Disable Libraries in Windows 7

[dewaaz]

Couldnt you add any folder you want into the libraries folders that come with windows 7 ? Just by right clicking the library going to properties and adding that folder?

Why not just do that instead?

Yes I can, but then when I USE the library, BOTH folders have to have the same view settings. If I'm using the library and I change it for one folder, it will do the same for the other.

[asim0]

but then the Library entry is still in the navigation pane grr

If you right click the folder in the library, you can select "Don't show in navigation pane" so it doesn't show up in Libraries

[y_notm]

Also, Libraries is only good where you have files of the same type.

In XP, I could have My Pictures, which contained 2 folders:

1. Camera photos

2. Random photos

[1] could be sorted by Name, and [2] could be sorted by Date Modified (this one was so I could see which photos I had grabbed off the net most recently).

I can't do this in Win7. For the Pictures library, all must be sorted the same, and have the same view options. Extremely annoying, and quite inflexible.

What I COULD do is to save Camera Photos and Random Pics to Favorites... but then the Library entry is still in the navigation pane grr

So yeh quite annoying

WHy not point the current library at camera photos and then create another library and point it at random photos? You're obviously trying to treat them as separate entities so why fight that?

[nero78]

A Library is a special kind of folder that can aggregate contents from multiple physical locations (including folders on different drives, network shares, etc). In addition to representing multiple storage locations as a single container, Libraries are always indexed by the system (meaning the properties and metadata of their contents is stored in a fast database). That means Libraries can enable features like metadata-based views and pivots, such as the By Artist or By Album view for the Music library, as well as provide instant search with rich search filter suggestions in the search box.

The library locations are also exposed to all applications on the system via the Library API. That means if you set up your Music library, WMP and iTunes will automatically know where you keep your music. If you add or remove a folder in WMP, it will update the library definition, so you don't have to go change it again in iTunes (or vice versa).

Please tell me how you can include network shares into libraries? I have a NAS server with all my movies and the only way it can be included into my library is to make it offline... then i have to copy all the files over to my local drive and then the point is gone...

[ghazel]

Finally! Here is how to disable Libraries:

http://www.askvg.com/how-to-disable-librar...e-in-windows-7/

In case that link dies someday:

Disable Libraries in Windows 7:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

;Created by Vishal Gupta for AskVG.com

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{2112AB0A-C86A-4ffe-A368-0DE96E47012E}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{491E922F-5643-4af4-A7EB-4E7A138D8174}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{7b0db17d-9cd2-4a93-9733-46cc89022e7c}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{A302545D-DEFF-464b-ABE8-61C8648D939B}]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{A990AE9F-A03B-4e80-94BC-9912D7504104}]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
“{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}”=-

Only Remove Libraries Icon from Windows 7 Explorer:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

;Created by Vishal Gupta for AskVG.com

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}]

