The root folder can be set to any view mode and sort order.
For the sub-folders there are two parts here: view mode and sort order.
First step is to make Windows forget all remembered settings for the thousand
sub-folders (actually to all folders):
- Start
regedit
- Navigate to the key
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell
- Delete the subkeys
Bags
and BagMRU
(this should be enough, but some more sub-keys are listed
here)
- For good measure, delete any
desktop.ini
file in the sub-folders.
If all the sub-folders contain only images, then they all have the default display
mode of Pictures. You may set up for one of the folders the view type
(Large icons etc.), the columns to display and their size, then click the menu
View > Options > View > Apply to folders. This will apply it to all the folders
of type Picture.
In this way, from now on any time you open one of the sub-folders, it will have
the correct view type and sort order.
The downside here is that this will become the default view of all folders that
contain images. But you may change the view for any specific folder without affecting
the others (as long as you don't do again Apply to folders for any folder
of type Pictures).