Been there, done that, repeatedly.
Again today, began a search in my Desktop (and subfolders) for all ppt files.
It came up tile view. (as I expected)
I changed to detail view, selected Tools -> Folder Options -> View -> Apply to all folders.
I closed Explorer, and reopened, and repeated the search.
It again came up tiles. (as I expected)

-----------------------------------------
"Windows cannot find gpedit.msc. Make sure you typed..."

Did followup by reading here ... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307882

And tried to install the snap-in for MMC.
Group Policy is Not listed as an available Snap-In.
Is this because I am using XP Home?


-------------------------------------
Values were not present.
I have now added them. Will reboot and see what happens.

ah yea - it just sounded like group policy setting got in the way, guess not.

make both values on those keys ="0"

ClassicShell = 0
ClassicViewState = 0

Let us know - I'm out of ideas if those don't work.

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How can I extend the length of my login session?
While typing and editing my last reply, my session expired, and I lost my reply.
I will start over in Notepad; that way I won't lose it again.
I will add it to this note when done... no need to reply until I add. (thanks)

++++++++++
Reconstruction of lost note...
++++++++++

Both registry values are currently set to "0" (zero), though initially I had "1" for "ClassicShell"

++++++++++

Today, I cannot replicate yesterday's results for "*.doc".
Today they are always coming up Tiles, regardless of location, (Desktop, MyDocuments, or a USB Drive)
and regardless of whether I have previously changed a search to show details.
This is also true for all tested MSOffice file types... PPT, DOC, XLS.

I have not checked access files as I use it so infrequently, but it seems reasonable to infer that
ALL MSOffice file types will come up this way, given the testing I have done.

I have also found that searches for graphics (JPG, BMP, GIF, and PNG) will always come up THUMBNAIL view.
AND I have found that soundfiles (MID, WAV) have mixed results. MID is Tiles, while WAV is details.
Even after changing the file association to Musicmatch Jukebox, the MID file icon remains the same and it still comes up as Tiles. (in the same windows session. I will see what happens after another reboot).

Interestingly... PDF files come up as detail views, as do Omnipage files, as do RTF and TXT.
I was expecting PDF to come up as Tiles, but my test threw my theory out the window.
Searches for other types of files (DLL, EXE, etc) also come up as Detail view.

The Icon (for file association) for RTF files is for MSWord. Even so, it still comes up as Details, not tiles.

My version of MSOffice is 2003. C drive is NTFS. Other drives are Fat32.

Just curious - what browser do you use?

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Firefox 3.5.5, except when I absolutely am forced to use Internet Explorer, then it is IE8.
+++++
Additional Note re: Sound Files...
Even after changing file association for MID from Windows Media Player, to Musicmatch Jukebox (which cannot play it anyway), and then closing windows and doing a cold reboot, the search for MID files showed the same icon (not Musicmatch) and displayed in Tiles not Details (other Musicmatch associated files will show in details).

+++++
A couple of theories I have considered...

1. Perhaps ADS (Alternate Data Stream) information was being employed by Windows, not just the extensions, in order to determine file handling. But since the behavior is consistent, whether NTFS or FAT32, this idea needs to be discarded, does it not?

2. Perhaps Windows Explorer looks at the file more closely than just the extension, seeing in the initial information of the file what type of file it really is, regardless of what it is called, and then referring to registry information for file handling. I see no reason to discard this idea/theory yet. The question would be how the registry stores that file-handling information. Some seems to be under FileExts and some under ComDlg32
(HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Explorer\). I am not changing any of this information at this point because I am still unclear exactly how it is being used. HKLM also has data on which program to use for opening files.

I wonder if there is something available comparable to the thumbs.dat that I think came with WinXP SP2. Many want images to stay in thumbnail view, but like you B00k, they find they revert back when closed. But- if the thumbs.dat is left on the screen, the thumbnails will remain.

So maybe you can figure out how to set a detail.dat up!

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Virus & Malware Removal
Tutorials on "How To...."
Stop Nuisance Startups

I honestly don't know.

I googled around a bit and noticed many had this problem with vista - but not many instances of xp - and no actual solutions posted anywhere that i could find.

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Thanks Blind Dragon
That was exactly my experience, (which is why I posted the question.)
Though I did not find all the vista issues. <puzzled look>

Bobbye, Thanks for the suggestion.
Something else for me to learn about... in my spare time...
Well, when this computer goes belly-up, I will be migrating to 7 (64-bit)
and then I really have a learning curve!

One other thought that had crossed my mind.

Sure you probably know how to do this but i'll post anyways.

1. Click Start then select run , then press enter. A run window will open
2. type in cmd then press enter. Another window will open
3. type in sfc then press enter. Another window will open
4. type in sfc /scannow then press enter ( notice the space between the (sfc & /)

Now a scan will start , have your Windows XP disk ready. If your PC asks for the disc insert the CD into your CD Drive. When the scan is finished you will need to close the cd and all open windows , then remove the CD.

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Thanks BD...
I did know about System File Checker.
What I do not know is its usefulness, when the original disk is pre-SP1 and a recovery disk at that (Gateway), and I am now updated to SP3 (plus).
So I had not considered trying this.