How to get Windows Explorer to open in selected folder

How to get Windows Explorer to open in selected folder

Document number: 69012

Windows Explorer typically opens at the "My Documents" folder. You can change this so that Windows Explorer will open in another location. If you want it to open in a particular folder on "C:" or even in another drive you can do that by adding some "switches" to the shortcut.

The instructions below depend upon how you are starting Windows Explorer, and your knowledge level. **If you have any doubts or questions contact Technical Support Operations for assistance before proceeding.**

Select the appropriate link below:

If you start Windows Explorer from the "Office" toolbar or from a shortcut on the Desktop.

If you start Windows Explorer from the Start, Programs menu.

If you start Windows Explorer from the "Office" toolbar or from a shortcut on the Desktop.

Put your mouse pointer on the Windows NT Explorer icon and right click.
Click on P roperties.
Select the Shortcut tab.
In the " Target" box at the end of the command line after "explorer.exe" add the switches /n, /e, <selected drive, folder, or file>

For example: To open Windows NT Explorer at the root level of the "D:" drive it might look like this:

You can replace the "D:\" with a specific folder name e.g. C:\Program Files\Accessories.

If the text in the "Target" box doesn't look exactly the same as pictured above, add the switches after the "explorer.exe" part anyway - it should work fine.
Click on Apply, then close the window by clicking on OK.

Adding the switches to the command line of the Windows NT Explorer shortcut should cause Windows NT Explorer to open on the specified folder. Note, that the changes you make will affect only that individual shortcut. If you have other Windows NT Explorer shortcuts they will not be affected. You may choose to leave them as they are, make the same modifications on them, or make different modifications.

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If you start Windows Explorer from the Start, Programs menu

Summary of the process: (1) find the Windows Explorer shortcut (2) open the Shortcut properties (3) make the specified changes to the shortcut.

Select Start, then Settings, then Taskbar.
Select " Start Menu Programs" tab.
Select A dvanced. An "Exploring ...(your user name)\Start Menu" window will appear. (click on the Ad vanced ... button for Windows 2000)
Look for the Windows Explorer shortcut.

The shortcut will be in the "Programs" folder of the Start menu (or a subfolder).
There are several "Start Menus" in Windows - "All Users", "Administrator", and "(your user name)". If there are other users they may have their own "Start Menu".
The default location for most PeopleSoft installed applications is "All Users". If you know there is Windows Explorer shortcut on the Start menu and you don't see it in the Start Menu \ Programs folder or one of the subfolders for your user name then check the \All Users\Start Menu\Programs folder. If you don't find it under "All Users" then check "Administrator". It may also exist in all of those places depending upon how the original build was done and what changes might have occurred since the original build.
If there is more than one Windows Explorer shortcut any change you make to one will not affect any of the others.

Put your mouse pointer on the Windows Explorer shortcut icon and right click.
Click on P roperties
Select the Shortcut tab
In the " Target" box at the end of the command line for "explorer.exe" add the switches /n, /e, <selected drive, folder, or file>

For example: To open Windows Explorer at the root level of the "D:" drive it may look like this :

You can replace the "D:\" with a specific folder name e.g. C:\Program Files\Accessories,
Click on Apply, then close the window by clicking on OK.

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EXPLORER.EXE [/n][/e][,/root,<object>]
EXPLORER.EXE [/n][/e][,/select,<object>]

Parameters
/n: Opens a new window in single-paned (My Computer) view for each item selected, even if the new window duplicates a window that is already open.

/e: Uses Windows Explorer view (Opens a 2 pane view of the selected folder).

/root,<object>: Specifies the root level of the specified view. The default is to use the normal namespace root (the desktop). Whatever is specified is the root for the display.

/select,<object>: Specifies the folder to receive the initial focus. If "/select" is used, the parent folder is opened and the specified object is selected. Highlights the designated folder and displays the contents of the parent folder in the right pane.

Try the examples below. If it's not what you expected you can always switch back to the default view by using C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe in the Target line.

Open Explorer with Folders View to the C:\WINDOWS\TEMP folder:
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE /n,/e,C:\WINDOWS\TEMP

To open a Windows Explorer view to explore only objects on
\\<server name>, use the following syntax:
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE /e,/root,\\<server name>

To view the C:\WINDOWS folder and select NOTEPAD.EXE, use the following syntax:
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE /select,c:\windows\notepad.exe

"My Computer" highlighted in left side with all drives visible but not expanded and C: highlighted in right side: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,/select,c:

Desktop highlighted and nothing expanded: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,/n,/select,/root,c:

All drives visible and the system drive highlighted and expanded in full screen: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,/select

All drives visible and the system drive expanded in small screen: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,/select,%systemroot%

Only Windows Directory visible highlighted and expanded: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,/root,%systemroot%

All drives visible but only C: highlighted and expanded: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /e,c:

Nothing expanded and My Computer highlighted in right side: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n,/e,/select,

Opens the Windows folder as a folder: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe %systemroot%

Opens as "My Computer": %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe %systemroot%,

This opens the Desktop folder with "My Computer" highlighted: %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe %systemroot%,/select,

"Desktop" highlighted in the left side and no drives visible:
%systemroot%\explorer.exe /e,/root,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D},/select

"My Computer" highlighted in left side and all drives visible but none expanded:
%systemroot%\explorer.exe /e,/root,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

"Desktop" in left side highlighted and "My Computer" highlighted in right side and no drives visible:
%systemroot%\explorer.exe /e,/select,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}