Solved how to expand/collapse desktop folders?

[bootsmom]

I used to know how to do this but... I don't any more apparently LOL.

For some odd reason all my desktop folders are expanded (open), and I cannot figure out how to close them....

thanks for any help anyone can give.

Win 7 Pro, classic theme

 

[Brink]

Hello Bootsmom,

You could turn off the thumbnial previews to not have copies of the files showing in the folder like that if that is what you meant.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[bootsmom]

hi Brink, thanks for your reply.

I don't have thumbnails enabled in Explorer, that's just a screenshot I made of some folders on my desktop to show that they are open, not closed....I want 'em closed. They WERE, and then somehow mysteriously they are now open.

thanks

 

[Brink]

In Vista and Windows 7, the folder icons do not display as closed as they did in XP. The folders in your screenshot are folders with thumbnail previews enabled. If you disable thumbnail previews, then the folders will look like this afterwards instead.

If you really wanted to have them display as a closed folder, you could use either tutorial below to change the default folder icon to use a closed folder icon that you downloaded from somewhere instead.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/23825-folder-icon-change-windows-7-default-folder-icon.html

or

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/144807-folder-icon-change-default-icon.html

 

[bootsmom]

well thanks anyway Brink...

As per your instructions, I double checked and I do NOT have thumbnails selected *sigh* I have 'details' selected. I never use thumbnails.

I'm afraid the rest of your instructions are beyond my capabilities, I guess I'm just stuck with those ugly open folders.

fyi, I just got a new monitor and the folders were NOT open like that 3 days ago. This theme I'm using now with the new monitor is the same theme I used 5 days ago before my previous monitor died. Folders were closed...

anyway thanks for your time/trouble and Happy Easter to you.

 

[Brink]

It's no trouble.

Be sure to double check in each OPTION section in the tutorial below to make sure that thumbnails were disabled or turned off in each one. Sometimes one option will override another.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11738-thumbnail-previews-enable-disable.html

 

[bootsmom]

AHA !

I found the culprit, option two "Visual Effects":

A) Uncheck Show thumbnails instead of icons, then click on OK.

Did that.... and the folders are still open but at least they don't have a lotta stuff falling out of them..closed would be nice.

thanks again for your help Brink

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome.

Well, if you feel up to it since you have thumbnails turned off, you could use OPTION ONE with either one of the paths for step 8 below to have one of the icons below for your folders instead. It's not to hard to do if you follow it step by step.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/23825-folder-icon-change-windows-7-default-folder-icon.html

C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll,-5



C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll,-9

 

[bootsmom]

thank you again Brink... and now, for yet ANOTHER aha moment...

I discovered with thumbnails turned off in performance options, I was unable to view all the pix in a folder (all I saw was icons instead - DUH @ me). I reasoned out that I didn't want that, so I went back to the aforementioned performance options/visual effects tab and selected 'show thumbnails instead of icons'. No flies on me!

In previous posts on this topic, I didn't understand the implications of that setting and now I do....so I will just have to get used to the open desktop folders... much as I have to get used to a new monitor that is 20 inches wide x 11 inches high....and I'm farsighted LOL. I could read this screen out in the parking lot....bah <grin>

Thank you for all your help with this, much appreciated.

B/mom

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome.