I'm embarassed I don't know how to do this, it should be (and probably is) obvious, but I guess I'm too simple-minded to figure it out.

When you select the "My Computer" icon it opens up an instance of Windows Explorer, or at least something that looks a lot like Windows Explorer.

This window opens up in a "single-pane" view, which to my way of thinking is virtually useless. By clicking on View/Explorer Bar/Folders I can select a check box that makes the window the more useful "two-pane" view -- folders in the left frame, contents of those folders in the right.

How can I make this two-pane view the default behavior, so that any time I click on the My Computer icon it automatically comes up in the two-pane view?

tanstaafl.

This seems to do it but it probobly affects all folders not just my computer:

Open My Computer window.
Click Tools, Folder Options, then click File Types.
From the list, locate the entry FOLDER with extension of (NONE).
Click Advanced, select Explore, then Set Default.
Click OK and close the dialog.

Also found you can do the same through the registry:

To accomplish this via the Registry:

Open Regedit.exe and navigate to:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell

In the right pane, set the value of (default) to "explore" (without quotes)

He uses an old Gateway Anykey keyboard, I don't think it has the Windows key.

Also note, that without making any changes to configuration, you can right-click on something and say "Explore" and that'll give tyou the two pane view.

If you use the Quicklaunch Toolbar, you can put a shortcut to Windows Explorer (which defaults to My Computer) there.

Or..

1) Put a shortcut to Windows Explorer on the Desktop then ..
2) Remove the "My Computer" shortcut by..
a) Right click anywhere on the Desktop, select Properties
b) Click the Desktop Tab
c) Click the Customize Desktop button
d) Remove the checkmark by "My Computer".
3) Rename your Windows Explorer shortcut as "My Computer".

Sloppy, but it works.

This seems to do it

That works!

Thanks much!

(And now I don't feel quite so dumb. It was not such a "no-brainer" to fix this)

tanstaafl.

One more thing: at least on my WinXP box, there are two buttons on the button bar of any Windows Explorer: "Search" and "Folders". The "Folders" button toggles the tree-view pane that you desire.