WinPE Tweaks

File Manager

Page contents -

Display Hidden Files and Folders
Missing Directory Tree
Remove Shell Folders
Remove Libraries
Remove Favourites
Remove ControlPanel

Display Hidden Files and Folders

Issue:
Hidden files and folders and protected operating system files are not displayed in the User Interface - e.g. in a file manager.

File Dependencies:
N/A - None

Registry Settings/Dependencies:

reg.exe batch file commands -
@echo off reg.exe ADD "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v "Hidden" /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f reg.exe ADD "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v "HideFileExt" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f reg.exe ADD "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v "SuperHidden" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f reg.exe ADD "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /v "ShowSuperHidden" /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f

.reg file (import using regedit.exe) -
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced] "Hidden"=dword:00000001 "HideFileExt"=dword:00000000 "SuperHidden"=dword:00000000 "ShowSuperHidden"=dword:00000001

OfflineReg batch file commands -
@echo off offlinereg-win32.exe "PATH\Default" "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" setvalue "Hidden" "1" 4 offlinereg-win32.exe "PATH\Default" "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" setvalue "HideFileExt" "0" 4 offlinereg-win32.exe "PATH\Default" "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" setvalue "SuperHidden" "0" 4 offlinereg-win32.exe "PATH\Default" "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" setvalue "ShowSuperHidden" "1" 4

It is not clear whether the SuperHidden registry value is actually required - see here. It may be required in some operating systems - adding it does not result in any issues.

Missing Directory Tree

Issue:
The directory tree is not displayed (e.g. in a file manager) -

Fix:
Add a Desktop directory to the %UserProfile% path. In a standard WinPE the %UserProfile% path is X:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\Desktop

File Dependencies:
N/A - None

Registry Settings\Dependencies:
N/A - None

With %UserProfile%\Desktop folder fix -

Remove Shell Folders

Issue:
A range of shell folders that have no purpose or function in a Windows Preinstallation Environment are displayed in file managers -

File Dependencies:
N/A - None

Registry Settings/Dependencies:

reg.exe batch file commands -
@echo off ::Remove Desktop From This PC reg.exe delete HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641} /f ::Remove Documents From This PC reg.exe delete HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A8CDFF1C-4878-43be-B5FD-F8091C1C60D0} /f ::Remove Downloads From This PC reg.exe delete HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B} /f ::Remove Music From This PC reg.exe delete HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{1CF1260C-4DD0-4ebb-811F-33C572699FDE} /f ::Remove Pictures From This PC reg.exe delete HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{3ADD1653-EB32-4cb0-BBD7-DFA0ABB5ACCA} /f ::Remove Videos From This PC reg.exe delete HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A0953C92-50DC-43bf-BE83-3742FED03C9C} /f ::Remove 3D objects From This PC reg.exe delete HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{0DB7E03F-FC29-4DC6-9020-FF41B59E513A} /f

.reg file (import using regedit.exe) -
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 ;Remove Desktop From This PC [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641}] ;Remove Documents From This PC [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A8CDFF1C-4878-43be-B5FD-F8091C1C60D0}] ;Remove Downloads From This PC [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B}] ;Remove Music From This PC [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{1CF1260C-4DD0-4ebb-811F-33C572699FDE}] ;Remove Pictures From This PC [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{3ADD1653-EB32-4cb0-BBD7-DFA0ABB5ACCA}] ;Remove Videos From This PC [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{A0953C92-50DC-43bf-BE83-3742FED03C9C}] ;Remove 3D objects From This PC [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\{0DB7E03F-FC29-4DC6-9020-FF41B59E513A}]

OfflineReg batch file commands -
@echo off ::Remove Desktop From This PC offlinereg-win32.exe D:\PATH\Software Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace deletekey {B4BFCC3A-DB2C-424C-B029-7FE99A87C641} ::Remove Documents From This PC offlinereg-win32.exe D:\PATH\Software Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace deletekey {A8CDFF1C-4878-43be-B5FD-F8091C1C60D0} ::Remove Downloads From This PC offlinereg-win32.exe D:\PATH\Software Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace deletekey {374DE290-123F-4565-9164-39C4925E467B} ::Remove Music From This PC offlinereg-win32.exe D:\PATH\Software Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace deletekey {1CF1260C-4DD0-4ebb-811F-33C572699FDE} ::Remove Pictures From This PC offlinereg-win32.exe D:\PATH\Software Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace deletekey {3ADD1653-EB32-4cb0-BBD7-DFA0ABB5ACCA} ::Remove Videos From This PC offlinereg-win32.exe D:\PATH\Software Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace deletekey {A0953C92-50DC-43bf-BE83-3742FED03C9C} ::Remove 3D objects From This PC offlinereg-win32.exe D:\PATH\Software Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace deletekey {0DB7E03F-FC29-4DC6-9020-FF41B59E513A}

Alternatively, delete the HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace" key. E.g. using OfflineReg -
offlinereg-win32.exe D:\PATH\Software Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer deletekey NameSpace
Or using reg.exe -
reg.exe delete HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace /f
Or using a .reg file -
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace]

With key(s) removed -

Remove Libraries

File Dependencies:
N/A - None

Registry Settings/Dependencies:

reg.exe batch file commands -
@echo off reg.exe ADD "HKLM\Software\Classes\CLSID\{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}\ShellFolder" /v "Attributes" /t REG_DWORD /d "2839544064" /f

.reg file (import using regedit.exe) -
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}\ShellFolder] "Attributes"=dword:a9400100

OfflineReg batch file commands -
@echo off offlinereg-win32.exe "PATH\Software" "Classes\CLSID\{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5}\ShellFolder" setvalue "Attributes" "2839544064" 4

Remove Favourites

File Dependencies:
N/A - None

Registry Settings/Dependencies:

reg.exe batch file commands -
@echo off reg.exe ADD "HKLM\Software\Classes\CLSID\{323CA680-C24D-4099-B94D-446DD2D7249E}\ShellFolder" /v "Attributes" /t REG_DWORD /d "2839544064" /f

.reg file (import using regedit.exe) -
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{323CA680-C24D-4099-B94D-446DD2D7249E}\ShellFolder] "Attributes"=dword:a9400100

OfflineReg batch file commands -
@echo off offlinereg-win32.exe "PATH\Software" "Classes\CLSID\{323CA680-C24D-4099-B94D-446DD2D7249E}\ShellFolder" setvalue "Attributes" "2839544064" 4

Remove ControlPanel

Issue:
The Control Panel is displayed in a file manager, but does not function in a Windows Preinstallation Environment.

File Dependencies:
N/A - None

Registry Settings/Dependencies:

reg.exe batch file commands -
@echo off reg.exe ADD "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer" /v "NoControlPanel" /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f

.reg file (import using regedit.exe) -
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer] "NoControlPanel"=dword:00000001

OfflineReg batch file commands -
@echo off offlinereg-win32.exe PATH\Software Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer setvalue NoControlPanel 1 4

Document date - 17^th February 2018