Windows 7: Windows Explorer Auto Arrange - Disable

Hello Brink,
I notice this has been discussed in this thread, but due to unintelligible language from some users, I really couldn't pinpoint the solution:
What I want to do is to have auto-arrange turned on, but no sorting be automatically selected. In other words, I want to move file order at my discretion, but have Windows automatically arrange my files to "fill" the grid after I have moved a file from one pace to another.
The attached files show (in Windows XP) what I want to replicate in Windows 7:

One show normal auto-arrange and sort by name behavior.
Two shows auto-arranged but not sorted by anything. So I can move folders or files, but do not need to "fill" the holes left by a moved file or folder.

Thanks for your great work!

Hello Aphis,

Unfortunatly, it's a either or setting. You will not be able to arrange a file in any arrangement/position if Auto Arrange is enabled. If Auto Arrange is disabled, then Windows will not automatically arrange the files unless you switch between a icon view to say a "Details" view and back to icon view, unzip a file in the folder, move the folder, or rename the folder.

Brink,

i haven't give your workaround a try. i want to ask some questions beforehand.

i wonder if your workaround would still work when files are displayed in "LIST" view.

people usually set the display to "LIST" when there are huge number of files in a directory or when a large number of files are being copied into a directory.

i now copy a number of files into a directory and the directory is set to "LIST" view.
auto-arrange is disabled with your workaround.
will those number of files just copied be placed at the end of the LIST so i instantly know what have just been copied and the number of files just copied are correct? (we used to have this in XP system, but not in windows 7 now.)


William
Hongkong
31 July 2012

Hello William,

Sorry, but no. The workaround to disable auto arrange doesn't work while using "List" view. It will in "Details" view though.

If files are copied into a folder with "List" view set, they'll be auto arranged automatically as usual.

The red warning box and blue note box at the top of the tutorial can give you more details on the usage of this. This also shows how to be able to easily reset the sory order without having to enable auto arrange.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

thankyou for your reply

it might help a bit if the workaround works when using "Details" view.

i will give it a try.

see ya another time

cheers

Brink,

gave the workaround a try ...
not work on my windows 7 professional ...
files copied into a folder are still auto-arranged (sorted) even in "Details" view;

William

Correct, when copied into a folder. You will still be able to arrange them how you like afterwards though.

My sister downloaded this on our shared laptop. Now when she signs in all she gets is her background picture. No start menu, no task bar, NOT ANYTHING. She had to CNTRL/ALT/DEL so I could send this to you. THATS JUST NOT RIGHT!! What is she supposed to do now?

tel her to try this,

System Restore

though i dont see how downloading/installing the disable auto arrange file could affect the laptop to that extent

Hello Gunthere, and welcome to Seven Forums.

There's nothing in the .reg file in this tutorial that would cause an issue like that, so this must be related to some other previously existing issue.

I agree that doing a system restore at boot using a restore point dated before this happened will hopefully undo and fix this.