"Folder Options" Under "View" Missing

August 3rd, 2004, 12:58 pm

Okay...This may not make sense, so I'll try to use images. Also, I'll try not to babble, so that it makes more sense.

You know when go open up a folder, say "Program Files," there's a bar all the way at the top with drop-down menus? One of them is "View."

When I click on "View," there's no "Folder Options" listed. In most cases, there's a Folder Options. For most people, there's one. In "Folder Options" you can do such things as make hidden files, appear.

I hope it makes sense so far, not to make out any of you as dumb...Smile...I am just trying to make sure I making sense...

http://tctp.my100megs.com/viewfolderoptions.jpg (you have to copy and paste the URL)

How do I get Folder Options back?

I've asked the same question on another website before, and I was given an answer. A person told me that I had to go into the registery, and do something. However, that was only a temporary solution. Whenever I did the registery thing, "Folder Options" went missing after a while (I think after reboot/restart).

I've done a Google search, but I couldn't come up with anything. Oh yeah, I have Windows 98.

August 3rd, 2004, 6:02 pm

if you messed with the registry, I presume this is the problem. Otherwise, I'm pretty
sure Folder Options are listed under Tools, rather than View.

[ATNO/TW]

August 3rd, 2004, 8:19 pm

UNFLUX -- Folder Options is under Tools in Windows 98 on up (perhaps 95, too). However, in Windows 98, it is also under View. Judging from the screenshot, I would have to assume sonnyrizo is using Windows 98. However, the Tools menu is also missing. That should be there on all Windows OSs, even 98.

sonnyrizo -- I don't know of a professional website that offers registry hacks/tweaks that doesn't warn you to back up your registry before making registry tweaks. How recent was this registry change? The reason I ask is that 98 has the option to run scanreg.exe in DOS (reboot to DOS -- not the command prompt) and restore to any of the last 5 registry backups. Windows 98 automatically made a registry backup at each boot and saved the last 5. So if you did this recently you may be able to restore the original registry configuration.

Otherwise, I don't have much hope for you.

I'm sure that's your problem but haven't found an answer yet in Google, but that is the direction you should be looking.

Folder Options should be right under refresh in View and you should have a Tools menu to the right of Favorites.

To use scanreg, restart in MS DOS mode and at the C: prompt type in:
SCANREG /restore

the restore switch will give you the list of available backups that can be used to restore the registry.

August 3rd, 2004, 9:32 pm

Quote:

However, the Tools menu is also missing. That should be there on all Windows OSs, even 98.

That's another thing that bothers me about my computer, but I don't let it get in the way of my computer use, because I don't know what I'd be doing with "Tools." I am sure it should be in 98, but its not in mine. I can't explain why/don't know why.

Quote:

sonnyrizo -- I don't know of a professional website that offers registry hacks/tweaks that doesn't warn you to back up your registry before making registry tweaks.

I need to clear something up. When I talked of changes in the registery, I was talking about Folder Options. Someone suggested I go into the registery, and change a key. I didn't delete anything. Even if the change was dramatic, I could easily change back the registery key.

But I'll tell you this...the problem (no "Folder Options) was there way before I even went into the registery to fix the no "Folder Options" problem. I should also add that I do back my registery before important changes. I don't just go into the registery messing around. I know more about computers than to do that.

I made a back up of the registery not too long ago, but even the earliest back up came after "Folder Options" missing. I can't even remember when Folder Options went missing, meaning it was such a long time.

Quote:

How recent was this registry change?

I make registery changes from time to time, when needed, but those changes have nothing to do with Folder Options. For example, I had a problem with Norton Antivirus, and Symantec recommended I delete two registery keys. I perform tasks that are needed, nothing else.

Quote:

The reason I ask is that 98 has the option to run scanreg.exe in DOS (reboot to DOS -- not the command prompt) and restore to any of the last 5 registry backups.

scanreg.exe does run ever boot. It is in my start up list, and I never did anything about that (never changed it).

Quote:

Otherwise, I don't have much hope for you.

Good news. Someone told me about the register key that can get back Folder Options. I did what that person told me, and now Folder Options is back. I am not sure if it will start permanently, but I'll see what happens. However, I don't know about "Tools." I don't know how to get that back.