Restore Default Settings:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

;Created by Vishal Gupta for AskVG.com

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace\{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}]
@="UsersLibraries"
"Removal Message"="@shell32.dll,-9047"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{2112AB0A-C86A-4ffe-A368-0DE96E47012E}]
"Name"="MusicLibrary"
"Category"=dword:00000004
"ParsingName"="::{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}\\{2112AB0A-C86A-4ffe-A368-0DE96E47012E}"
"Stream"=dword:00000001
"StreamResource"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,\
  6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,\
  00,73,00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,\
  2d,00,32,00,00,00
"StreamResourceType"="LIBRARY"
"RelativePath"="Music.library-ms"
"ParentFolder"="{1B3EA5DC-B587-4786-B4EF-BD1DC332AEAE}"
"Icon"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,\
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  00,31,00,30,00,30,00,34,00,00,00
"InfoTip"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,\
  6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,\
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  2d,00,31,00,32,00,36,00,38,00,39,00,00,00
"LocalizedName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,\
  6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,\
  00,5c,00,73,00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,\
  2c,00,2d,00,33,00,34,00,35,00,38,00,34,00,00,00
"PreCreate"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{2112AB0A-C86A-4ffe-A368-0DE96E47012E}\PropertyBag]
"FoldersDependentOn"="{4BD8D571-6D19-48D3-BE97-422220080E43};{3214FAB5-9757-4298-BB61-92A9DEAA44FF}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{491E922F-5643-4af4-A7EB-4E7A138D8174}]
"Name"="VideosLibrary"
"Category"=dword:00000004
"ParsingName"="::{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}\\{491E922F-5643-4af4-A7EB-4E7A138D8174}"
"Stream"=dword:00000001
"StreamResource"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,\
  6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,\
  00,73,00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,\
  2d,00,34,00,00,00
"StreamResourceType"="LIBRARY"
"RelativePath"="Videos.library-ms"
"ParentFolder"="{1B3EA5DC-B587-4786-B4EF-BD1DC332AEAE}"
"Icon"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,\
  00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,69,00,\
  6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,\
  00,31,00,30,00,30,00,35,00,00,00
"InfoTip"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,\
  6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,\
  00,73,00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,\
  2d,00,31,00,32,00,36,00,39,00,30,00,00,00
"LocalizedName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,\
  6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,\
  00,5c,00,73,00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,\
  2c,00,2d,00,33,00,34,00,36,00,32,00,30,00,00,00
"PreCreate"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{491E922F-5643-4af4-A7EB-4E7A138D8174}\PropertyBag]
"FoldersDependentOn"="{18989B1D-99B5-455B-841C-AB7C74E4DDFC};{2400183A-6185-49FB-A2D8-4A392A602BA3}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{7b0db17d-9cd2-4a93-9733-46cc89022e7c}]
"Name"="DocumentsLibrary"
"Category"=dword:00000004
"ParsingName"="::{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}\\{7b0db17d-9cd2-4a93-9733-46cc89022e7c}"
"Stream"=dword:00000001
"StreamResource"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,\
  6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,\
  00,73,00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,\
  2d,00,31,00,00,00
"StreamResourceType"="LIBRARY"
"RelativePath"="Documents.library-ms"
"ParentFolder"="{1B3EA5DC-B587-4786-B4EF-BD1DC332AEAE}"
"Icon"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,\
  00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,69,00,\
  6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,\
  00,31,00,30,00,30,00,32,00,00,00
"LocalizedName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,\
  6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,\
  00,5c,00,73,00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,\
  2c,00,2d,00,33,00,34,00,35,00,37,00,35,00,00,00
"PreCreate"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{7b0db17d-9cd2-4a93-9733-46cc89022e7c}\PropertyBag]
"FoldersDependentOn"="{FDD39AD0-238F-46AF-ADB4-6C85480369C7};{ED4824AF-DCE4-45A8-81E2-FC7965083634}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{A302545D-DEFF-464b-ABE8-61C8648D939B}]
"Name"="UsersLibrariesFolder"
"Category"=dword:00000001
"ParsingName"="::{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{A302545D-DEFF-464b-ABE8-61C8648D939B}\PropertyBag]
"NoCustomize"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{A990AE9F-A03B-4e80-94BC-9912D7504104}]
"Name"="PicturesLibrary"
"Category"=dword:00000004
"ParsingName"="::{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}\\{A990AE9F-A03B-4e80-94BC-9912D7504104}"
"Stream"=dword:00000001
"StreamResource"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,\
  6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,\
  00,73,00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,\
  2d,00,33,00,00,00
"StreamResourceType"="LIBRARY"
"RelativePath"="Pictures.library-ms"
"ParentFolder"="{1B3EA5DC-B587-4786-B4EF-BD1DC332AEAE}"
"Icon"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,\
  00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,69,00,\
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  00,31,00,30,00,30,00,33,00,00,00
"InfoTip"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,\
  6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,\
  00,73,00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,\
  2d,00,31,00,32,00,36,00,38,00,38,00,00,00
"LocalizedName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,\
  6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,\
  00,5c,00,73,00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,\
  2c,00,2d,00,33,00,34,00,35,00,39,00,35,00,00,00
"PreCreate"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{A990AE9F-A03B-4e80-94BC-9912D7504104}\PropertyBag]
"FoldersDependentOn"="{33E28130-4E1E-4676-835A-98395C3BC3BB};{B6EBFB86-6907-413C-9AF7-4FC2ABF07CC5}"

[edgarswooth]

exactly, i want to have the personal folder show up when i click my name

I was bothered by this too, but in the context of the quick-launch area (which is missing in Win7). My favorite "feature" of Vista was the Win+# shortcuts for things in the quick-launch area. Win+1 was always my user folder.

To recreate this in 7, I right-clicked on the explorer icon that was pinned to the taskbar, right-clicked again on "Windows Explorer", and went Properties>Shortcut>Target. This I changed from %WinDir%\Explorer.exe to C:\Users\<UserName>

This also happend to change the behavior of the <UserName> link on the start menu, but no the other (Pictures, Music, etc.) ones. Any ideas about how we could extend this effect to those other links?

[Brandon Live Veteran]

Finally! Here is how to disable Libraries:

http://www.askvg.com/how-to-disable-librar...e-in-windows-7/

In case that link dies someday:

This is a great way to utterly hork your system and stop several applications from working.

Why anyone would consider removing the known folder entries for the default libraries is beyond my comprehension.

I was bothered by this too, but in the context of the quick-launch area (which is missing in Win7). My favorite "feature" of Vista was the Win+# shortcuts for things in the quick-launch area. Win+1 was always my user folder.

To recreate this in 7, I right-clicked on the explorer icon that was pinned to the taskbar, right-clicked again on "Windows Explorer", and went Properties>Shortcut>Target. This I changed from %WinDir%\Explorer.exe to C:\Users\<UserName>

This also happend to change the behavior of the <UserName> link on the start menu, but no the other (Pictures, Music, etc.) ones. Any ideas about how we could extend this effect to those other links?

Umm, clicking on your username in the Start Menu always brings up the user folder, not the Libraries folder. Your shortcut didn't magically change anything. This behavior changed between the Beta and the RC/RTM builds.

[nytiger73]

This is a great way to utterly hork your system and stop several applications from working.

Why anyone would consider removing the known folder entries for the default libraries is beyond my comprehension.

Umm, clicking on your username in the Start Menu always brings up the user folder, not the Libraries folder. Your shortcut didn't magically change anything. This behavior changed between the Beta and the RC/RTM builds.

My thoughts exactly. Why would you even want to disable Libraries? It doesn't take up extra disk space, it doesn't use up any additional resources, it's a great way to pull files of the same type stored in different locations into one folder. Even if you're ultra organized, just point the library to one folder and then you're done.