View topic - Web view in XP - it's possible! - Windows, Apple, Application, Abandonware and Game Beta Downloads/Repository

fiescort · Last edited by fiescort on Sun Oct 02, 2011 11:47 am, edited 1 time in total.

So, I've seen a lot of sources saying that Web view can be enabled in XP. They suggest entering some values via regedit.
However, I have never succeeded. Is this possible at all? I've trying copying all the needed files for web view from C:/Windows/Web/ from older Windows versions to no avail. To be honest, Web view in Windows Explorer is my favorite 9x/2000 feature. Any help, guys? Does anyone of you have ever succeeded in enabling Web view on XP?

Edit: Read my second post on the topic.

fiescort · Last edited by fiescort on Sun Oct 02, 2011 11:46 am, edited 1 time in total.

Guys, I'm so happy, I did enable Web View in XP! However, a of now it's only in one folder.
I did it on XP SP3. Well, the problem is that I succeeded with only one folder as of now. Now it has the 98/Me/2000-like Web View instead of Common Tasks, which is completely replaced in this folder. I did these registry tweaks, suggested here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/819028 and used the IESHWIZ in the folder to customize the folder background. I also enabled running ActiveX content in local files in Internet Explorer 8's options.
Windows Explorer asked me to run ActiveX content when I entered the folder the next day and the Web View panel showed instead of the Common Tasks one. Since I've never seen screenshots of Web View in Windows XP, I decided to make one and share it with you:
http://oi52.tinypic.com/a172gw.jpg

Edit: I had to edit Folder.htt, as it showed some problems. I removed some lines and now it works just fine. This is the final version:

Quote:

<%WinShell = CreateObject("WinShellHTMLPreProc")%>


<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
</head>
<style>
body {margin: 0; font: menu; color: black}
#Panel {position: absolute; width: 200px; height: 100%; visibility: hidden; overflow: auto}
#Corner {padding-left: 12px; padding-top: 11px}
#FolderIcon {width: 32px; height: 32px}
#FolderName {margin-top: 8px; font: 13pt/13pt menu; font-weight: bold}
#LogoLine {width: 100%; height: 1px; margin-top: 4px; vertical-align: top}
#Details {padding-left: 12px; margin-top: 8px}
#Locked {vertical-align: baseline}
.Legend {margin-left: 8px}
#Brand {position: absolute; left: 200px; width: 100%; height: 100%; padding-left: 12px}
p {margin-top: 12px}
p.Half {margin-top: 4px}
button {font: 8pt Tahoma; margin-left: 12px; background: white; color: black}
.Message {width: 100%; frameBorder: 0; background: infobackground; color: infotext}
#FileList {position:absolute; width:0; height:100%; border:0}
</style>
<body scroll=no>
<div id=Panel style="background: white url('wvleft.bmp') no-repeat; ">
<div id=Corner>
<object id=FolderIcon classid="clsid:844F4806-E8A8-11d2-9652-00C04FC30871" tabIndex=-1>
<param name="scale" value=100>
</object>
<br>
<div id=FolderName>
%THISDIRNAME%
</div>
</div>
<img id=LogoLine src="wvline.gif">
<div id=Details>
<span id=CSC>
<div tabIndex=2 id=CSCHotTrack>
<span id=CSCText>
</span>
</div>
<span id=Info>
</span>
<br>
<span id=MediaPlayerSpan>
</span>

<object id=Thumbnail classid="clsid:71650000-E8A8-11d2-9652-00C04FC30871" tabIndex=-1>
</object>
<label id=ThumbnailLabel for="Thumbnail" style="display: none">
</label>

<span id=Links>
</span>
</div>
</div>
<object id=FileList classid="clsid:1820FED0-473E-11D0-A96C-00C04FD705A2" tabIndex=1>
</object>
<object id=WVCoord classid="clsid:BCFD624E-705A-11d2-A2AF-00C04FC30871">
</object>
</body>
</html>

xpclient

Interesting. I had tried configuring the reg values in that article a while back but couldn't get web view to work. Can you tell me step by step how to make it work? There are just three values to set right? I have set them all to 1, restarted Explorer, logged off Windows, tried restarting Windows XP, reset all folders views as that article suggests. I still get common tasks.