August 3rd, 2004, 9:34 pm

Quote:

1. Execute Regedit (shortcut, or StartMenu -- Run, and type regedit ..)

2. move with mouse to menu in Regedit's window and go to Edit -- Find (or simply stroke Ctrl+F)

3. Type HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

4. and finally - find REG_DWORD entry, named NoFolderOptions (if it is there at all, but probably it is)



See, if mentioned entry has value 1 ... If it has, simply change it to 0, and that should do the trick

[ATNO/TW]

August 3rd, 2004, 9:58 pm

That makes sense. In Visual Basic the Boolean values for False and True are 0 and 1 respectively. So looking at your quote, it appears the DWORD for NoFolderOptions if value=1, then it will not show Folder Options since NoFolderOptions would equal True. So obviously that needs to be False, i.e. 0.

So taking the logic a step further, there must also be a regkey for the Tools menu (somewhere in the general neighborhood of that one, I would think) and following the same logic should restore the Tools menu via the same process.

Quote:

The Boolean data type can only have one of two values. True or False. You might say, well, True and False are not values, but to Visual Basic, the False keyword represents 0 and the True keyword represents non-zero. Whenever you see or type False or True in a code window, picture 0 and 1. For example, the Locked property of a Text Box is a Boolean property. It cannot take any other value, as evidenced by the Properties Window. Boolean can also be described as an on/off switch.

From here:
http://www.officecomputertraining.com/v ... page12.asp

[ATNO/TW]

August 3rd, 2004, 10:07 pm

I'm looking at my Windows 98 registry at the moment in the same location you showed:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

I have not tweaked this computer's registery and the defaults are:
(Default), NoDrives, NoDriveTypeAutoRun, and, NoFavoritesMenu

Don't see your DWORD at all, but if I had to take a stab in the dark, I'd bet you might have a NoToolsMenu in yours.

If not follow the same path through Local Machine and see if it shows up there.

I suppose it goes without say that running a "find" for NoToolsMenu" might be quicker. It is logical to presume the naming structure is the same.

[ATNO/TW]

August 3rd, 2004, 11:19 pm

sonnyrizo wrote:

scanreg.exe does run ever boot. It is in my start up list, and I never did anything about that (never changed it).

Actually, if you don't mind, I'd like to clear this up for future viewers.

I suspect if you look carefully at your Statup you will find that it is scanregw.exe that runs each boot. Scanregw.exe is the program that Windows runs to do the cummulative backups and I would guess that your Startup looks something like c:\windows\scanregw.exe / autorun

The scanreg.exe will run in DOS mode and is the program that can help you fix things. What it does depends on the switches you use when running it.

August 4th, 2004, 12:33 pm

Quote:

So taking the logic a step further, there must also be a regkey for the Tools menu

Quote:

Don't see your DWORD at all, but if I had to take a stab in the dark, I'd bet you might have a NoToolsMenu in yours.

I could swear that there was a NoToolsMenu in the registery, but I must be confused, because I checked the key again, and it isn't there.

Quote:

I have not tweaked this computer's registery and the defaults are:
(Default), NoDrives, NoDriveTypeAutoRun, and, NoFavoritesMenu

The ones that are listed for me are: Default, CDRAutoRun, EditLevel, NoClose, NoDriveTypeRun, NoFavoritesMenu, NoFileMenu, NoFolderOptions, NoLogOff, NoRecentDocsMenu, NoRun, and NoSaveSettings.

There's no NoToolsMenu, but I'd assume that's the way to get Tools menu back. All the ones I listed are O (turned on), except NoFavoritesMenu, and I believe I did that intentionally, because I didn't want Favorites in the Start menu.

Quote:

The scanreg.exe will run in DOS mode and is the program that can help you fix things.

I never do anything in DOS, so that's where the confusion came from. I didn't know there was something called scanreg.exe..

Now I have Folder Options back, I'll try to get Tools menu back.

August 4th, 2004, 4:47 pm

ATNO, I found a screencapture of what possibly is a Windows 98 "My Documents" folder, on the internet. This folder does not have a Tools menu either.

I went on Google to see if I was the only one without the Tools menu, and it does not appear to be so. Check this out:

http://www.rpi.edu/dept/hd/screenshots/ ... e-98-1.jpg

Do you think you can take a screencapture of the Tools menu, to see what's in there?

