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

Anonymous
2009-10-28T18:12:01+00:00

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.

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.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2011-06-30T22:14:30+00:00

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:

  1. The engineers are aware of this issue.
  2. 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:

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

Was this answer helpful?

40+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

586 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2015-01-18T12:19:21+00:00

    That this Windows 7 Explorer behaviour is by “design” is a reply that adds, after 467 postings over a number of years, in my opinion, insult to injury.

    If the Microsoft Support team can’t come up with a better reply to “another” posting that complains about this behaviour, I suggest to stay silent, because this issue is, again in my opinion, “no” real support, just a canned answer, and a simple way for users to be ignored by Microsoft.

    And here is the reason why it is a way to ignore the user.  If this behaviour is by design, and if this design is good, then why does it work different, and correct, in Windows  8.1 Explorer?  And if it is not good, then why do we not get a fix for Win 7.  That is an answer that I would appreciate.

    But please, Microsoft Support, be kind enough and don’t give use anymore of the canned answers that feel insulting.

    I agree with every word you say.

    But here's the conclusion I have reached after 47 pages of discussion of this fault:

    1. Microsoft are not going to do anything about it
    2. The best thing to do is install the Classic Shell from IvoSoft and move on
    3. My brother was right ...

    What my brother says is that Microsoft Support is just another example of learned helplessness: "if you pretend to be helpless, Microsoft will pretend to help you."

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2015-01-18T12:35:36+00:00

    Buy a computer with Windows and return it. Let the reseller know that “This return is by design. Your product has long standing defects and is NOT working as expected”

    While you may suggest that this action is wasteful and abusive of the retail system, what’s really offensive is sticking you and me with defective products and ignoring pleads for fixes. We’re just asking MS to make it right. When the retailer is hit financially, that may get their attention. Until then, we’re just good sheeple.

    Hey Microsoft. You now have competition. Why should my next purchase be MS based when the competition is offering comparable products and not adding insults like “This behavior is by design and is working as intended. If you want to make a suggestion or give feedback on a Microsoft product follow the link below.”?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2015-01-18T18:48:45+00:00

    It appears to be fixed in Windows 10.  I have been able to reproduce this in Win 7, 8 and pretty sure 8.1 but since I don't have that nightmare on any of my machines I can't test it until I get to customers homes.

    At least it's fixed in the Windows 10 I have here.  I tried for 20 min to mess up the side scroll but it works just like Vista did and all the OS's before that.

    I'm with all of you regarding the fact that.. it's obscene this wasn't fixed asap.

    If there was something better out there...  I would drop MS in a second.  Apple... migrated a few customers to Apple.  Apple is too "controlling" for my likes but... with glaring bugs like this labeled as "it's working as intended"... is a slap in the face to me.

    I have 58 terrabytes of storage for my company.  Before Classic shell I used Vista and XP machines to manage my files.  If they fixed this one thing... I would be happy with Win 7.

    Anyways, whats the point of complaining.  No-one cares.

    If you're not a Tier 1 OEM... you're screaming into the wind.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2015-01-18T19:24:39+00:00

    Buy a computer with Windows and return it. Let the reseller know that “This return is by design. Your product has long standing defects and is NOT working as expected”

    But where do you buy a new PC with Win 7 these days?  And remember it is said to be fixed in Win 8.  Besides, do you seriously think that the reason for return "has long standing defects and is NOT working as expected" would stand up in a court?

    Now the first few retailers will just shrug, give you you money back, and mark you down as a difficult customer.  But if the caper were ever to gain real traction the MS board will rub their magic lantern, summon the lawyers and then the fun begins.  Like: "what long standing defects?", "in whose opinion are they defects?", "why do you say it is not working as expected?", "where did we say it will work as YOU expect?" and so on.  And that's just for openers.  Re-read the license you didn't read in detail and I think you'll find all sorts of legal escape hatches for the lawyers to invoke.

    It would be fun of course but as a stratagem it's not remotely likely to dent the skin of MS.

    And yet there is an exceptionally important point here that is all about design, and customer demand.

    Do MS study how customers use their product?  Might it be a useful thing for them to do?  Could they add a button to their office suite and other products that encourages customers to give feedback on what they would like / what really hacks them off?

    It could be the WIBNI button ... "wouldn't it be nice if ..."

    Go on MS.  I dare you.  You might even discover that customers are really trying to be helpful.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments