Can opening "My Computer" be made faster?

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

When I open "My Computer" - for example with Windows-E, but I notice it
most when downloading something and my browser has "remembered"
somewhere on the wrong drive, so I have to climb the tree up and then
down again or use the My Computer button in the save window* - it takes
a long time, with the torch waving, before it shows me the list of
drives and a couple of things like "my documents". (If done from Win+E,
also shows the webcam.)

(*Yes, I know browsers can be set to always save in the same place. I
don't want that - I want it to ask me where. That would be sidestepping
the problem anyway.)

I presume it is trying to check for network drives or something, and/or
devices like the webcam. Is there no way it can be told not to (or
whatever solves this)?

For the moment, I have a desktop shortcut to the root of my D: drive,
which opens quickly, but may be covered by a window, and it doesn't help
in the "save" situation above.

 

[gargoyle60]

When I open "My Computer" - for example with Windows-E, but I notice it
most when downloading something and my browser has "remembered"
somewhere on the wrong drive, so I have to climb the tree up and then
down again or use the My Computer button in the save window* - it takes
a long time, with the torch waving, before it shows me the list of
drives and a couple of things like "my documents". (If done from Win+E,
also shows the webcam.)

(*Yes, I know browsers can be set to always save in the same place. I
don't want that - I want it to ask me where. That would be sidestepping
the problem anyway.)

I presume it is trying to check for network drives or something, and/or
devices like the webcam. Is there no way it can be told not to (or
whatever solves this)?

For the moment, I have a desktop shortcut to the root of my D: drive,
which opens quickly, but may be covered by a window, and it doesn't help
in the "save" situation above.

It could be caused by spin-down of drives when they are not in use.
Check your power-saving settings (Turn of hard disks).

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

It could be caused by spin-down of drives when they are not in use.
Check your power-saving settings (Turn of hard disks).

Thanks, but I don't think it's that: I only have one real drive on this
netbook, though it is partitioned.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

What is the point of a really good degree, if you're just like Harold Wilson?
That really cut me down to size. - Sister Wendy Becket, on DIDs 2012-12-16
(She, like he, got one of the best degrees at Oxford in her year.)

 

[Paul]

When I open "My Computer" - for example with Windows-E, but I notice it
most when downloading something and my browser has "remembered"
somewhere on the wrong drive, so I have to climb the tree up and then
down again or use the My Computer button in the save window* - it takes
a long time, with the torch waving, before it shows me the list of
drives and a couple of things like "my documents". (If done from Win+E,
also shows the webcam.)

(*Yes, I know browsers can be set to always save in the same place. I
don't want that - I want it to ask me where. That would be sidestepping
the problem anyway.)

I presume it is trying to check for network drives or something, and/or
devices like the webcam. Is there no way it can be told not to (or
whatever solves this)?

For the moment, I have a desktop shortcut to the root of my D: drive,
which opens quickly, but may be covered by a window, and it doesn't help
in the "save" situation above.

This is as close as I could get. GPEDIT usually has a registry
component correponding to the desired behavior, which means
the registry likely contains the kind of entry needed. But
if you do it that way, then *all* Explorer windows could
end up that way. Which isn't very flexible.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...indows-7/b8b02683-d0f2-4e3c-9c79-4892ddc2bd14

“Hide these specified drives in My Computer”

I was looking for some command line magic, and the closest I got was

explorer /root,,

which opens My Computer.

This article shows some command line examples of using GUID to
do the same thing. However, I don't know if it would be possible
to construct a GUID in a flexible way. It wouldn't do you
much good, if you needed to manually include or exclude things.
Like, plug in an extre hard drive, or map a new network share,
then have to "go and fix it" again.

(Open My Computer)

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc938892.aspx

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

The drives themselves, if you do properties, either show
"Local Disk" or "Network Drive". But I don't see a way to
ask explorer, on a one-off request, to open just a certain
class of drive. I created a mapped drive on purpose, using
a VM as a source of a share to use, and I couldn't prevent
it from appearing.

Paul

 

[BillW50]

This is as close as I could get. GPEDIT usually has a registry
component correponding to the desired behavior, which means
the registry likely contains the kind of entry needed. But
if you do it that way, then *all* Explorer windows could
end up that way. Which isn't very flexible.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...indows-7/b8b02683-d0f2-4e3c-9c79-4892ddc2bd14

"Hide these specified drives in My Computer"

I was looking for some command line magic, and the closest I got was

explorer /root,,

which opens My Computer.

This article shows some command line examples of using GUID to
do the same thing. However, I don't know if it would be possible
to construct a GUID in a flexible way. It wouldn't do you
much good, if you needed to manually include or exclude things.
Like, plug in an extre hard drive, or map a new network share,
then have to "go and fix it" again.

(Open My Computer)

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc938892.aspx

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

The drives themselves, if you do properties, either show
"Local Disk" or "Network Drive". But I don't see a way to
ask explorer, on a one-off request, to open just a certain
class of drive. I created a mapped drive on purpose, using
a VM as a source of a share to use, and I couldn't prevent
it from appearing.

Does unassigning the drive letter in disk management solve the problem?
If so, that gives me some ideas.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

I should have said, it _usually_ takes some time. _Sometimes_, it opens
reasonably quickly. And, of course, I haven't determined what makes the
difference.
[]

I presume it is trying to check for network drives or something,
and/or devices like the webcam. Is there no way it can be told not to
(or whatever solves this)?

[]
This is as close as I could get. GPEDIT usually has a registry

(If that's group policy editor, ISTR something about it not being there
in XP Home, only Pro.)
[]
(Though with the noddy "System Tasks/Other Places/Details" interface in
the left pane, rather than the proper tree.)

Unfortunately, my system is behaving OK at the moment - both the above
command from Run, and ordinary Windows-E, opened in about four seconds.
I'm wondering if you misunderstand me? That, from the article, seems to
be "To open Windows Explorer with My Computer selected"; I have no
problem doing that, as Windows-E - or, the My Computer button in the
save window when doing a save (from e. g. Firefox) - do that. It's just
that having _done_ it, there's often a delay before the list of drives
appear.

Does unassigning the drive letter in disk management solve the problem?
If so, that gives me some ideas.

"the" drive letter? Normally, I'm just using this machine - an XP
netbook, with one physical drive partitioned as C and D (plus maybe a
hidden) - in normal mode, with no USB drives/cards, or network (apart
from the wifi - and there are no other computers on that) plugged in.
It's just that when I hit Win+E, an explorer window opens, but sometimes
there's an appreciable delay - with the torch (flashlight) swinging -
before it settles down. Not a great problem, I can live with it - I just
wondered if there was a known solution! (My suggestion that it might be
looking for network drives was purely a _guess_.)

 

[Ben Myers]

When I open "My Computer" - for example with Windows-E, but I notice it
most when downloading something and my browser has "remembered"
somewhere on the wrong drive, so I have to climb the tree up and then
down again or use the My Computer button in the save window* - it takes
a long time, with the torch waving, before it shows me the list of
drives and a couple of things like "my documents". (If done from Win+E,
also shows the webcam.)
(*Yes, I know browsers can be set to always save in the same place. I
don't want that - I want it to ask me where. That would be sidestepping
the problem anyway.)
I presume it is trying to check for network drives or something, and/or
devices like the webcam. Is there no way it can be told not to (or
whatever solves this)?
For the moment, I have a desktop shortcut to the root of my D: drive,
which opens quickly, but may be covered by a window, and it doesn't help
in the "save" situation above.
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

To remove unwanted network drives, right-click and select "Disconnect". Also, as
mentioned by other posters, check your hard drive settings under "Control Panel",
"Power Options" and, if necessary, increase the time to power down.

Ben

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <[email protected]>, Hot-Text

Make a folder on root name it "A1"
for your Shortcuts

Add list of needed Shortcuts
desktop
My Computer

and any Shortcuts
you need in a Two
chicks a way

and A-1 will always be on top

No, "!" will always be on top (-:

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

When I open "My Computer" - for example with Windows-E, but I notice it []
I presume it is trying to check for network drives or something, and/or
devices like the webcam. Is there no way it can be told not to (or
whatever solves this)?

That was just my _guess_ at the reason.

To remove unwanted network drives, right-click and select "Disconnect".

I don't have any such drives (I don't think I ever have: I've only ever
had the two partitions of the hard drive, and the odd USB and card, with
neither of the latter showing up at the moment).

Also, as
mentioned by other posters, check your hard drive settings under
"Control Panel",
"Power Options" and, if necessary, increase the time to power down.

Already set to Never when plugged in, and 30 minutes when on battery, so
I don't think that'd help.

Ben

Thanks for trying anyway!

 

[micky]

When I open "My Computer" - for example with Windows-E, but I notice it
most when downloading something and my browser has "remembered"
somewhere on the wrong drive, so I have to climb the tree up and then
down again or use the My Computer button in the save window* - it takes \

I don't follow this. When do you have to start this climbiing? What
are you doing.

Not sure if this is related, but with PowerDesk6 comes a program called
Dialog Helper and it keeps a record of past used directorys and files,
under two little boxes in the blue margin at the top of the pop-up box
when one has to Open a directory for saving, or other purposes. So it's
only one click and one step from wherever you are to where you want to
go, if you've been there before.

It's free, and it was free from the company that wrote it, but
periodically the company that has it now wants money, Please don't pay
for it. Besides Windows itself, I haven't bought too much software but
I bought two non-cheap programs from V-Com and not only did both fail,
they both screwed me up. One lost a whole GB of data, out of 3. And
the other, which I think was an OS selector was incredibly hard to use.
I should have bought a competitor but I fell for their claims.

I think PowerDesk6 is the latest version that will work with XP. It's
good too, with lots more functionality than windows explorer, including
more versatility in views, built in unzpper and zipper, and the display
includes Control Panel and other things WE doesn't have, except for
video image of the camera, which WE does have but PD6 doesn't. YOu can
set up PD to replace WE, or not to, or use it half the time, by clicking
on its icon instead of WE, but letting calls to WE continue to go to WE.
I do the third choice but sometimes I think I should do the first.

But Dialog Helper is very simple, never causes problems in 10+ years (I
got it first from another company.) You may have to check a box during
installation of PD6 to get DH.

google powerdesk6 download . Version 6.0.1.3 or sometimes
they call it 6.0.13.

 

[Paul]

I should have said, it _usually_ takes some time. _Sometimes_, it opens
reasonably quickly. And, of course, I haven't determined what makes the
difference.
[]

I presume it is trying to check for network drives or something,
and/or devices like the webcam. Is there no way it can be told not to
(or whatever solves this)? []
This is as close as I could get. GPEDIT usually has a registry

(If that's group policy editor, ISTR something about it not being there
in XP Home, only Pro.)
[]
(Though with the noddy "System Tasks/Other Places/Details" interface in
the left pane, rather than the proper tree.)

Unfortunately, my system is behaving OK at the moment - both the above
command from Run, and ordinary Windows-E, opened in about four seconds.
I'm wondering if you misunderstand me? That, from the article, seems to
be "To open Windows Explorer with My Computer selected"; I have no
problem doing that, as Windows-E - or, the My Computer button in the
save window when doing a save (from e. g. Firefox) - do that. It's just
that having _done_ it, there's often a delay before the list of drives
appear.

Does unassigning the drive letter in disk management solve the problem?
If so, that gives me some ideas.

"the" drive letter? Normally, I'm just using this machine - an XP
netbook, with one physical drive partitioned as C and D (plus maybe a
hidden) - in normal mode, with no USB drives/cards, or network (apart
from the wifi - and there are no other computers on that) plugged in.
It's just that when I hit Win+E, an explorer window opens, but sometimes
there's an appreciable delay - with the torch (flashlight) swinging -
before it settles down. Not a great problem, I can live with it - I just
wondered if there was a known solution! (My suggestion that it might be
looking for network drives was purely a _guess_.)

It's possible I did mis-interpreted the question,
and concentrate too much on Explorer itself (on the
title of the post).

The File Save Dialog, might have some weird
behaviors of its own. Someone at the bottom of
this thread, noticed removing a network bridge
fixed it. So just a modification to networking
itself, can break it.

http://forums.techarena.in/ms-office-support/752499.htm

Maybe there is some difference, between the things
an application remembers, and the main Explorer window ?

Paul

 

[BillW50]

I think PowerDesk6 is the latest version that will work with XP. It's
good too, with lots more functionality than windows explorer,
including more versatility in views, built in unzpper and zipper, and
the display includes Control Panel and other things WE doesn't have,
except for video image of the camera, which WE does have but PD6
doesn't. YOu can set up PD to replace WE, or not to, or use it half
the time, by clicking on its icon instead of WE, but letting calls to
WE continue to go to WE. I do the third choice but sometimes I think
I should do the first.

But Dialog Helper is very simple, never causes problems in 10+ years
(I got it first from another company.) You may have to check a box
during installation of PD6 to get DH.

If you like that one, you might also like AnVir Task Manager. It comes
in two flavors, free and commercial. It does many different things, but
one thing is that it adds a button in those open/save dialog boxes. And
lists the most common folders that you use. This makes it very fast
going to your most used folders.

