Something I did with WinXP folders I can't seem to do with Win7

My problem seems a very simple one but I can't seem to be able to solve it in Win7.

I have a set of folders on the desktop screen which contain icons for programs I use in various categories. In WinXP I would set them to show only these icons without any other display (no navigation pane).

If I use Windows explorer I like to have a navigation pane for convenience with files shown in detail. So I use two basic types of folder display - one with a navigation pane and the other without.

Now I can set my folders with the program shortcuts to display only the icons as I want. But then if click on the taskbar icon for Windows Explorer I will get a display without the navigation pane. If I then add the navigation pane to that display I find that all the other folders have a navigation pane which I don't want. I have tried the 'Customize' feature but that doesn't seem to make any difference. Whenever I add or subtract the Navigation Pane in one folder it happens to all the other folders.

What's the trick to overcome this problem?

That is the way that it is. The nav pane is on for all Explorer windows or off for all Explorer windows.

Making an Explorer window narrow enough will hide the nav pane, but then every Explorer window might be that narrow.

The nav pane is a pain.

Thanks for the response.

Then I was right. WinXP can do what I want and Win7 can't. What about Win8 and Win10?

I don't use W8 or W10 - so I am not sure how the nav pane works in those versions.