Windows 2000 Changing the Windows Explorer View to 'List' from 'icons'

  • Thread starter Thread starter adrianr
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A

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
 
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