Folder contents listed in reverse order when saving/opening/browsing

[superslurpee]

Just the other day, all my folders started displaying their contents in reverse alphabetical order. This doesn't happen when I just go to a folder using My Computer or Windows Explorer; it happens whenever I need to save a file, open a file, or browse for a file regardless of program. When that box pops up, all the contents in every folder will be reversed starting with 'z' files and ending with sub folders starting with 'a'.

If I try to 'arrange icons by name' it changes to correct order but if I go up a directory and come back in, they're reversed again. This is really pissing me off because it's forcing me to look for files in the opposite way I always have. Like I said, the folders order their contents properly if I just go the folder. But they're always reversed if I try to do any saving, opening, browsing (everything from opening a file in photoshop, to saving a picture from firefox).

Any ideas on how to tell it to alphabetize correctly always?

Thanks!

Darth Slurpee

 

[bcastner]

I think you have run out of folder customization space.
XP before Service Pack 2 could only "remember" the folder customizations for 400 folders. XP Service Pack 2 increased this to 4,000. Just to be safe, here is a simple registry edit to increase this to 8,000:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/bags8000.reg

Rather than use the View, Sort by name, method it is more peristent to click on the word "Name" in the column header bar. One click will reverse the alpha order being displayed.

 

[linney]

As well as covering Bill's solution there is something else to try at the end of this thread.

File..Open/Save Dialogs shows reverse order, help!
thread779-931774

 

[guitarzan]

Out of curiosity, where is the "folder customization" information stored?

 

[bcastner]

Registry.

The fix above deletes these two keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags

Windows remembers 400 folders. When that number is reached things start to go wrong. You can up this to 1000 by a
dding this to the registry. All tested and working. Things will last a little longer.

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell]
"BagMRU Size"=dword:000003e8

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam]
"BagMRU Size"=dword:000003e8

Thanks to Kelly Theriot.


Users Helping Users

 

[superslurpee]

Hey, thanks for all your help! I will try these ideas!

Darth Slurpee

 

[superslurpee]

Hi,

Nothing I do seems to do anything. I open this regedit thing and go to the folders indicated (Shell/ShellNoRoam). I click the folder and there is a BagMRU Size entry with type REG_DWORD and data 0x00001388 (5000). Isn't that already set to 5000? When I followed along with what Microsoft said to do, it said to create a new entry with the same name but it doesn't allow that. So I'm a bit perplexed. The folder are still backwards.

Any ideas? Am I doing this regedit thing incorrectly?

Thanks.

Darth Slurpee

 

[bcastner]

The maximum is 1000.
I suspect some corruption in your registry.

In addition, these two keys need to be removed:


HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags



____________________________
Users Helping Users

 

[linney]

How is it from Safe Mode, or from Normal Mode, but as a different user?

 

[superslurpee]

I appreciate your help. When you say delete, do you mean the entire 'folder' BagMRU and 'folder' Bags? What about the BagMRU Size/REG_DWORD/0x0001388(5000) value when you click on ShellNoRoam itself? After the folders are removed, what should I do next?

I'm not familiar with regedit so forgive my ignorance. I appreciate your help.


Darth Slurpee

 

[Freestone]

For what it's worth, I have the same 0x00001388 (5000) values in these keys (XP PRO SP2)

 

[bcastner]

The maximum is 1000.

My fault. The limit is much higher.

From my first post above: "Just to be safe, here is a simple registry edit to increase this to 8,000:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/bags8000.reg

"
Donwload the file and double click it. Restart your computer. Let Kelly handle the chore.


____________________________
Users Helping Users

 

[superslurpee]

Hey,

That link is just a text file. Is there a program that outputs or does the following edits?

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU]
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell]
"BagMRU Size"=dword:00001f40

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam]
"BagMRU Size"=dword:00001f40

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoSaveSettings"=dword:00000000

Darth Slurpee

 

[guitarzan]

As bcastner said, just "Download the file and double click it. Restart your computer".

.reg files get imported into registry.

 

[linney]

You may have to change the file extension from .txt to .reg, you can ignore any renaming warning in this instance.

P.S. Any feedback on my couple of earlier posts, especially the first one?

 

[superslurpee]

Hi,

I got the file and the registry was changed. I restarted but the problem still exists. All files/folders on an open, save, browse are still backward. Any other ideas?

Thanks!

Darth Slurpee

 

[bcastner]

Good, we are all set.

Open a dialogue box in Word or whatever.

In the dialog, set the sort and view to whatever you want, then hold down the CTRL key and click the [X] in the corner of the window. Now, whenever you open or save a file, the dialogs will be sorted in that order and the view style will be preserved.



____________________________
Users Helping Users

 

[superslurpee]

Holy crap!

That totally worked. It was so simple. You get a purple star for that one bud!

THANKS!!!

Darth Slurpee

 

[bcastner]

Darth Slurpee,

Well, you did make me work for that purple star. I am not so sure it was that simple.

Lets see how the Google PageRank treats this one over time.

Kudoos to the Forum members helping on this common question:
linney
guitarzan
Freestone (and where have you been hiding?)

-------summary
Office / Open / Save / dialogue does not save or preserve sort order by Name. Fix.

--------

I am going to make you all Google famous.

Best wishes,
Bill Castner



____________________________
Users Helping Users