TROUBLE getting xp windows to open up in same window

Greetings, riprap1951!

Reinstall or Repair Internet Explorer and Outlook Express in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;318378
OR
http://www.theeldergeek.com/repair_ie6.htm

Best wishes, war1

Comment to CrazyOne: Thanks for the input, but as I noted in original question I already tried System Restore (to several days before problem began) and Windows gave me an error msge ;-[  Other ideas?

Comment to war1: Again, thanks for the input, but my problem is not w/ either IE or OE--but w/ normal, everyday  Explorer windows behaviors--you know, 'My Documents' etcetera. Any other ideas?

Check for virus and adware

Housecall Online Scan
http://housecall.antivirus.com
or
Symantec Security Check
http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym

SpyBot S&D searches your harddisk for so-called spy- or adbots;
http://security.kolla.de/
or
Adaware
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

Start Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) and go to the following sub-folders:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags]

Right-click on each one (i.e. BagMRU and Bags) and select Delete to get rid of both of them.

Reboot your PC

TO sramesh2k:
  I went into regedit, backed up the ShellNoRoam sub-key, and deleted both the entries you mentioned.
  It didn't help  :-{
     I don't know if this is a useful clue, but when Explorer opens up another (unsolicited) window, that new one is always about half-screen in size--never maximized. Another possible clue for you: A day or so before I started having this hassle, I had gone into Tools>Folder Options>File Types, to the entries for '[NONE] File Folder'  &  '[NONE] Folder', and entered 'Explore' (instead of 'Open') as the default value, then OK'd my way out. (At the time I was trying to get the My Documents shortcut icon to open said folder in folder-tree view as default.) Could that have screwed things up? I'm willing to try any further ideas you have...

COMMENT TO WAR1: Again, I appreciate your time ;-]   I hear what you're saying about spyware, but as a point of fact less than 2 weeks ago I had a heck of a browser-hijacking episode (my 14-was surfing some porn sites and picked up some serious nasties) and at that time I got  deep into using HijackThis, Spybot, & AdAware (all 3 apps are installed on this machine). I got the hijacking cleared up at that time (w/ the help of the excellent people @ Tom Coyote forums) and I'm pretty sure that, as far as spyware, the unit is clean right now....Also (more clues?) yesterday I ran Norton One-Touch Checkup and Registry Mechanic, and they each came up with minor problems that were repaired quickly---but it didn't help the excess-windows problem.

  ANY MORE IDEAS ???

riprap1951: I believe this should work
Click Start | Run | REGSVR32 /i SHELL32.DLL"
Restart

TO sramesh2k: I ran Start | Run | regsvr32 /i SHELL32.DLL. Sorry to say, it didn't help.
   SO is everyone out of ideas? Am I going to have to backup everything I've got on hd, and reformat the OS?
       
   IF ANYONE has any ideas I haven't tried yet, I sure would like to hear them!  Thanks :-]

Terry

Ask Santa Clause for new tested to be almost perfect no hassle mahcine, :)

I just went through a format my self becasue nobody could figure out including MS how to fix this the problem I was have in the following link.

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinXP/Q_20802031.html

COMMENT to CrazyOne:
   So now we're talking about a re-format? Allow me to ask, if I've got about 8 CD's from HP that are labeled the 'System Recovery' discs for my OS, and I happen to have around 10GB of personal stuff on this computer that I definitely don't want to have to replace from scratch, can I use those CD's without erasing everything that's on the unit? In other words, do you know if I can just 'go far enough' w/ the discs to restore the basic reg settings to original, or am I going to have to backup everything onto CD's then re-format and have to re-install everything?

Thanks for your help ;-}

Terry

Umm I am sorry I did not mean to imply that a reformat was then next option. It may be but lets see if other options materialize that may help fix this. In my case the problem I was having I tried everything I knew, even tried jumping over the moon, and things I that just popped in my head but nothing worked. I new what part of the problem was but to do what I needed to do was pretty near impossible, even a repair installation didn't fix it so I was left with starting from scratch.

Now I have PowerSpec machine and the Recovery CD has and option to do a NON DESTRUCTIVE install which is the same as doing a Repair install with the XP CD. The Repair will reinstall system files and few other things. It doesn't touch the registry much and most settings including program settings stay intact and it erase anything from the disk. What I don't know is if the HP Recovery CD's have the NON DESTRUCTIVE install. I called the PowerSpec vendor (Micro Center) and asked them about this NON DESTRUCTIVE install to make sure that doing it was the same as doing the XP repair. They told me that it was and that turned out to be true, although it didn't fix my problem.

I would suggest calling HP to double check on what their Recovery CD's are capable of doing.

and it erase anything = and it doesn't erase anything

Terry,

Backup the registry and delete this key as well:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CabinetState]

Does this happen to all other user profiles?

If that does not help, the problem may be with the Folder association in registry.

Run Folder Association fix from this site:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

TO CrazyOne, sramesh2k, et al:
   You guys don't give up too easily, do you? Very impressive ;-}
   I backed up the 'Cabinet State' key in question, deleted it, and tested. Problem unchanged.
   I went into Guest Account and checked things out there. Same irritating situation, even though the Tools>Folders Options>General tab is set to 'Open each folder in the same window,' every folder that is clicked causes a fresh window to cascade  onto the screen... (There are two other regular/limited User Accounts on this machine, and later on this morning, if you think it might help, I can obtain the passwords to those accounts and check them out.)
   Went to the Doug Knox site and downloaded and installed the recommended .zip file. No joy.
   At this point I am open for suggestions ! Any further ideas?

ONE OTHER ITEM which might qualify as a clue:
   The properties for the desktop icon 'My Documents' was tweaked at about the same time this problem started, in an effort to get said directory's window to open up with folder trees viewed in lefthand Explorer pane. At present those properties are:
      C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe /e, C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents

   Also, in the spirit of covering all of your suggestions, I did run a virus scan (82k+ files; no viruses detected) and SpyBot Search & Destroy, which came up w/ two relatively-benign flags ('BackWeb Lite' stuff, which was deleted).

Terry.

Did that work, Terry?

TO sramesh2k:
    Thanks very, very much for staying on task with this one :-))
    Since following your most-recent suggestions I've been on the box for a good hour and clicked/opened a bunch of folders, & not a single one has failed to open in full-screen mode, with zero extra unwanted buttons on the taskbar. Excellent!
   If anyone I know comes up with a computer-situation they need help with, you guys and this website will get my unqualified recommendation.
   Have yourself an excellent Christmas, and enjoy your New Year!

Terry.