 

[micky]

If you like that one, you might also like AnVir Task Manager. It comes
in two flavors, free and commercial. It does many different things, but
one thing is that it adds a button in those open/save dialog boxes. And
lists the most common folders that you use. This makes it very fast
going to your most used folders.

Thanks, I'll look at it.

Did my post have anything to do with the OP?

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <[email protected]>, Paul <[email protected]>
writes:
[]

It's possible I did mis-interpreted the question,
and concentrate too much on Explorer itself (on the
title of the post).

The File Save Dialog, might have some weird
behaviors of its own. Someone at the bottom of
this thread, noticed removing a network bridge
fixed it. So just a modification to networking
itself, can break it.

http://forums.techarena.in/ms-office-support/752499.htm

Maybe there is some difference, between the things
an application remembers, and the main Explorer window ?

[]
Thanks. No, the file save dialog usually opens quickly enough; it's just
that if it opens pointing at a directory on C:, and I want to save on
one on D: (without changing the _name_ of the file I'm saving), I have
to press the Up button to climb up from wherever it is on C:, until I
get to the top level where I can see the drives - or, I press the My
Computer button on the left of the Save window. When I get to this point
(by either method), a delay sometimes happens, with the swinging torch,
before the list of drives appears in the right pane.

The same delay ensues if I open Explorer with Win+E, which opens at the
same top level. If I open explorer with the shortcut I have to

%windir%\explorer.exe /e, D:\

(i. e. the root of D, it opens fast enough.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

JP-Shortcuts

J. P. here at MPWG
As for given out good info
You are one of are Top 4 (-:

I just hope one of these days
I'll be able to kiss
The bottom of your Feet

I think you've perhaps consumed too much of whatever alcohol is common
in the part of the world is represented by "MPWG"!

So the Folder name will be
Look up

Well, if I want a folder (or file) to always come to the top of the
default sort order (which is by name), I start it with !, such as
!read-me.txt, or just ! or !! for folders.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

I don't follow this. When do you have to start this climbiing? What
are you doing.

For example, saving a file from Firefox (which I have set to ask me
where to save, rather than always saving into the same place). When I do
this, I'm often creating a new directory to put it into. (Which I may
well subsequently delete, move, or rename.) Firefox tends to remember
the location last saved to (actually I think it remembers several - I've
never worked out the details; it might be one for each filetype?). If,
however, that location no longer exists (because I've moved renamed or
deleted it), Firefox tends to default to somewhere on the C: drive. I
usually save to the D: drive, so have to climb out of C: and then down
within D: to get to where I want to save (and make a new directory if
necessary).

It is when I get to the level above C: root - either by keeping clicking
the up button from wherever Firefox starts, or clicking the My Computer
button straight away - that the delay (which hasn't been much in
evidence since I started this thread, of course!) appears.

Not sure if this is related, but with PowerDesk6 comes a program called
Dialog Helper and it keeps a record of past used directorys and files,
under two little boxes in the blue margin at the top of the pop-up box

I think I have something similar - in fact it may be the same thing, the
name sounds familiar. But ...

when one has to Open a directory for saving, or other purposes. So it's
only one click and one step from wherever you are to where you want to
go, if you've been there before.

.... since I usually _haven't_ been there before ("there" may well not
exist), it won't help me much.

(If I'm saving the second or third file to the same place within one
session, Firefox remembers that place anyway.)
[]

 

[micky]

For example, saving a file from Firefox (which I have set to ask me
where to save, rather than always saving into the same place). When I do
this, I'm often creating a new directory to put it into. (Which I may
well subsequently delete, move, or rename.) Firefox tends to remember
the location last saved to (actually I think it remembers several - I've
never worked out the details; it might be one for each filetype?). If,
however, that location no longer exists (because I've moved renamed or
deleted it), Firefox tends to default to somewhere on the C: drive. I
usually save to the D: drive, so have to climb out of C: and then down
within D: to get to where I want to save (and make a new directory if
necessary).

Then my post was entirely on point and what you need is Dialog Helper.
Glad to hear it.

It keeps a list of every location you've saved things to. I don't know
how it groups them, but it always gets it right afaict.

One small white square for file names and next to it another small white
square for directory names, each with an image inside it of a file or
directory.

When you've used the directory name or the file name, I don't believe
there is any need to open My Computer, even behind the scene, because it
has the fully-whatever name of directory or file when you click on it,
and there's no more need to look for it.

It is when I get to the level above C: root - either by keeping clicking
the up button from wherever Firefox starts, or clicking the My Computer
button straight away - that the delay (which hasn't been much in
evidence since I started this thread, of course!) appears.

