How to create a system folder in My Computer
System folder like My Document which appears in My computer are special folders which appear can not be deleted. Now if you want to create something like that, a folder which cannot be deleted!!!! . Here is how you do it to create a folder which cannot be deleted!!. It should work both in XP and VISTA.
However a word of caution, If you don’t know about registry, either back up or don’t try this. I am not sure how to create a direct script for this so be cautious.
Step 1: Create a Unique Key
- Open registry with “regedit” command on run window.
- Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\. Then right click and create a new key with value as {FD4DF9E0-E3DE-11CE-BFCF-ABCD1DE12345}
- Now set the default value of this key to the folder name you want to use. Now your path will look like ( I will call this as parent key throughout the discussion) HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{FD4DF9E0-E3DE-11CE-BFCF-ABCD1DE12345}
Step 2: Add Custom Icon to the folder
- Now create a sub key under parent key.
- Name it as “DefaultIcon”.
- Set the default value of this to the path of the icon image you want to use.
- If you dont specify your icon, system will take default icon.
Step 3: Adding attributes
- Under parent key create another key with name as “InprocServer32″
- Set the default value as “shell32.dll”
- Again at the same level create another folder as “ThreadingModel” and set its value as “Apartment”
- Same way create another key (under parent level) at the same level with structure as \Shell\My Folder\Command
- Set the default value here as “explorer /root,c:\Blog Data”
- This has to be same which you gave when you created the first key.
Step 4 Adding Handlers
- Under parent key, create another key as \ShellEx\PropertySheetHandlers\ {FD4DF9E0-E3DE-11CE-BFCF-ABCD1DE12345}
- Similar way another key is to added to parent key as “Shell Folder”
- In this right click and create new binary value called as “Attributes” with value as 00 00 00 00.
Step 5: Settings to place in My Computer
- Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
- Then to \CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\
- Add the parent key which in this case is {FD4DF9E0-E3DE-11CE-BFCF-ABCD1DE12345}
Thats it, You are done. Try this carefully and I am sure there wont be any problem. I missed the icon thing somehow, but will sure fix it. Till then if you find a fix do tell me.
Update by Shaun:
How to fix the icon problem with system folder :
As per the icon issue, I had the same issue then realized it was just looking for the icon index at the end of the file path and is accomplished with a comma and your index number. If your using an .ico file the index will be 0 otherwise you’ll have to determine the index number if your using a dll or exe with multiple icons. i.e for an .ico file c:\path\Icon.ico
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Posted on 5th September 2007 by Ashish Mohta , A Professional Tech blogger, Editor and Writer who talks about solving day to day problems of people who use computer. He also writes on How to use the applications like Office, PC tips, Online tools,Browsers and more. All posts by Ashish Mohta | Connect with me @ Twitter | Linkedin | Facebook | Stumble
Nice information. In depth presentation and good hack. I don’t know what is this InprocServer32. Can you please elaborate?
Great article!
I’m having trouble understanding step 3. When you say “create another folder” do you mean another “key”?
and what does “structure as” refer to? I can’t use the “\” character in a key…
Would appreciate any explanation clarification for a newbie.
Thanks!
David, yes I mean a KEY, sorry about giving a wrong word there.
And Structure I mean not as “\” but like parent child relationship. Create Shell then under it My Folder and then under that Command. Here under command you need to create a value with data as explorer /root,c:\Blog Data”
Hope this helps. Do let me know if you would need more details.
Ashish
owh that is my problem, u explain how to make it,
can you help me how to delete it?
Is there a way to create a new shell folder like my documents for folder redirection. I have a foxpro app that by design exclusively locks c:\vfp and c:\temp on the win 2k3 server once a user accesses the app. User 2 gets access denied. I want to redirect both of those folders to the clients local c:\ drive to avoid the locking error.
Thanks about your very good information
But there is a question
1) Can we make a different directory , because its on Drive C:/
i want to deferent hard drive to be the direction of the folder
Thanks a lot if u can help me
Mohammad
The code above is very good for creating a system folder. I also learn from this code how to create system folder. when i go in deep then i fount click on this will open the folder in other window. i am giving you the code below to create a system folder and open it on the same window.
If you have any issue, pls mail me.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\Classes\CLSID\{fd4df9e0-e3de-11ce-bfcf-abcd1de00000}]
@=”IAMFOLDER”
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\Classes\CLSID\{fd4df9e0-e3de-11ce-bfcf-abcd1de00000}\defaulticon]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\Classes\CLSID\{fd4df9e0-e3de-11ce-bfcf-abcd1de00000}\inprocserver32]
@=”shdocvw.dll”
“ThreadingModel”=”Apartment”
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\Classes\CLSID\{fd4df9e0-e3de-11ce-bfcf-abcd1de00000}\instance]
“CLSID”=”{0afaced1-e828-11d1-9187-b532f1e9575d}”
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\Classes\CLSID\{fd4df9e0-e3de-11ce-bfcf-abcd1de00000}\instance\initpropertybag]
“Attributes”=hex:15,00,00,00
“Target”=”C:\\”
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\Classes\CLSID\{fd4df9e0-e3de-11ce-bfcf-abcd1de00000}\shellfolder]
“Attributes”=hex:50,00,00,f0
“WantsFORPARSING”=”"
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{fd4df9e0-e3de-11ce-bfcf-abcd1de00000}]
Thanks & Regards,
Mohit Kumar Jindal
INNOVATOR
Question: What do you mean by,
Step 4. Similar way another key is to added to parent key as “Shell Folder”
Do I create the same key structure beneath the new key as I did for the parent?
This comment is for Mohit:
I try your code but it doesn’t open in the same window. Are you missing any steps. Please let me know.
kay
how can you give/change a system folders functionality in the registry? for example give it the properties of my music/my pictures/my videos folder?
i’d also like to know how to change the my documents folder’s functionality. Because right now it is acting like a ‘My Music’ folder.
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