Windows 7 - Control Panel View

I really hate the interface on Windows7. Dropping the old Explorer view where you could see all the folders was a really bad idea. I'm sure there's nothing I can do about that, but is there an option for a classic view of Control Panel? Previously, when you clicked on Control Panel, it opened a window with all the folders laid out. Now, I get a drop-down menu like the Programs menu. Is there a way to change that?

Perhaps yo mean this?

Further to what Ken has posted above, this is the SF Tutorial.

How to Change the Windows 7 Default Control Panel View

Hope this helps and regards

You may like 'god mode' Control Panel All Tasks List Shortcut

Option 1 is out, because I don't have that view.

Option 2: When I searched for gpedit.msc, it was not found.

Option 3: I downloaded and successfully installed the reg file, but when I opened Control Panel, it hadn't changed.

Option 4: When I type in "1" as a value for modifying ForceClassicControlPanel, the registry look doesn't change.

I'm at a loss.

Here's another option,



I've been using it this way for so long it was a month or two after moving to 7 before I even saw the changes. Right click on the Orb and select Properties, Start Menu tab and click on Customize then find Control panel and set it to "Display as a menu".

And another option if, like me, you like the old style. Look close and you'll see these are all shortcuts. I created a new folder, dragged each of the Control Panel items over, and used a freeware renaming program (ReNamer) to remove " - shortcut" from the icon names. A side benefit is that I now have the flexibility to modify names. (For example, I might rename "Programs and Features" to something more fitting, say "Add/Remove Programs.") I'm still looking for a way to fix the funky word wrapping though.