I think I have something similar - in fact it may be the same thing,

I doubt if you have it or you'd have explored (get it?) the little boxes
in the top blue border of the Save dialog boxes. And it only comes
with PowerDesk afaict, not alone. It's barely mentioned in the
PowerDesk installation file description, maybe not at all.

the name sounds familiar. But ...


... since I usually _haven't_ been there before ("there" may well not
exist), it won't help me much.

You're always saving things in new folders? Even so, won't you have
already been to the parent or grandparent folder of the prospective new
folder? DHelper will get you quickly to what is to be the parent
folder, and the Windows Save or Open box has its own little Create New
Folder button. Neither step will require any portion of My Computer.
even internally, I think. (That is, My Computer has to know ALL the
directories and files at some high level, and that's what takes time.)

(If I'm saving the second or third file to the same place within one
session, Firefox remembers that place anyway.)

It only remembers in the same session, and only so long as you use same
location over and over. Once you change the location, then it only
remembers that new location and it's totally forgotten the other one
(except the default that shows up again in the next sesssion, iiuc.)

Dialog Helper remembers all, or at least up to 15 of each kind -- I
don't think I've ever had occasion to go -- forever. Although
creating and using a second FF persona might cause one to start from the
beginning again. Also, using a new computer.

It also has other choices 1) Clear folder (or document) list 2) Remove
deleted folders (or files) from list 3) Save current path to clipboard
4) Display Helper Properties

[]

BTW, did you all know that if you open the Open Dialog box and there are
hundreds of files in the folder, one doesn't have to scroll to find the
one he wants, nor does he have to type the whole name. By typing the
first few characters of the name, it gives a list of files that start
that way.

 

[micky]

If you like that one, you might also like AnVir Task Manager. It comes
in two flavors, free and commercial. It does many different things, but
one thing is that it adds a button in those open/save dialog boxes. And
lists the most common folders that you use. This makes it very fast
going to your most used folders.

You're right, AnVir has a lot of features, including one very similar to
Dialog Helper. http://www.anvir.com/opensave-dialogs.htm

"When user clicks on this button, it shows a menu with list of recently
used folders. Additionally, menu contains user’s favorites folders. When
user clicks on a menu item, Open/Save dialog navigates to the
corresponding folder. This significantly SAVES TIME while opening and
saving files."

Is "navigate" the right word, two lines up? I thought navigation was
step-by-step-by-step, but this is direct.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <[email protected]>, micky

It keeps a list of every location you've saved things to. I don't know
how it groups them, but it always gets it right afaict. []
You're always saving things in new folders? Even so, won't you have

Nearly always, yes.

already been to the parent or grandparent folder of the prospective new

Not for saving purposes, no.

folder? DHelper will get you quickly to what is to be the parent
folder, and the Windows Save or Open box has its own little Create New

I know, I use that a lot.

Folder button. Neither step will require any portion of My Computer.
even internally, I think. (That is, My Computer has to know ALL the
directories and files at some high level, and that's what takes time.)

What seems to be taking the time is the level above that, where it
eventually produces a list (right pane) of _drives_, not directories.

If I press the Windows key and the E key, for example.
[]

BTW, did you all know that if you open the Open Dialog box and there are
hundreds of files in the folder, one doesn't have to scroll to find the
one he wants, nor does he have to type the whole name. By typing the
first few characters of the name, it gives a list of files that start
that way.

Yes, typing first character can indeed save time.

Though I try very hard _never_ to have hundreds of files - or folders -
in a folder. If they get to be much more than a screenful, I subdivide.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

There's a third option, which is the one I use: I do let it prompt me as to
where to save downloads, but then I usually just save it to a folder named
"Downloads" which is pretty much reserved for this activity. THEN I can
later move the file(s) to whereever I think it/they ultimately belong(s).

A workable approach. I'm usually fairly sure of my destination anyway,
so it would involve extra steps every time for me, but I can see it
could work for some.

Isn't that a whole lot simpler and easier? And otherwise, I've got to keep
searching for the proper place to store each file, each and every time I
download something, on each and every browser, which is a PIA. It's just
easier to save it in one location, and then later move it to wherever it
ultimately belongs.

In the final analysis, I would classify this as solving a problem that
doesn't deserve to be a problem - not sidestepping it.

If you mean the delay when looking at the top level, then you are
probably right; I just liked the intellectual challenge of _why_ that
sometimes takes a while, and wondering if there's anything that would
speed it.