On another note, it amazes me how Microsoft went to great lengths back then to preserve a feature, they just disabled web view, they didn't completely remove it from XP - how important customization and user choice were back then. And look at the sitation today. Features are removed from Windows at the drop of a hat.

fiescort

Well, I couldn't make it work, this is the third time I tried and it worked. I think it was pure luck.
First I added the values to the registry. Then I added some extra values, not published in the MS article, that I found on some website:

"With registry tweaks, it is possible to set a custom web view in a folder as
long as the tweaks are applied. It's also possible for the web view to be
applied if the folder is set to System instead of Read Only. Is there any way
to get the folder to use desktop.ini and display a custom webview without
having to set the folder as Read Only or System?

Quote:

//Enables Web View in explorer for unsigned web views, new users
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer]
"AllowLegacyWebView"=dword:00000001
"AllowUnhashedWebView"=dword:00000001
"RevertWebViewSecurity"=dword:00000001
(^same as the ones in the Microsoft article)

//Allows you to use the Syste attribute for web view folders instead of Read
Only, new users
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
"UseSystemForSystemFolders"=dword:00000001

//Web view enable, new users
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VisualEffects\WebView]
"DefaultValue"=dword:00000001
"DefaultApplied"=dword:00000001

//Web view enable, new users
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"WebView"=dword:00000001

//Enables Web View in explorer for unsigned web views, current user
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer]
"AllowLegacyWebView"=dword:00000001
"AllowUnhashedWebView"=dword:00000001
"RevertWebViewSecurity"=dword:00000001

//Allows you to use the Syste attribute for web view folders instead of Read
Only, current user
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
"UseSystemForSystemFolders"=dword:00000001

//Web view enable, current user
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VisualEffects\WebView]
"DefaultValue"=dword:00000001
"DefaultApplied"=dword:00000001

//Web view enable, current user
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"WebView"=dword:00000001

^After that I copied the IESHWIZ in my 'Downloads' folder together with files 'wvline' and 'wvleft', and ran it. It didn't work so I enabled running ActiveX content on my computer from the Internet Explorer settings. When I restarted and opened the folder in Windows Explorer, it asked me if it's safe to run ActiveX content and I clicked 'Yes' and it showed the folder in Web view.
It seems that if enabled, web view replaces the Common Tasks pane. However, it sucks with XP, because you should copy the wizard and the files to every folder you wish to have Web view and it's time consuming. I don't think it can be done for all folders at once globally like in 98/Me/2000. I still haven't figured how to enable web view in folders like 'My Documents', 'My Music' and 'My Pictures'. However, I created new folders with those names on my D:\ drive and ran the wizard. Then I right clicked the folder and went to Properties > Customize tab and selected "Use existing customization template" in the "What kind of folder do you want?", instead of 'Documents', 'Pictures', etc.

I wonder why MS wanted to remove this feature? Yes, it's not very secure, but why they created it in the first place? Web view, along with the Plus! 98 themes was one of my most favorite things about classic Windows.

kyllian1212

Any screenshots please?
(Sorry to bump...)

Windows2000guy

(bump)

Offtopic Comment

I thought we had to use the BA image uploader

Very helpful, I was only able to change folder backgrounds before, any Idea's for the MY documents, ect folders yet?
[edit]
I wonder about this:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\WebView\BarricadedFolders
maybe that will solve somthing...

Venetik

BarricadeFolders just hide the C:\ drive, program files and system32 content..

I found (on Web folder) htt files of mydocs and mycomp.

kitor

Just tried it, on XP SP2 with IE6.
Step-by-step guide for those who aren't able to do it:
1. Copy \windows\web contents from older OS (i've used Win98SE) and paste it into the same folder in WinXP
2. Import registry keys posted above by fiescort (simply remove comments, add REGEDIT4 on top, save as .reg and double click to import)
3. Restart shell (kill and launch explorer.exe)
4. Use ieshwiz to set the htt as folder bg - launch cmd, navigate to desired folder and run ieshwiz
5. That one did the trick for me: Go to My computer -> Tools -> Folder options, on View tab click on "Reset all folders" (or something similar, I'm using Polish-lang OS).
That's caused because XP holds folder view settings in registry.

