Windows Explorer expands folders inappropriately, jumping the folder you expand to the bottom of the navigation pane

Anonymous

When using a left-side Navigation pane, if there are enough folders in the navigation pane such that you have a vertical scroll bar, if you click on a folder with the mouse (so as to see the contends in the right pane), then expand the folder (either by clicking on the + symbol or with the arrow key), then the left pane will automatically scroll up as far as it can such that the folder you expanded is still in view at the bottom of the pane. This removes the folder from under your mouse, where it would be expected to stay.

This is certainly a bug, as it only happens the first time you attempt to expand a folder in the manner. After doing it once, you can scroll the navigation (left) pane so that the folder in question is back in the middle of the pane, and it will expand and contract as expected, remaining under the mouse.

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Anonymous

Because many people seem to be interested in this issue, I'll post some info on my recent contact with Microsoft regarding this issue.

It seemed that everywhere this issue was talked about, all anybody would get from a Microsoft employee was a boilerplate "Thanks for your feedback" response. Never was the validity of the issue discussed or even acknowledged. I decided to write an email to the man in charge, Steve Ballmer, clearly laying out the problem with links to a walkthrough of the problem, this discussion, and the bug report with 220 votes (at the time). I realized that Steve would never read it himself, but I figured his email must get auto-forwarded to someone who might actually read it.

Two days later I got an email from an Advocacy Specialist from Microsoft saying a "grace case" has been created and the Windows Escalation Team would get in touch with me. The next day an Escalation Engineer emailed me asking when would be a good time to talk on the phone about the issues. So that he would be completely clear with what I was talking about, I recorded a screencast that walked through precisely what the issue was.

Edit: I've made a more condensed video demonstrating the "folder jump bug", view it here.

The end result of our talking was this:

The engineers are aware of this issue.
They may or may not provide a fix for it.

Nothing groundbreaking, but it's one more little push in the right direction. In my opinion, posting in this thread about the problem is virtually worthless. I would suggest:

Voting up and commenting on the bug here:

http://connect.microsoft.com/WindowsServerFeedback/feedback/details/621426/bug-when-expanding-folders-in-explorer-server-2008-r2-and-windows-7

He said that site is closely monitored by the dev team.

Writing intelligent, profanity-free complaints that mention how the bug negatively affects your everyday file-management workflow. Email these up the Microsoft food chain until you get a response. You are a paying customer and you deserve to be heard.

I got tired of dealing with it, so am now using XYplorer when doing heavy file management. It stings to have to pay for a decent file manager, but that is life. If this issue bothers you at all, please comment and vote on the bug, and write an email.

UPDATE 9/13/11: Bug is still present in Windows 8 Developer Preview, see it here.

UPDATE 1/30/12: Finally we have a public acknowledgment that this is in fact a bug that needs to be addressed, and it will apparently be fixed in the upcoming Windows 8 Beta. This is good news, but I know I will be using Win7 for at least another year or two, as will many, many others. We deserve a patch to fix this issue in Win7. Until that happens, keep bugging Microsoft about it.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This is a real bug with 645! votes on their feedback page, however MS has no plans to fix it for their Windows 7 users. The bug is fixed in Windows 8, which means nothing for a vast number of us who have no plans to upgrade. If this bug really gets under your skin, I suggest installing Classic Shell, which has been recommended a few times in this thread. You can choose to only install the 'Classic Explorer' feature which fixes this bug among others, and even brings back the old File Copy UI which is so nice to have back. I've been using it for many months now without any troubles.

Also, to those of you who think they find a solution to this problem by simply changing a few options settings somewhere... thank you for your desire to help all of us, but you must not be having the same problem, and please don't post your 'solution' here. If you read some of the 29 pages of this thread, you'll see every solution imaginable has been suggested. This is a bug in Explorer itself. If you use Windows 7 and plan to keep using it, your options are 1) use Classic Shell, or 2) use a third party file management tool, such as XYplorer. If you stumble across this thread because you just noticed this bug, please vote up the bug, and do either 1 or 2.

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Anonymous

2011-01-05T17:02:30+00:00

I just read here http://connect.microsoft.com/WindowsServerFeedback/feedback/details/356045/routing-and-remote-access-specify-network-interface-for-pppoe-connections that they care if they get enough votes for another issue:

"Posted by Microsoft on 7/14/2008 at 9:40 AM

Thank you for your comment/suggestion.

We will continue to monitor your submission and when it reaches the vote threshold from the community we will forward it to the appropriate feature team. We will also respond here to let you know it has been escalated.

Thank you again for supporting Windows Server 2008"

So I think the only way to succeed is we keep persuading Microsoft, not here on this forum but there on Connect site where they listen more carefully. All you need is login using your Live ID and vote up for the issue:

http://connect.microsoft.com/WindowsServerFeedback/feedback/details/313066/explorer-should-expand-folder-tree-the-windows-xp-way

And send the link to everyone you know that has a live id and ask them to vote.

Vote, don't whine!
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Anonymous

2011-01-04T16:09:46+00:00

This problem has no solution provided by Microsoft that I have found with 2 years of research ...
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Anonymous

2011-01-01T20:57:37+00:00

To be more specific - When installing Classic Shell - ONLY INSTALL THE EXPLORER PORTION:

Then open internet/windows explorer - (unlock toolbars on top - move it so you can see all the options... -- go to 'tools / view' etc to view it if its missing)

Click on options then look for:

-Classic Explorer - Settings - 'always navigate to the selected folder' (Make sure this is checked)

I do not recommend the Classic Shell start menu = as a far superior version is available called Classic Windows Start Menu (CWSM) It is free - tiny - and insanely configurable in every which way possible. It gives you the fully expanding 'all programs' box from windows XP - but keeps the 7 Aero look and feel - plus the search ability... in fact - it just covers over the original - with a second click you can instantly revert to the windows 7 Crappy start menu...

http://coreaffinity.megabyet.net/classicwinstartmenu.htm is the official site.

(now if only someone would build a replacement Search system with a cute little dog fetching a bone I'd be happy)

God forbid Microsoft to keep functionality that people like... what else could possibly explain the idiotic mentality of the people at Microsoft who refuse to include such TINY - SIMPLE things that tens of thousands of their users have SCREAMED that they want back... It takes almost 4 hours to customize windows 7 to the point where it is almost as good as windows XP is...

Sorry to get off topic.

This problem has no solution provided by Microsoft that I have found with 10 hours of research...

Brian
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Anonymous

2010-12-31T16:22:56+00:00

I just bought Window Home Premium Family Pack. Great upgrade! and one of the first things that I disliked was this "feature".

Any updates on the left navigation pane issue? Doesn't seem like it would be difficult to fix, Microsoft! Lets move it a bit or I'm gonna start losing respect :).

Frank

Download the utility "Classic Shell" mentioned near the top of this thread. It fixes this problem by default. Configure it for whatever you would like to have it change or not, then disable the toolbar if you want. It's completely transparent. It's a useful tool in any case and has a few other nice features.

It is clear that this is really low on microsoft's list. They tend not to change UI behavior between major releases out of support concerns, so I'm afraid we won't see movement on this until Win8, despite the fact that it is obviously a bug due to it's inconsistent behavior.

I do wish all those in this thread threatening to cease use of Microsoft products, or saying they are clearly a failure as a company because of something like this would knock it off. It's a hollow, stupid threat, and not helping get this problem fixed. Besides, when you go use a competitor's OS/file explorer you'll still find obnoxiously silly behavior's there too... I know I certainly have. All we can do is present and support the problem as a clear bug and UI design flaw, and hope someone out there has the sense to fix it.
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