F125E5-7BE1-4810-BA9D-D271C8432CE3}
Filmstrip 7 {8EEFA624-D1E9-445B-94B7-74FBCE2EA11A}

“Mode”=dword:00000001 = Icon view as above (same as vista)

“LogicalViewMode”=dword:00000001 = Align to grid checked I believe. dword:00000003 makes it unchecked

“IconSize”=dword:00000030 Size of icons used. See below.

10/30/60/100 Small/Medium/Large/X-Large Icons

Icons view can use all Icon sizes. Tiles uses 30 on and details and list views use 10 only.

"Sort"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,30,f1,\
25,b7,ef,47,1a,10,a5,f1,02,60,8c,9e,eb,ac,0a,00,00,00,01,00,00,00

I believe this hex value under sort sets it to type but can not confirm this.

There are some other entries under this key.

ColInfo
GroupView
GroupByKey
GroupByDirection

I have no idea what they do in the template. However I believe colinfo controls the navigation on the left showing. If anyone knows what these do It would be interesting to know for ref.

If you want the icon view set to 30. Generic template set to all folders with Auto Arrange and align to grid off Globally. Here is the reg for that. Also includes a few other reg entries I use.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

;Delete all Bags entries storing view settings first
;___________________________________________________
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags]

;Get rid of windows not saving settings on exit if exsists

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoSaveSettings"=-
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoSaveSettings"=-

;Disbable full row select in windows 7
;______________________________________
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"FullRowSelect"=dword:00000000

;Disable sniff folder feature in Windows 7 and sets folder type to not specific
;______________________________________________________________________________
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell]
"KnownFolderDerivedFolderType"="{57807898-8C4F-4462-BB63-71042380B109}"
"SniffedFolderType"="Generic"
"FolderType"="NotSpecified"


;Generic - Folder Template Global set because folder type is set to not specified above.
;First template is what is used for all types of files in windows
;Rev key when set to 0 shows Auto Arrange and Align to grid in menu
;FFlags turns off Auto Arrange when set to 43000000 and 43000001 is on
;Vid sets the type of file that is in the folder icons, list, thumbnail, tiles etc
;mode is the icon size used in vid 10/30/60/100 Small/Medium/Large/X-Large Icons
;Tiles vid uses 30 on and details and list views use 10 only.
;sort is how the folder is sorted. Type, name etc
;All templates can be set same as generic but can be modified if you decide to use them.
;_____________________________________________________________________________________________

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell\{5C4F28B5-F869-4E84-8E60-F11DB97C5CC7}]
"Rev"=dword:00000000
"FFlags"=dword:43000000
"Vid"="{0057D0E0-3573-11CF-AE69-08002B2E1262}"
"Mode"=dword:00000001
"LogicalViewMode"=dword:00000003
"IconSize"=dword:00000030
"ColInfo"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,fd,df,df,fd,10,\
  00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,04,00,00,00,18,00,00,00,30,f1,25,b7,ef,47,\
  1a,10,a5,f1,02,60,8c,9e,eb,ac,0a,00,00,00,10,01,00,00,30,f1,25,b7,ef,47,1a,\
  10,a5,f1,02,60,8c,9e,eb,ac,0e,00,00,00,78,00,00,00,30,f1,25,b7,ef,47,1a,10,\
  a5,f1,02,60,8c,9e,eb,ac,04,00,00,00,78,00,00,00,30,f1,25,b7,ef,47,1a,10,a5,\
  f1,02,60,8c,9e,eb,ac,0c,00,00,00,50,00,00,00
"Sort"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,00,30,f1,\
  25,b7,ef,47,1a,10,a5,f1,02,60,8c,9e,eb,ac,0a,00,00,00,01,00,00,00
"GroupView"=dword:00000000
"GroupByKey:FMTID"="{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}"
"GroupByKey:PID"=dword:00000000
"GroupByDirection"=dword:00000001

Thanks

This post has been edited by Madhits45: 13 April 2010 - 12:52 AM

[Madhits45]

This is why MSFN has gone down hill. I cant believe no one cares here to even make a comment. This is one of the most annoying features in windows 7 and has more complaints then any other bar none. I have figured out how to bring auto arrange back and no one cares?


WOW

[jaclaz]

Madhits45, on 09 April 2010 - 03:02 AM, said:

I have figured out how to bring auto arrange back and no one cares?

Sure, life is tough , and most people are just ungrateful bastards (and whiners ).

Comeon , you found a nice trick , this thread has (right now) 130 views and not one "thank you".

You may want to compare with this one:
http://www.msfn.org/...howtopic=111401
7285 views and 5 thank you's?

