how to open Windows Explorer (not IE) using XP?

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SOLUTION

John

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ASKER

not getting there with either of the above solutions. Need more detail.
start > accessories > gives me Explorer but when I click on it it only opens my documents folder.
I've look in c: in My Computer and not seeing Explorer in the Windows folder.
Clicking windows explorer and then holding down key E and the Windows Key (beside Alt) gives me nothing but my start menu.
----------------
still needing solution.

John

In my post, create the shortcut using c:\windows\explorer.scf
That provides more detail and is the method I use in XP. ... Thinkpads_User

You don't click Windows Explorer and hold down E, you hold down the Windows key (little waving 4-part flag on it) and the E key simultaneously. The Windows Explorer view should have two panes in it. In the left pane, normally it shows My Documents highlighted, and in the right pane it shows the contents. But it should also show My Computer, which you can expand to show your C: drive and any others you have, as well as all other subfolders of your drives.

A nice beginner's tutorial on using Windows Explorer in XP:

http://www.helpwithpcs.com/courses/windows-xp-tutorial-explorer.htm

SOLUTION

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SOLUTION

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Sorry if my post above is not what you mean.

<<<"I've look in c: in My Computer and not seeing Explorer in the Windows folder.">>>
With "Windows" folder selected or highlighted in the left pane......and you look at the right pane you should see 'explorer.exe"

nickg5--Ah, I am starting to understand the question.
You want to create a shortcut to explorer.exe or explorer.scf. There are several ways to do that
So, open C:\Windows and scroll to either of the two explorer icons you will find. (One is explorer.scf (icon is a magnifying glass over a folder) and the other is explorer.exe.) Right click on either|click Send To and chose Desktop (Create Shortcut) . That shortcut will open Windows Explorer.
And expanding what thinkpads_user suggested, click Start|All Programs|Accessories and you will see Windows Explorer in the dropdown list. Right click on it|Send To|Desktop (Create Shortcut)
OR instead of using Send To|Desktop (Create Shortcut) you can just right click and drag the file you see in any of the above three scenarios to Desktop and release it. You will be asked whether you want to Copy It or Move It. Chose Copy It in all cases.
Now try any or all of the above and use the Shortcut created. You will see that you will open Windows to a different place in its subfolders directories in each case. Pick the one you like best and keep that Shortcut. I think you will like the shortcut to explorer.scf (magnifying glass) the best. As you will see you can just click that file in C:\Windows to open Windows Explorer, but it is a little inconvenient to have navigate to C:\Windows or Accessories each time, so creating a shortcut in a more convenient place is easiest.

ASKER

I'm trying to download U-tube videos using Firefox:
http://www.pcmech.com/article/save-any-youtube-video-from-firefox-cache-how-to/

I'm down to part 2.
If THIS:
C:\Documents and Settings\[your windows account]\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[your firefox profile].default\Cache

is what I'm supposed to load into Windows Explorer it sounded lke Windows Explorer was like a browser. My title and question was incomplete since I did not know Windows Explorer was so vague as to what it is, and difficult to find.
Adding 250 points.................

rpggamergirl:I always rightclick on the "Start" button and click "Explore" to open Windows Explorer window. I did this and see left pane and right pane but how to LOAD a link escapes me.

All you have to do is click on the + sign next to the different parts of the link (C:, Documents and Settings, etc.) to open up each part. If some of the parts are not found, it may be because the associated folders in that path are "hidden", in which case you click on Tools -> Folder Options -> View tab then put a dot next to Show hidden files and folders. Also, I usually remove the check mark next to Hide extensions for known files types, as well as the check mark next to Hide protected operating system files (Recommended).

Or, if you know the full path that you want to browse to, then click in the Address Bar at the top Windows Explorer and type or copy and paste the entire path:

C:\Documents and Settings\[your windows account]\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[your firefox profile].default\Cache

Hi nickg5,
I don't think you're supposed to keep the YouTube video permanently in your pc.

But just to answer your question on how to load the Firefox profile cache:
In the Firefox URL you typed:

about:cache

The result, under "Disk cache device" section is something like below:
C:\Documents and Settings\[Your username]\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\hwhvfjia.default\Cache

You then copy the above location and then open an IE window (yes IE window)
and then paste it into the IE URL and click Enter

IE will then open Windows explorer loading the Firefox cache below:
C:\Documents and Settings\[Your username]\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\hwhvfjia.default\Cache

>You then copy the above location and then open an IE window (yes IE window)
>and then paste it into the IE URL and click Enter

Or you can do it exactly as stated in the article: copy the URL from Firefox, then click Start, then Run, type EXPLORER, which starts up Windows Explorer, not Internet Explorer, and then click in the Address bar of Windows Explorer and paste what you copied from Firefox into Windows Explorer, and then hit the Enter key, which will then open up that folder.

