Turning off XP special mp3 sorting functions

December 23, 2005 6:11 AM

Here's a real simple problem that's been annoying me since I switched to Windows XP. If I have a folder that's full of mp3 files, XP "intelligently" decides that it's a music folder and changes the "Arrange icons by" options from "name/type/size/modified" to "name/type/size/artist/album title/year/track number/duration". Importantly missing is MODIFIED! How do I tell XP to sort files by date modified if it insists on only letting me sort by the ID3 "year" value?
posted by rxrfrx to computers & internet (9 comments total)

View > Choose Details... > Date Modified
I think you have to do this every time though.
posted by andrewzipp at 6:14 AM on December 23, 2005

I did what you said, and then did tools->folder options->view->apply to all folders, and all folders seem OK now. Thanks. It's strange that this works, but going to a normal folder that contains "modified" and then applying that to all folders does not work.
posted by rxrfrx at 6:17 AM on December 23, 2005

There may be a hidden desktop.ini file inside the folder that contains these settings.
posted by odinsdream at 6:19 AM on December 23, 2005

Nope, no hidden file.
posted by rxrfrx at 6:26 AM on December 23, 2005

desktop.ini is protected, not hidden. Explorer Tools > Folder Options > View tab > uncheck 'hide protected...'

I don't know that deleting it will help, I think Windows will re-create it. Have you checked "Remember each folder's view settings", two below the protected option?
posted by Dipsomaniac at 9:32 AM on December 23, 2005

I just got Windows XP as well, and I hate all it's damned assumptions about what is and isn't right for me. I'll decide that, thank you.

And I was kinda having the same problem with my MP3 folder. So this post is good.
posted by redsparkler at 9:39 AM on December 23, 2005

You can defeat the MP3 assumptions by setting one folder view the way you like it, then go to Tools > Folder Options > View > Apply to all folders. None of my MP3 folders show up any differently.

One way I've found to make the all folders stick (oddly enough) is to open Windows Explorer, browse to a folder and set it the way you like, then use the Back button to return to the first view and close the window with the 'Close' button in the to right while holding Ctrl and Shift.

I don't know why it works better, but I've had success with that.
posted by Dipsomaniac at 10:22 AM on December 23, 2005

You can also right click on the little sorty buttons to get a list of what items available to view (filename, track #, date modified, etc). You can add and remove them from the list, and you can move the headings around.

I tend to have it sort my mp3 by track number.
posted by jaded at 10:26 AM on December 23, 2005

OpenWide was recommended in this recent related question
posted by Sharcho at 12:35 PM on December 23, 2005