Changing the Windows Explorer View to 'List' from 'icons'

[Guest adrianr]

Hello,

 

Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2, Windows 2003 AD Domain in Windows 2000 mode.

 

I've written a script that changes the windows explorer view to 'list'. It

works by writing values to the 'Streams' key in HKCU and seems to work fine

when I run this as an administrator.

 

However, when I login as a non-administrator, the view is still 'icons'.

I have written a second script to interrogate the registry to verify that

the changes that I made had been written successfully - they had.

 

Given that the non-administrator user has group policy settings applied to

them, would this be the reason why my registry changes are not taking effect?

 

As far as I can tell, there is no mention of the 'Streams' key in the ADM

files that are applied to the client/user.

 

The following policies are applied to Windows Explorer and seem to update

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Do not track shell shortcuts during roaming

Hide these drives in My Computer

Hide Manage on Explorer contect menu

No 'Computers Near Me' in Network Places

No 'Entire Network' in Network Places

Prevent access to these drives in My Computer

Remove DFS, Hardware Tabs

Remove Search

Remove UI to change Keyboard navigation indicator and menu animation settings

Remove Folder Options on tools

Turn on Classic Shell

 

I have performed a test and updated my scripts to write to the 'Policies'

Key (by adding the user to an administrative group). The results were that

the registry entries were created, but again, no change was made in Windows

Explorer

 

Also I could not find a policy that defined the Windows Explorer view,

otherwise I would have used that as a method of setting the view for the user.

 

I've included below the script that modifies the registry - It does a check

for XP or 2000 as we have both clients in our environment.

 

Any help would be appreicated either in suggesting an alternative method of

changing the explorer view, or suggestions why the registry changes are not

being 'read' or 'applied' by users who have the GPO's applied.

 

Script: It's an AutoIT script......

 

;@OSVersion

;Returns one of the following: "WIN_2003", "WIN_XP", "WIN_2000", "WIN_NT4",

"WIN_ME", "WIN_98", "WIN_95"

 

If @OSVersion = "WIN_2003" OR "WIN_XP" Then

RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams",

"Settings", "REG_BINARY",

"08000000040000000100000000777e137335cf11ae6908002b2e1262040000000200000043000000")

RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults",

"{F3364BA0-65B9-11CE-A9BA-00AA004AE837}", "REG_BINARY",

"1c0000000400000000000000000090000000000001000000fffffffff0f0f0f014000300900000000000000030000000fddfdffd0f0004002000100028003c0000000000010000000200000003000000f50060007800780000000000010000000200000003000000ffffffff000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000")

RegDelete("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags")

Endif

 

If @OSVersion = "WIN_2000" Then

RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams",

"Settings", "REG_BINARY",

"09000000040000000000000000777e137335cf11ae6908002b2e12620300000001000000")

RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults",

"{F3364BA0-65B9-11CE-A9BA-00AA004AE837}", "REG_BINARY",

"1c000000040000000000000000006c000000000001000000fffffffff0f0f0f0140003006c0000000000000030000000fddfdffd0e000400200010002800000000000000010000000200000003000000780060007800780000000000010000000200000003000000ffffffff")

Endif

 

Thanks in Advance,

Adrian