All this is so VERY different from what you typed as your question:
>how to open Windows Explorer (not IE) using XP?

Hi nickg5,

Just in case you're not aware.

http://www.youtube.com/t/terms

The article you pasted a link for at ID:24735430 itself gave you another answer to your original question as it is phrased: click Start, then Run, type EXPLORER and click OK.

My windows explorer doesn't show address bar even if it's checked, so been using IE.

nickg5--Both Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer can function as browsers. And both can browse to internet addresses as well as to files located on the PC. In either case, you enter the appropriate address on the Address line and click Enter.
As Lee Tutor has said, "All this is so VERY different from what you typed as your question:
>how to open Windows Explorer (not IE) using XP?" Are you planning to accept a solution based on the original question or the new question about YouTube?

rpggamergirl--I expect you know this concerning your Address Bar, but in case not:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/36482-45-windows-explorer-toolbar-disappeared
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6142_102-0.html?threadID=219629
.

ASKER

jcimarron:
nickg5--"how to open Windows Explorer (not IE) using XP?"
What do you mean?
-------------------------
when I got the above response, I needed to tell this:
I'm down to part 2.
If THIS:
C:\Documents and Settings\[your windows account]\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[your firefox profile].default\Cache
is what I'm supposed to load into Windows Explorer it sounded lke Windows Explorer was like a browser. My title and question was incomplete since I did not know Windows Explorer was so vague as to what it is, and difficult to find.
Adding 250 points.................
------------------
so I added 250 points to accomodate the extra help needed since the instructions I had from Firefox were not clear. I'm still very unsure about WHAT is Windows Explorer and how to load or open it.
It seems to be nothing but a file. I've got to figure out why the instructions above are not working for me, so I guess 250 points for answer to the question and 250 for the added help. The link to download u-tube videos was given to me in another thread by an EE member, so I assumed everything was fine to use that link since an EE member gave it to me.

> I'm still very unsure about WHAT is Windows Explorer and how to load or open it.
> It seems to be nothing but a file.

Of course, Windows Explorer is a file! It is called Explorer.exe and it is in the Windows folder.

You have been given several ways to open it: a) click on My Computer in your Start Menu. b) Click on Windows Explorer under All Programs -> Accessories on the Start Menu. c) create a shortcut to it and click on the shortcut. d) click on the Start button, open the Run dialog box on the Start Menu (if you don't have it, then use the Windows key and the R key to open the Run dialog box instead) and type EXPLORER and then click OK; e) use the Windows key and the E key to open it. f) right click the Start button and choose Explore. And there are probably other ways to open it, too. You have never taken any of these as the answer to your question except the very last one, and you haven't explained what is your problem with it.

As to WHAT Windows Explorer is, and what it looks like when you open it, I gave a link back at my comment with ID:24732974 which explains that.

What I do not understand is, WHAT exactly is your problem?

ASKER

Method 3
click the START button, click run, type explorer into the box and press enter.

the above gets me to My Documents, a few folders on the right and a long list on the left.
I'm 100% lost on how to get the link from Firefox to open up, and that link is not even the U-tube video.
I may need to close this question and start over and ask for step by step, 1st grade language to follow all the steps in the article given to me by an EE member.
http://www.pcmech.com/article/save-any-youtube-video-from-firefox-cache-how-to/

ASKER

What I do not understand is, WHAT exactly is your problem?

instructions toooooooooo complex.
I do not see how to load a URL into explorer when the address bar contains My Documents.
And following the instructions from this article:
http://www.pcmech.com/article/save-any-youtube-video-from-firefox-cache-how-to/

I was forced to reveal why I needed Explorer because no one understood what I was doing or trying to do.

ASKER

I've opened Explorer more than once but going further with my instructions is not working. I'm looking at Explorer which shows some My Document folders on the right pane and my entire Desktop contents on the left pane.
At this point in the process, I'm totally lost what to do next to follow the article from pcmech.com

ASKER

when I locate my Windows folder in the address bar and then click on Explorer, it takes me right where I was to begin with which is My Documents on the left and a few file son the right.
There are two Explorer icons in the Windows folder. One, which looks like a small computer/monitor gives the above, the other one which is shown as a folder gives C:\ in the address bar.

And I gave the answer to that, too:

The Windows Explorer view should have two panes in it. In the left pane, normally it shows My Documents highlighted, and in the right pane it shows the contents. But it should also show My Computer, which you can expand to show your C: drive and any others you have, as well as all other subfolders of your drives.

