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Since using Vista I've had a hell of a time just trying to get basic things working as they did in XP.

Firstly, I just want ALL my explorer directory detail windows to show Name, Size, and Date. But so many of them show different fields specific to digital photos. How do I force ALL directories to show the basics ONLY?

Secondly, explorer has a toolbar underneath the menu! This is a waste of real estate. How can I remove it? I can't right click and say "f%$# off" :(

Thirdly, searches. WTF?? I want to find a file named *.txt in all subdirectories. But I've chosen not to index them. I can't type *.txt into the "search" window, that doesn't work.

Lastly, can someone provide a Microsoft engineer I can solidly kick? My laptop didn't come with a repair disk, just a reformat-and-reimage disk. WTF! And when I had a major computer virus I had to use Linux to boot because Microsoft don't make boot disks any more.

Okay grumbles aside, anyone can help me with the three issues above?

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That's four questions there. – random♦ Dec 3 '09 at 23:43
You're right, four questions, of which only 3 were technical. The last one was a fantasy question. – PP. Dec 4 '09 at 9:55
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2 Answers

up vote 3 down vote accepted
  1. Get one folder exactly how you like it, then press Alt to bring up the menu and click "Tools" > "Folder Options", then under "View" choose "Apply to folders"

alt text

Next, nope, that toolbar is there to stay. I am not a fan and prefer if I could have just the standard menu bar.

I find the search a bit annoying. It works fine on file name, so if there is a file called "test3.txt" and another one called "test4.txt" and I type test, it will show both, but it sometimes works with operators such as *.txt but sometimes doesn't and I haven't found out why... so, I end up using search just for names and usually still use the command prompt and type dir *.txt /s as I just find it quicker.

Nope! You can't kick anyone from Microsoft - and you can still make recovery disks. Simply go to "Computer" and right click on removable storage and choose format. You will see the following option:

alt text

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Great answer, thanks for the diagrams, too. It's a pity that toolbar can't be removed; Vista seems a regression in so many ways, and I bought my laptop BEFORE Asus started handing out free upgrades to Windows 7. I had no idea Vista would be so backwards but them's the breaks. I may just seriously consider paying the Microsoft Tax and upgrading (perhaps that was their strategy all along). – PP. Dec 4 '09 at 9:57
Accepted as answer as a lot of work went into preparing the screen shots. Frustrating as Vista is a complete regression from several generations of Windows products. I'm very angry that ASUS didn't allow me an XP option on my laptop. – PP. Dec 15 '09 at 10:20
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up vote 4 down vote

Question 1 is pretty well covered by Wil

As for searching files/documents on your system: use Voidtool's Everything, desktop search doesn't get any better (or faster)

Lastly, can someone provide a Microsoft engineer I can solidly kick?

Why kick some poor engineer when you can have a go at Steve Ballmer himself? :)

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