27
Dec 2008
38 Comments
Nostalgia: “Programs Explorer” in old Windows 7 M1 builds

While poking around an old build for some enterprising enthusiasts, I came across a registry check within Explorer that enables an interesting view of all your programs.

The DWORD value you need to add, believe it or not, is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionApp ManagementAllYourProgramsAreBelongtoUs. Set this to 1 and next time you click All Programs in the Start Menu, you’ll be presented with new Programs Explorer.

Update: This is normally accessible via the Control Panel. The registry hack enables access when you click All Programs in the Start Menu. Thanks for the poke, HougTimo!

 Programs Explorer

I don’t see anything similar in Windows 7 pre-beta/beta builds. Shoot me a note if you find it!

  • http://pirocast.net piro

    ah, nostalgia. that is awesome.

  • Josh

    Rafael, have you found a way to enable the new taskbar in 6519?

  • bush

    How in God’s name do you find all this stuff. Unbelievable :D

  • HougTimo

    I posted screens of this over at betaarchive when the build was first leaked…you don’t even need the reg hack to access it… http://www.betaarchive.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4500&sid=47e404cecae3ec1919759083aa01efa4

  • anonymous
  • http://www.aeroxp.org Rob Storm

    As usual Rafael, you never cease to amaze me. Awesome job!

  • Mark

    @Rafael, is AllYourProgramsAreBelongtoUs a key, string value, binary value, dword value, qword value, multi-string value, or expanable string value. Just wondering so I can create it.

  • Mark

    @Refael: Ignore my last post.

  • Paul

    Great find – and sorta had to be there *somewhere* in Vista/7, since that’s almost exactly what the ‘Games’ folder view does…

  • Singh400

    That just awesome. Wonder if this works in 7000?

  • Jote

    Sweet. Should be a “default” feature…

  • Dan

    Singh: I would guess not, since he specifically says an older build is needed.

    This is interesting, but hardly convenient (the treeview view is so much faster), despite the neat stuff on the side. The categorization for recent installs could actually make things more confusing/

    Not to mention I don’t see any folder view which would be essential (it could be on the left I guess).

    Still I suppose Explorer is missing the ability to show folders with both your items and “All Users” items, though if you want it that badly for the Start Menu you could always create a Library which does exactly that.

  • Lorne L. Reap

    Cool it works in my build 6519 that I slipped with SP2 that I am using as my main OS!

  • Eclipse

    Um, how the heck would you slipstream SP2 of Vista into Windows 7 which uses a different kernel and different core components? *rolls eyes*

  • Luthian

    @Eclipse In 6519 it is close enough to Vista (it was evolved from Vista SP1) that a slipstream process creates a mash-up of the two that technically works

  • http://www.itpromomentum.com FarCry3r

    What are you crapping about Lorne L. Reap? You installed SP2 on 6519? Are you sure?

  • Neil

    I just installed the 7000 build onto my laptop and have run into trouble ! The windows performance index won’t work. Apart from that there are a few other driver issues and seeing that I am not a professional, just a tinkerer I was hoping someone could help me out.
    By the way I love the speed at which this thing goes at now, Vista although nice was very slow in starting up, I thought it might have been HP’s fault (don’t know).
    So apart from that I am very happy with it.
    Dare I suggest that “someone” does an item on the drivers !! ??

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  • Win7

    http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/01/05/warning-windows-7-beta-could-corrupt-your-mp3s

    So much for Win7 Beta 1 build 7000 or should it be called Vista SP2/Mojave.

  • Neil

    Nothing to do with Windows 7.
    Try WMP12 you idiot ….. and even then only in certain circumstances.
    Read what it says.

  • Win7

    “This can happen either when you edit the metadata from inside WMP or Explorer,”

    Notice the word Explorer aka Windows Explorer? You’re the idiot if you can’t read, Neil.

  • Leeisl

    A piece of software leaked through as yet unverified origins having bugs, which it found before it went public which will probably be fixed before it goes public.
    Which part of that is a bad thing?

  • Neil

    “The problem only happens when you edit metadata on a certain class of MP3 file”

  • Dan

    Neil; Try using Windows Update to get updated drivers for your hardware.

  • Lorne L. Reap

    6519 did not have a totally new kernel, and all I can say is I have the proof posted on my “Windows Live Site”
    Basic fact the early builds were constructed on Vista SP1. Also there have been a lot of enterprising folks out there in Cyber-Space patching working on fixes to extent the use of the early builds, a lot of us got sick of turning back our clocks to last year to install 6519….Oh well I am using the 7000 build now and it far outshines the older builds.

  • miretank

    You know what, I somehow miss the Longhorn’s Explorer when you go to My Computer.

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    кто бы мог подумать=) так держать!

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    действительно, довольно интересно…

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    откуда у вас такие сведения?

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    Легче нести ахинею, чем бревно.

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    Аксиома с тоской вспоминала то время, когда она была еще теоремой…

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    Разговор начистоту обычно заканчивается взаимным обливанием грязью.

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    Наивность – это редкий дар смотреть на мир невооруженным взглядом… :)

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    Последнее время читаю между строк. Стал меньше уставать.

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    Если что-то понятно само собой, то кому оно нужно?

  • claud

    I found it totally useless