One thing that annoys me in Vista is that Windows Explorer always opens to the same default window size that is too small to be useful. So every time I open it, before I can do anything useful, I have to drag out the window dimensions both horizontally and vertically.

A Google search for [url=http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Vista+"windows+explorer"+doesn%27t+remember+window+size&btnG=Google+Search]Vista "windows explorer" doesn't remember window size[/url] gave up nearly 90,000 hits, and a random sampling of the first dozen or so seems to indicate that there is no solution There are a lot of people unhappy about this, including myself. And no, the "Tools>Folder Options>View>Apply to All..." thing doesn't fix the problem.

One suggestion was that holding the Ctrl key while closing the window would cause Vista to remember the settings. Haven't had a chance to try it (my work computer is XP) but others have said it doesn't work, or it works intermittantly. I was looking for a one-time fix (Registry edit? Parameter setting somewhere?) that would just take care of it.

So, does anyone here know of a solution?

tanstaafl.

Once upon a time, I had a .REG file which would write the size and position entries into the registry for the position of Internet Explorer. I don't have it anymore, but I do recall that it was the BAGMRU thing mentioned earlier in this thread.

If you googled for documentation on those registry entries (as opposed to the search you already did), then you can set it to whatever size and position you want.

If you put the .REG file into your startup group (well, a batch file that calls it with regedit /s anyway) then you can be assured it'll be that way every time you log in.

I'm plagued by this problem in Windows XP. Win2k and Win 95 never had a problem; how could they break this (and a thousand other things) in XP and higher??

I've had luck retaining the size by opening Explorer, sizing it, then closing it by clicking the File menu then Close. Open Explorer immediately again and it may retain the size. Close again using File > Close.

But will it retain that setting after reboot? If you close Explorer with the X button or Alt-F4 then, soon after, reboot, it seems to forget your size change. You may have better luck by deliberately closing using the File menu, then reopening to be sure it understood you.

Once you've done the above and the sizing has survived a reboot, the sizing will likely stay that way. All this also applies to View preferences (List, Details, Icons, etc), which often revert to the default that you've set for all folders. I intentionally set List for all, then Icons for Control Panel, but it reverts to List until I do the above.

I'm an IT professional, I should not have to resort to the superstition I've written above, but the disgracefully broken UI in Windows XP (most likely carried over to Vista) has demanded it. Good luck.