This is another screencapture:

http://ithelp.indstate.edu/nicbasics/ht ... ware/2.JPG

http://www.wabash.edu/images2/technology/ra_win98_4.gif

[ATNO/TW]

August 5th, 2004, 3:39 am

Not near my 98 machine right now, but check this regkey out:

Code: [ Download ] [ Select ]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoDriveTypeAutoRun"=hex:95,00,00,00
"ClearRecentDocsOnExit"=dword:00000001
"NoFolderOptions"=dword:00000001
"NoBandCustomize"=dword:00000001
"NoToolbarCustomize"=dword:00000001
"NoControlPanel"=dword:00000001
"NoPrinters"=dword:00000001
"NoPrinterTabs"=dword:00000001
"NoDeletePrinter"=dword:00000001
"NoAddPrinter"=dword:00000001
"NoToolsMenu"=dword:00000001
"NoWinKeys"=dword:00000001
"NoSetFolders"=dword:00000001
"NoActiveDesktopChanges"=dword:00000001
"NoChangeStartMenu"=dword:00000001
"NoRun"=dword:00000001
"NoFind"=dword:00000001
"NoSetTaskbar"=dword:00000001

1. [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
2. "NoDriveTypeAutoRun"=hex:95,00,00,00
3. "ClearRecentDocsOnExit"=dword:00000001
4. "NoFolderOptions"=dword:00000001
5. "NoBandCustomize"=dword:00000001
6. "NoToolbarCustomize"=dword:00000001
7. "NoControlPanel"=dword:00000001
8. "NoPrinters"=dword:00000001
9. "NoPrinterTabs"=dword:00000001
10. "NoDeletePrinter"=dword:00000001
11. "NoAddPrinter"=dword:00000001
12. "NoToolsMenu"=dword:00000001
13. "NoWinKeys"=dword:00000001
14. "NoSetFolders"=dword:00000001
15. "NoActiveDesktopChanges"=dword:00000001
16. "NoChangeStartMenu"=dword:00000001
17. "NoRun"=dword:00000001
18. "NoFind"=dword:00000001
19. "NoSetTaskbar"=dword:00000001

Looks like that's where you might find it. If it doesn't exist you could create it there and add DWORD value 00000000

I can't read the language of this page but the registry keys are easy to follow:
http://ekapw01.student.ugm.ac.id/tutorial/windowreg.htm

August 5th, 2004, 2:14 pm

ATNO, I am pretty sure there's no Tools menu in Windows 98, becuase I asked someone else if he had Tools menu, and he said he didn't. After seeing a few screencaptures, and his testimonial, I am confident that Windows 98 is not supposed to have a Tools menu in its regular folders.

[ATNO/TW]

August 5th, 2004, 6:45 pm

*lol -- OK -- now I understand. I guess I never understood you were using My Computer. when you said "my computer" small case in an earlier reply, I was assuming the "possesive" meaning. The non-caps threw me off. I seldom use "My Computer". I almost always use Windows Explorer. I don't even use the mouse...a simple Winkey+E brings up Windows Explorer and I'm up in a heartbeat.

Anyway, you are correct. "My Computer" DOESN'T have a TOOLS option in 98, however, Windows Explorer DOES and has the FOLDERS option in both Tools and View. Here's the screenshots (The second one is what shows under tools in Explorer which is another reason I use Explorer more than My Computer because I'm constantly mapping drives.

http://atnopro.com/ozzu/toolsmenu.jpg
http://atnopro.com/ozzu/toolsmenu2.jpg

Sorry about the confusion, but at least the bright side is you got your Folder Options back and we all got an education on Windows 98! *lol

August 5th, 2004, 9:56 pm

I see what you're talking about...

I have the Tools menu in Windows Explorer.

August 10th, 2004, 2:05 am

i have also the same problem on XP Pro. the Folder Option in Tools menu is missing.. these are what only appears: Map Network Drive, Disconnect Network Drive & Synchronize. and when I switch Control Panel into classic view the icon Folder Setting (if i'm not mistaken) is not there.. i need your help 'coz i cannot retrieve my hidden files..