Windows explorer moves the selected folder to bottom of folders list. How do I stop this?

Anonymous
2009-12-27T19:25:21+00:00

THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT HAVE AN ANSWER.    I DID NOT MARK ANY REPLY AS SUCH.

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Open a windows explorer

show folders on left

Double Click Computer

Double Click C disk

Scroll to windows   Double Click 

Double Click diagnostics  (example)

The folder is now moved to the bottom of the folder list.

This also happens when any folder is clicked once and the the open gadget is clicked once.

This is increadably annoying.  How do I stop it?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2010-03-22T08:24:10+00:00

Hi j1234567890j - and everyone else that repsonded to this post. 

I also expierence this problem and like with everyone that replied on this post an many others that this is driving me insane. To make matters worse, this problem presents itself also on the Open or Save file dialogs in any application that relies on the Windows File Dialog.

In my case I also found that the behaviour is inconsistent. Sometimes the problem presents itself and sometimes it does not. - This is why it is difficult to zero in on the behavior and some folks cannot replicate the problem. So, I believe other replies on various posts where this problem cannot be replicated. As a developer I understand this, since we often have the response: "...but it works in my computer..." - And yes it does, because typically a dev/support machine is set up for ideal circumstances. I am digressing...

Trying to understand the Problem

I have noticed a pattern, however. I have found that if I collapse the folder in question and expand (double click) again, that the navigator moves again, this time exposing all sub-folders that are direct descendants of the folder in question. I have also noticed that if the sub-folders are too many to display in the navigation panel, that the selected folder is scrolled to the top of the panel, exposing as many folders that can be viewed. 

I think the intention of the navigation behavior is that when the user expands the folder, it will show as many as possible sub-folders in view - but I also think that this is where there is a bug - or at least where some other setting has an impact on the behavior. - For some reason, when a folder is expanded the navigation pane only finds the first sub-folder and exposes that one - hence the anoying movement of the selected folder away from the current mouse pointer position.

Finding an answer

And yes - even though I think I understand the problem - I agree with everyone elses user experience - This must be fixed!

I am not sure that a moderator will pick this up as this post is marked as awnsered - even though in my opnion it is not.

But if someone does: I think providing an option on the General tab of the Folder Options dialog for a user to turn off this behavior and just expand the folder without attempting to present all viewable folders in the navigation pane.

Regards


Andre Coetzee

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-04-01T01:17:23+00:00

    Those of us who are professionals need to be productive.  These seemingly small problems take extra time multiple times per day.  For me, these are daily annoyances, which take too much of my time.

    Amen! For many years, PCs made us more productive at work. They built upon the familiar (the whole basis for a GUI in the first place) to enhance our ability to get things done.

    Somewhere along the line, this reached a peak. Change for the sake of change -- trying to look just as cool as Apple? -- seemed to become Microsoft's new objective, and now many of us lose otherwise-productive work time trying to fix Windows/Office/etc. bugs and idiosyncrasies.

    It's frightening to imagine where this doesn't-work-well-but-sure-looks-good design objective may lead.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-12-07T12:05:02+00:00

    Well, if we're going to start giving our secrets away...  :)

    Here's a list of folders I have in my "Windows XP Installation" folder called "Windows Tweaks".

    Some are no longer applicable, eg. I don't use MSE any more.

    Each folder contains details of what to do regarding the name of the folder:

    00 Gain Access to System Volume Info folder

    00 Open Command Window Here

    01 Turn Off Hibernation

    02 MSE Fixes

    03 IRPStackSize

    04 Windows Icons

    05 TCPIP Patch and MTU Adjuster

    06 Search Unusual Extensions

    07 Hosts file

    08 Always Folder View Explorer

    10 Stop Services Startups

    11 System Restore and Remote Assistance

    12 Stop Google Instant Search

    13 Change SD Card Drive Letter

    14 UserProfileHiveCleanup

    15 WaitToKillServiceTimeout

    16 ShowDriveLettersFirst

    17 Thai Language Changes

    18 Turn Off StickyKeys

    19 Modify Keyboard Scancode Map

    20 Start Menu Faster

    21 Windows Resource Kit Tools

    22 Taskbar Button Size

    23 Edit CMD & BAT Files with Notepad++

    24 Taskbar Glomming & Group Size

    25 Outlook Express Fonts

    26 Send To

    27 Disable Windows Desktop Search Assistant

    28 Prevent Java Junk

    29 Prevent Shutdown Hangups

    30 Disable FAX Service

    31 Remove Shutdown Button

    32 Places Bar on Open Common Dialog

    33 Turn Off AUTOPLAY

    34 Show Keyboard Shortcut keys in Menus

    35 Sound Shortcut

    36 Remove Shortcut to Prefix

    37 Desktop Refresh

    38 Auto End Hung Tasks

    39 Start Windows Quiet

    40 RPC Server Not Available

    41 Change Outlook Express Displayed Name

    42 Windows Logon

    43 Prevent Slow Boot High Interrupts

    44 Fonts For DOS Box

    50 Media Files

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-12-06T20:59:58+00:00

    Well I can't remember ever running Windows in an out-of-the-box configuration. Even since Windows 95 til now with Windows 7 I've always had to install multiple apps and tools along with reg tweaks just to make everything totally efficient for me to use. 

    When there is some issue like the folder scroll bug, it is only irritating until I find the workaround, then I just tack it onto the list of things I have to tweak at install time to set up my working environment. 

    Things like: 

    Turn off native window screen-edge maximize, install AllSnap, AllSnap-x64, Classic Shell, Free Launch Bar, Change Menu Show Delay to 1, 7-zip, and others, just to mention a few...

    I am just thankful that there are workarounds to fix some of these annoying things that slow down productivity and cause irritation. 

    Even with all these issues in Windows, I still find it to be the most pleasant OS where I am comfortable to perform day-to-day activities.

    I still have not made the change to Windows 8.1 yet but have toyed with it in testing environments and it has a new list of irritations which all need to be addressed before I would consider to use it day-to-day, but I am sure just like all other versions of Microsoft Windows OS's, I usually find the 3rd-party apps and tools to make using feel comfortable to me...

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-12-04T14:54:35+00:00

    Microsoft probably never fixed it because they figured if you were even smart enough to even notice it, then you were also smart enough to just install Classic Shell and move on with life...

    Considering this thread is only 12 pages long since its creation tells me not too many people really ever noticed this problem. 

    Windows 7 still is great if you work around these rather tiny issues with the known fixes.

    Yes, this thread is only 12 pages long. You should familiarise yourself with this identical thread:

    http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows\_7-files/windows-explorer-expands-folders-inappropriately/50a81b05-da98-4d55-821d-55ffbbd0e998?page=47&tm=1417704679529

    Shortened URL: http://goo.gl/m5ljxO

    It's a good read and is 47 pages long. Lots of irate customers. :)

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