Windows Explorer Address Bar disappearing

Hey guys, I've observed this same issue on and off for as long as I've had Windows 7 (about a year). I have Windows 7 Professional SP1, 32-bit. Like MacEachaidh, I also tend to leave Windows Explorer windows open during shutdown so they will still be there when I reboot.

Unfortunately I don't have an answer to this question. I just wanted to go on record as being another user who sees this happening.

Just to add my weight, for what its worth.

My work machine, Win 7 Pro 32bit SP1, shows the same problem. I have never seen it on my home machine, Win 7 Home Premium 64bit, but no SP1.

Only one further detail: I recall that I have met this problem on my work machine when it was running Vista. I never did track down when or why.

OK. One further point. I have just noticed that I have two such windows, out of seven. One has space for the Address bar, but blank, the other doesn't even have the space.

JimSlimbo, MCAB, thanks for adding your information to this.

I've written to Microsoft, asking if this is any kind of a known problem and if it has any response on the matter, but I guess the answer to that is no ... I haven't had any reply.

You are not alone. I did get this problem, sparodically. I often install for others, or reinstall for my own purposes. Eventually I tried the option:

Control Panel/Folder Options /Views
Tick " Always show menus" Apply and OK.

For me, that seemed to solve the problem.

Not sure I follow, davehc. I mean, I know what you're suggesting, but it's not the menus that are the issue - it's the address bar that keeps disappearing.

Darn, Sorry Mac, misread in haste! Can't offer anything witht that problem. I have just tried to simulate it with every option I could think of - failed!

That's OK, davehc, I'm failing to stop it as well! ;-)

Thanks for your input anyway.

Thanks lehnerus, I'll give it a look. If it were a broken DLL or something, though, wouldn't that affect all the Explorer windows equally? Not just some of them, sporadically?