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In windows 7 and 8, the downloads folder become optimized for pictures after a while, it causes the folder to lag when opened and even after changing that it returns to pictures every now and then.

There's a way to fix this: http://www.istartedsomething.com/20121202/quick-fix-for-very-slow-to-load-downloads-folder-in-windows-7-8/

But I want to automate this with a script and the task scheduler.

Is it possible? What commands should be used?

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  • Weird. I always customize all folders for general Items (including my Downloads folder) and they never switch despite what I store in the folder subsequently. Of course from Folder Options > View tab I have the same view applied to all folders, so that may have helped.
    – Karan
    May 25, 2015 at 4:24

1 Answer 1

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Look at the Registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags

There are a whole lot of numbers there. They represent special shell object including folders.

Under the Shell subkey they can have a SniffedFolderType value which is the type Windows thinks is best, or a FolderType which is the one you have set in Explorer. It can be Generic, Pictures, Documents etc.

You could use reg.exe or other PowerShell to change these values, except I'm not sure the numbers representing the Downloads folders are the same for every user and computer. But if you just want to do that for your own user, that should work.

In my case 35 is the Downloads folder, so I can use:

REG.exe ADD "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\35\Shell" /v FolderType /t REG_SZ /d Generic /f

Apparently you can also disable the whole sniffing business by adding a new string (REG_SZ) value with the name FolderType under:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell

for the data use: NotSpecified

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  • Very nice. How can you find out what number represent which folder?
    – shinzou
    May 25, 2015 at 12:35
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    I used Process Monitor (technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896645) to see which registry keys were changed when I changed the type in Explorer. May 25, 2015 at 13:27
  • The optimized view plays havoc with Google Drive File Stream forcing it to download all the files in the folder to pull out the metadata, much better the default is set to NotSpecified so folders open instantly.
    – Matt
    Apr 3, 2018 at 10:05

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