To elaborate on it: You expand the My Computer by clicking on the + sign next to it. It will then show you the C drive underneath, with a + sign next to it. You click on that to expand the folder structure on your C drive. One of them is the folder called Documents and Settings. Click on the + sign next to it to expand its subfolders. Then click on the folder having your user name, or your account name, or whatever you want to call it. Keep on expanding folders and subfolders through Mozilla, Firefox, Profiles, etc.

Or, to be faster about it, you do it the way the article describes, which I explained in a comment above:

Or you can do it exactly as stated in the article: copy the URL from Firefox, then click Start, then Run, type EXPLORER, which starts up Windows Explorer, not Internet Explorer, and then click in the Address bar of Windows Explorer and paste what you copied from Firefox into Windows Explorer, and then hit the Enter key, which will then open up that folder.

Do you know how to copy and paste? Do I have to explain it to that level?

ASKER

Step 1. Locate your Firefox browser cache URL.

Type in about:cache in your address bar and press enter.

the above is not working for me now. I had it yesterday. I'm entering about:cache in my Firefox address bar and getting nothing but webpage not found.

The instructions in the article are way over my head on how to follow them.

Yes, I can copy/paste.

I guess I do. I now see this comment from you:

>I do not see how to load a URL into explorer when the address bar contains My Documents.

When you are in Firefox, click once in its address bar and type "about:cache" there without the quotation marks. A screen opens up with some info, including Cache Directory. You drag your mouse over what it say there (holding the left mouse button down) and then you can type CTRL and the C key at once to copy that info to the Windows clipboard. When you are in Windows Explorer, click once in its address bar and then type CTRL and V at once to paste the contents of the clipboard. Hit the enter key. Windows Explorer will show that folder's contents in the right pane.

ASKER

I'm getting this:

Navigation to the webpage was canceled

everytime I try:
about:cache in my address bar (using IE or Firefox). Let me start a question on how to do this:
Locate your Firefox browser cache URL.
Type in about:cache in your address bar and press enter

ASKER

this thread will have to wait until I get step #1 in the article to work.

mickeypar

nickg5,

do you mean you wanted to surf the internet using a different browser instead of internet explorer? if yes, then using internet explorer download firefox the ltest free version. Amnother one is Safari that you can also download.

Once downloaded then use it as your default browser.

mickeypar

ASKER

mickeypar:
sorry, no, trying to load a URL into Explorer.

I've got Explorer open but I do not know my Windows account or Firefox profile for this URL:
C:\Documents and Settings\[your windows account]\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[your firefox profile].default\Cache

I guess I'll award the most of 250 points to the first person to give one of the many ways to open Explorer plus participation on that part and the other 250 will go toward loading URL into Explorer address bar. I've gotten to this point and I have to remove My Documents from the address bar to enter the URL but I do not know my Windows account or Firefox profile.

ASKER

If I have to pretend to have never used a computer to follow the directions in the article, I'll just have to, and maybe some EE members can approach it as a question from a dumb user level.

mickeypar

OK, let me start this again, my understanding is you do not want internet explorer as your default browser? Is it not?

If yes, I said using IE first and download firefox latest version,

once that is downloaded, open it and it will ask you if you want to use it as your default browser you say yes...

if this is not what you want, please elaborate...

ASKER

closing the thread since responders suddenly stopped on the 2nd part of the question, and I'll ignore the above answers and begin my question again.

ASKER

lots of answers above, I do, or do not know if they are correct, because they are too complicated for me to follow. And people with brains lose patience with computer dumb.

ASKER

hard to understand instructions and the more the instructions were explained the worse it got. I doubled the points to get help on the reason for needing Explorer to begin with but no luck there. I guess my title should have been tell me ONE way to open Explorer and if that was too difficult or failed and the poster would not give more help on that particular method, I'd have asked for another way to open Explorer and tried that.

nickg5--Sorry I could not have explained things better. You asked a simple question, but it had many answers. But I guess Lee Tutor's post has given you one solution that you can use. Glad to hear it.

ASKER

no, no solution. I
got to Explorer but do not know how to proceed to load the copy/pasted URL because it ask for my Windows Account and Firefox Profile which I do not know.
I'm going to open a new thread, starting at that point since I can open Explorer. I'm not clear at all on how to use Explorer but I can get it on my screen.
But, I do not know the proper zone since there is no zone for Explorer. I may have to go to misc. or Firefox or XP or just forget the whole thing and do without help.

nickg5--In the new thread you open, tell us what you really want to do. What is the problem you are trying to fix? What is the end result you are trying to accomplish?
As you can see from this thread "How to open Windows Explorer (not IE) using XP" is not what you want. You thought you would be able to solve some problem by doing that, but rather now have confusion about how to Open Windows Explorer and what you have accomplished by opening it..
Good Luck.