Solved Windows Explorer taskbar shortcut problems

[Vortechs]

When I first installed Windows 7 last March, I followed one of the threads here to make the Windows explorer taskbar shortcut open to the Computer. Recently the shortcut stopped working so I made a new one and went through the process to edit it to open on the Computer, only I found that the Windows Explorer shortcut cannot be edited anymore, any change makes it stop working, is this something which has been changed in a recent update or has something become corrupted on my os?

For instance if I do this and click apply and OK, the shortcut will no longer work:

Open Start menu > All Programs > Accessories > Windows Explorer. Right click & select Properties.
In the Target box you will see : %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe
Copy paste and change it to: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe ::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

I'm stumped

​

 

[windude99]

When I first installed Windows 7 last March, I followed one of the threads here to make the Windows explorer taskbar shortcut open to the Computer. Recently the shortcut stopped working so I made a new one and went through the process to edit it to open on the Computer, only I found that the Windows Explorer shortcut cannot be edited anymore, any change makes it stop working, is this something which has been changed in a recent update or has something become corrupted on my os?

For instance if I do this and click apply and OK, the shortcut will no longer work:

Open Start menu > All Programs > Accessories > Windows Explorer. Right click & select Properties.
In the Target box you will see : %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe
Copy paste and change it to: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe ::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

I'm stumped

​

Try system restoring to a time before the shortcut stopped working: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/700-system-restore.html

 

[Vortechs]

Yeah, I would have done that but I've done a ton of work on this os since it started and I really dont want to install all that software again and set it all up.

 

[Brink]

Hello Vortechs, and welcome to Seven Forums.

It looks like you are using the wrong path for the targret. It should be either one below to open the "Computer" window. The tutorial below can give you more details on this if you like.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/6916-computer-pin-taskbar.html


%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe shell:MyComputerFolder

OR

%windir%\explorer.exe shell:MyComputerFolder

OR

%windir%\explorer.exe /e,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}


Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Vortechs]

Thanks for taking the time to answer my post Shawn. I tried all 3 that you've suggested there with no luck and I also downloaded the Computer shortcut and unblocked it, it doesn't work either... :shock: If I edit the downloaded shortcut from: %windir%\explorer.exe shell:MyComputerFolder to: %windir%\explorer.exe then it opens to Libraries... could something be wrong with the path to Computer? Also my computer wont allow me to pin the Computer shortcut to the taskbar, it displays a little red no entry sign.

 

[Brink]

Yeah, %windir%\explorer.exe is the default Windows Explorer path. If you open the Start Menu, and click on the Computer button on the dark right side, does it open to the "Computer" window in Windows Explorer?

 

[Vortechs]

Yes it does, and when I re-add the Computer shortcut back on the desktop it also works.

 

[Brink]

Hmm, ok. As a test, see if the below may work.

• unpin all "Windows Explorer" and "Computer" shortcuts
• Create a new "Computer" shortcut on your desktop and verify that it works
• Next, right click on the new "Computer" shortcut on the desktop, and click on "Pin to taskbar".

 

[Vortechs]

I tried making a new shortcut to:
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}
but I am unable to make a new desktop shortcut for Computer that works. I can only go to "personalize" - "change desktop icons" and re-add "Computer" that way (which of course you cannot edit because it's not a shortcut, right clicking on it and clicking properties only opens: Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\System )

If I make a shortcut of the Computer desktop icon and right click on it there is no pin to taskbar in the menu and if I attempt to drag it to the taskbar it says "Pin to Explorer?" Which creates a new Windows Explorer icon that opens Libraries...

I looked back though Firefox History and found the original thread I followed, I tried it again but it does not work, also trying to change it to Documents doesn't work either:

Trick to Open Computer or Documents as Default Instead of Libraries Folder with Windows Explorer on Windows 7 « My Digital Life

 

[Brink]

As a test, you could see if using the tutorial below will restore the "Pin to taskbar" and "Pin to Start Menu" items in the context menu. Afterwards, see if the shortcut will work properly and if you are able to pin it again.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/127968-pin-taskbar-pin-start-menu-missing-context-menu-fix.html

 

[MourningStar]

... I looked back though Firefox History and found the original thread I followed, I tried it again but it does not work, also trying to change it to Documents doesn't work either:

Trick to Open Computer or Documents as Default Instead of Libraries Folder with Windows Explorer on Windows 7 « My Digital Life

Just stumbled upon this thread. Gave that 'Trick ...' thing a go and works for me. Thnx for that link!

 

[Brink]

Hello MourningStar,

See also:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2863-windows-explorer-taskbar-icon-change-open-target.html

 

[Vortechs]

As a test, you could see if using the tutorial below will restore the "Pin to taskbar" and "Pin to Start Menu" items in the context menu. Afterwards, see if the shortcut will work properly and if you are able to pin it again.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/127968-pin-taskbar-pin-start-menu-missing-context-menu-fix.html

I have "Pin to taskbar" option available on every other icon on the desktop but not if I create a Computer shortcut or use the downloaded one mentioned earlier.

I followed the thread to replace missing pin to in context menu above, but it made no difference. I also removed all icons pinned to the taskbar and also followed the thread to re-enable "Pin to taskbar", also made no difference.

Interestingly I can edit the Windows Explorer tasbar icon to open to:
%UserProfile%\Downloads

Editing it to Libraries gets the error: "The name specified in the target box is not valid"
%UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries\Documents.library-ms

Editing it to any of the others below just makes it stop working:

%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}
%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{1F4DE370-D627-11D1-BA4F-00A0C91EEDBA}
%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}
%windir%\explorer.exe /n,::{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}

 

[Brink]

Vortechs,

Have you made any changes to your "Evironment Variables"?

Just as a test, use the full path (ex: "C:\Windows") without variables (ex: "%windir%") to see if you get the same issue. If so, then create a new administrator account, log in to it, and see if this happens in the new account as well to see if it's a system wide issue or just a issue in your account.

 

[Vortechs]

i dont know what "Evironment Variables" are so no idea if I have made any changes to them. I can change it in the existing Administrator account so I guess it's an issue with my profile?

 

[Brink]

Well, if you don't know, then you certainly didn't make a change to it.

If you like, you could create yourself a new user account to use instead of your old one, then just copy any files and shortcuts that you want to keep from the old account to the new one before deleting the old one from within the new one.

 

[Vortechs]

OK, I'll give that a go and let you know how I get on.
Thanks

 

[MourningStar]

Hello MourningStar,

See also:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2863-windows-explorer-taskbar-icon-change-open-target.html

Thnx Shawn! Your link has opened additional scenarios for me. Cheers!

 

[Brink]

You're welcome guys.

 

[Paescari]

I recently encountered the same issue as described by the OP; I had recently changed the letter of the drive that had my %Documents%, %Pictures%, %Music%, %Videos% folders on it. I found that I could no longer open Explorer with a shortcut that included shell commands. I solved this problem by 'relocating' these folders:

http://www.sevenforums.com/customization/17917-change-location-my-documents.html

Hope this helps.