Running Windows Explorer from Windows 2000 under Windows 7

I am totally fed up with that handicapped deformity called "Windows Explorer" under Windows 7. Is there a way to start Windows Explorer from Win 2000 (both the panel and the file manager) under Win7?

I choose the Explorer from Win 2000 over that from Win XP because I like it more and also because the Explorer from Win XP calls some unimplemented function in ntdll on start (with an error) while the Explorer from Win 2000 in compatibilirty mode at least does not report any errors, just silently exits.

why would you want to run something that was made a long time ago on Windows 7, even running something from 2001 on Windows 7 doesn't work anymore either so good luck with it

The chances of making that work range from slim to none, but closer to the latter. Windows Explorer is not a stand alone application but is part of the explorer.exe process which also manages the desktop, start menu, taskbar, and more. You can't normally mix and match Windows components from different operating systems.

If you don't like Windows Explorer there are many alternatives available. An Internet search will turn up many.

why would you want to run something that was made a long time ago on Windows 7

Because the modern Explorer is unusable, evidently.

- Impossible to remove the Navigation Bar, which takes 1/4 of the window (given that the similar panel in в Win 2000 would take twice less place and could be easily disabled). One can remove it only with Windows Style Editor, which is paid, and only for non-classical themes. And this makes the search unfunctional.
- Removing of the Command Bar is possible only Resource Hacker, and doing that you lose the ability to enable and disable the Navigation Pane (other than via Registry).
- The positions of the windows of Windows Explorer are no longer remembered. For it one needs to employ Shell Folder Fix always running (and even with it the windows appear first in wrong positions and get repositioned for about a second).
- When using Aero, there is no folder name and icon in the windows caption. Only keeping Shell Folder Fix running helps.
- The Explorer window cannot be made smaller than cerrtain size vertically.
- There is no frame arouns the file area of the Explorer window and other visual bugs (in the drop down list in the navbar there is no bottom border, and different styles of the pressed and unpressed button, in the search field the hint text is displayed on the white background irrespective of the badckground cvolor set in the theme etc)
- When using Aero, the Navbar, the taskbar and the menu do not respect the system font smoothing settings, always using grayscale (that is the worst thing) instead of ClearType. Disabling smoothing also does not work there.
- The file system tree is not usable, only running Classic Shell helps (and that does not matter because enebling the NavPane with Command Bar removed is impossible).
- When changing the folder view to the normal icons, they appear too large. It is impossible to set the default icon size for view mode switching.
- Ugly rectangular selection on the desktop (when using non-classical themes) and in the file manager (when using all themes)
- The shortcut icon is too huge compared to the dimensions of the file icons at standard size 32x32. One has to re-define the shortcut icon via registry.
- The file and folder icons are not shown when dragging them, only the mouse pointer.
- There is no classical Start Menu, one has to keep Classic Shell running.
- In the corner of the screen there is an ugly button "Show the desktop", which takes space and cannot be removed. Only keeping running 7 Taskbar Tweaker helps.
- The distance between icons in the system tray is too large, which takes taskbar space. Only keeping running 7 Taskbar Tweaker (and properly settging up it via registry) helps.
- The space for the clock is calculated wrongly, to include the seconds. This takes the additional space, only 7 Taskbar Tweaker helps.
- On the right click on the taskbar buttons something uncomprehensible appears instead of the context menu, only 7 Taskbar Tweaker helps.
- On the taskbar there is idiotic button groupping that cannot be disabled other than keeping 7 Taskbar Tweaker running.
- When using maximize/restore animations in the Classic theme, on the taskbar buttons often appear artefacts.
- The ugly Language Bar makes the taskbar thick and takes much of space, so one has use a third-party indicator, such as Punto Switcher or Ruslat95 (which I use).

Bottom line, I use 4 resident programs and 2 hack programs and still cannot make it satisfactory. For me the Win 7 explorer is totally unusable. If I could not find a way to start the Windows Explorer from Windows 2000 under Win 7, I will most likely roll back to Windows 2000.

LMiller7 said:

The chances of making that work range from slim to none, but closer to the latter. Windows Explorer is not a stand alone application but is part of the explorer.exe process which also manages the desktop, start menu, taskbar, and more. You can't normally mix and match Windows components from different operating systems.

Yes, I would like to replace the Explorer in all these roles with the one from Win 2000. I do not know who was in charge of this project in Microsoft, but he was definitely moving in the opposite direction at any function and feature. Besides the Explorer Win7 is satisfactory.

whs said:

If I could not find a way to start the Windows Explorer from Windows 2000 under Win 7, I will most likely roll back to Windows 2000.

It's a deal - because that's what you will have to do.

Well, before that I will try to run the Explorer from Windows 98 and Windows 95. I appreciate any help on running Windows Explorer from any prevuous version of Windows before Vista (well, possibly the explorer from some Lonhorn betas will also be good).