As a proof, screenshot of mine:

The question is still - how to apply it system-wide?

Windows2000guy

*bump*
I might add that this will not work in Windows XP Service Pack 3 with IE7, unless there is another way.
I can however apply that interesting folder background from Windows 98 Beta 2 (I think its beta 2, I can't remember) to all of the folders in the My Documents folder, but they must be marked as system folders or read only to work.
sombody should make an XP theme file to replace the original (I can't remember what it is, I havn't messed with the windows UI for a long time) I think the task pane or whatever is in a DLL file somewhere.

DeFacto

It's interesting, but I find the regular navigation/task/whatever panel much more useful...

kitor

That's not obvious - look at how many information can old panel show. And it's customizable - that's the main purpose of doing such thing.

Windows2000guy

the old we view can be configured to do what the new panel can, and more!

KnucklesARouge

kitor wrote:

Just tried it, on XP SP2 with IE6.
Step-by-step guide for those who aren't able to do it:
1. Copy \windows\web contents from older OS (i've used Win98SE) and paste it into the same folder in WinXP
2. Import registry keys posted above by fiescort (simply remove comments, add REGEDIT4 on top, save as .reg and double click to import)
3. Restart shell (kill and launch explorer.exe)
4. Use ieshwiz to set the htt as folder bg - launch cmd, navigate to desired folder and run ieshwiz
5. That one did the trick for me: Go to My computer -> Tools -> Folder options, on View tab click on "Reset all folders" (or something similar, I'm using Polish-lang OS).
That's caused because XP holds folder view settings in registry.

As a proof, screenshot of mine:

The question is still - how to apply it system-wide?

Sorry to bump, but this doesn't work for me with Windows 2000's web.

TheOtherGuy

Why wouldn't you just simply right click on the folder & customize it's view that way,
XP has a series of default templates to use, or create your own template and add it
to the list of current templates already in the registry, it's a lot easier than the way
you're going about it now.

Even the desktop still has Webview options.

KnucklesARouge

TheOtherGuy wrote:

Why wouldn't you just simply right click on the folder & customize it's view that way,
XP has a series of default templates to use, or create your own template and add it
to the list of current templates already in the registry, it's a lot easier than the way
you're going about it now.

[snip]

Even the desktop still has Webview options.

[snip]

First of all, that is not even similar to what we're trying to do, and second of all, we're trying to apply it system-wide, not to just one folder or the desktop.

Windows2000guy

*Extreme Bump*
I'm now using XP as a main OS (my Win7 laptop I was using died, it needs a new Hard disk by the looks of it) so I have more time to get this working. I now use XP every day on a P4, so I want the webview because I know its posible. problem is, my computer did updates yesterday and updated it to SP3. I don't think it works in SP3... I've been trying with the Windows 2000 sources, so maybe thats the issue..

TheOtherGuy

KnucklesARouge wrote:

TheOtherGuy wrote:

Why wouldn't you just simply right click on the folder & customize it's view that way,
XP has a series of default templates to use, or create your own template and add it
to the list of current templates already in the registry, it's a lot easier than the way
you're going about it now.

[snip]

Even the desktop still has Webview options.

[snip]

First of all, that is not even similar to what we're trying to do, and second of all, we're trying to apply it system-wide, not to just one folder or the desktop.

Did you not look at the first pic I posted, or even read my post.
Again, make up, or source the template you want to use, add it to
the list of templates in the registry, open the dialog shown on the first
pic I posted, choose your newly added template,then put the tick in the box that says
apply to all subfolders, do it to all folders on c: drive, should apply to all folders
and subfolders.
There's really not much you can't do with the right resources and registry entries on
XP.

XP still has folder view templates stored in the registry just like windows 2000,
just go's about setting the view a different way.

mycomputerhelp

fiescort wrote:

http://oi52.tinypic.com/a172gw.jpg

http://tinypic.com/images/404.gif
sorry to bump (if I am)

Web view in XP - it's possible!

Who is online