Is there a way to show full path in Windows Explorer back button dropdown?

Question

Do you know if there's a way to have Windows Explorer show the full path in its back button dropdown? (as opposed to just showing the last part of a folder).

In the screenshot above, what I'd like to see in the dropdown showing the history is:

• C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET
• C:\Windows
• C:\
• Computer

This would be very useful when one has navigated all other the place, and when there are several similar folder names that come from different unrelated places...

Answer 1

I did some Google searching and ran across this article that might be the answer to your question:

http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-6116684.html

It's basically a walkthrough of the features in the new address bar in Vista. Windows 7 probably has the same behavior (will verify at home, we're XP at work). What's nice is that it's from the perspective of someone who has been using XP. About three quarters of the way in, the writer mentions that if you use access the history using the far right triangle (next to refresh), it will give you full folder paths.

This is a screenshot of what using that triangle should look like. If I'm reading your question correctly, this is what you want:

Answer 2

This kind of thing is baked into explorer. You're not going to be able to change it.

Answer 3

Try going into My Computer / Explorer clicking on Tools -> Folder Options -> View Tab -> Display Full Path In Address Bar and Display Full Path In Title Bar

Set both to checked. I think that should change that dropdown as well.

If not it might be buried in the registry. i will look later on.

Answer 4

Just click on some blank space, between the last > arrow, and the right hand side dropdown button in the address bar.