Then compare the above 7285 views with the views the "base" threads have had? (1,088,166+675,581+552,133=2,315,880)
http://www.msfn.org/...showtopic=61384
http://www.msfn.org/...howtopic=111406
http://www.msfn.org/...howtopic=120444

I should tell you something .....

jaclaz

[cluberti]

It is a neat trick, but you weren't the first to find it.

http://www.msfn.org/...plorerexe-view/

However, credit where credit is due I've edited my post to point to this thread to make it more discoverable.

[amenx]

I saw it at the Winhelponline blog a couple months ago:

http://www.winhelpon...orer-windows-7/

[Madhits45]

cluberti, on 09 April 2010 - 12:10 PM, said:

It is a neat trick, but you weren't the first to find it.

http://www.msfn.org/...plorerexe-view/

However, credit where credit is due I've edited my post to point to this thread to make it more discoverable.

Ok not to get really picky. But the topic you pointed to cluberti is for winXP. I tried every single one of the old reg fixes from XP, and Vista before I found this one. Most of the entries are either very different or use new values. MS changed the entries so this feature could not be turned off like it could in the older versions.

**amenx** if you had read that topic its only half the answer. Ramesh in his thread only figured out how to make auto arrange show in the context menu. Have you tried to uncheck it and then close the window and go back to that folder in icon view? Or restart? (not sure about details view)

If you do with his reg applied youl notice that the **** thing just comes right back. That is what got me soo annoyed and why I spend 3 days trying to figure out what values do what and which one could actually turn it off globally. If you look at the comments I tried to ask him for help at one point before I figured it out myself. I also posted my answer on his blog also. I explained what the other values are and what they do and which one I believe controls the Auto Arrange feature. The only ones I dont know are posted below and now in this tread. The only person that I believe can answer these remaining questions is Keith Miller from MS. From his posts at other forums I was able to piece together this solution.

[MrJinje]

Any chance you can whip up a .reg file for us.

EDIT: I'll test it out, but I don't want to waste my time trying to decipher the first post, maybe it just needs some codeboxes and formatting to make it more readable.

This post has been edited by MrJinje: 12 April 2010 - 11:31 PM

[amenx]

Madhits45, on 12 April 2010 - 09:45 PM, said:

**amenx** if you had read that topic its only half the answer. Ramesh in his thread only figured out how to make auto arrange show in the context menu. Have you tried to uncheck it and then close the window and go back to that folder in icon view? Or restart? (not sure about details view)

If you do with his reg applied youl notice that the **** thing just comes right back. That is what got me soo annoyed and why I spend 3 days trying to figure out what values do what and which one could actually turn it off globally.

Not so. When you uncheck autoarrange, it holds that setting when you close the window and even when you restart the PC. I think most people reported the same as well. What it fails to do is make the setting global. You have to uncheck autoarrange for each **** folder you open except the ones you've already unchecked, those remain unchecked. That was my only gripe. Now some even reported @ social.answers.microsoft.com that it worked for them globally, but for most it hasnt. So it seems its not consistent. As someone else mentioned, it may help if you put it into a reg file to get it into wider circulation. I think its not much use just discussing one persons experiences with it which may not hold for others.

* d.amn is a censored word?

This post has been edited by amenx: 19 April 2010 - 01:45 PM

[Madhits45]

amenx, on 19 April 2010 - 01:43 PM, said:

Madhits45, on 12 April 2010 - 09:45 PM, said:

**amenx** if you had read that topic its only half the answer. Ramesh in his thread only figured out how to make auto arrange show in the context menu. Have you tried to uncheck it and then close the window and go back to that folder in icon view? Or restart? (not sure about details view)

If you do with his reg applied youl notice that the **** thing just comes right back. That is what got me soo annoyed and why I spend 3 days trying to figure out what values do what and which one could actually turn it off globally.

Not so. When you uncheck autoarrange, it holds that setting when you close the window and even when you restart the PC. I think most people reported the same as well. What it fails to do is make the setting global. You have to uncheck autoarrange for each **** folder you open except the ones you've already unchecked, those remain unchecked. That was my only gripe. Now some even reported @ social.answers.microsoft.com that it worked for them globally, but for most it hasnt. So it seems its not consistent. As someone else mentioned, it may help if you put it into a reg file to get it into wider circulation. I think its not much use just discussing one persons experiences with it which may not hold for others.

* d.amn is a censored word?

Amnex no worries. I could not get it to stay with the other reg so thats why I went looking for a better solution. I think I was the first to figure out what FFLags value causes it to be unchecked & then to apply that to the folder template globally. I've gone a step further now & have foldertypes set with this reg and streams set also but foldertypes only picks up some of the values as there all in streams. Either way I got those set incase I ever hit the folder options reset all folders it will not turn back on. I'll be glad to share that also if anyone cares but as long as u dont reset all folders this reg/settings will stay put.

[Jazkal]

Thank you