Changing Windows default file manager

[kiwichick]

Hi there, can someone please tell me how I change the default file manager program Windows uses (Explorer) if the program I want to use (freeCommander) doesn't have an option to set it as the default manager? It can't be done via Explorer/Folder Options/File Types as there are no "Opens with" options for File Folder or Folder. I don't want to change the entire Windows shell just the file manager program. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[bartonc]

I guess that no one else thought that this was a good idea (even if it is possible to use a memory stick browser as your default file system browser - which it probably isn't).

[kiwichick]

Um, freeCommander is not a "memory stick browser" unless you want it to be so that had nothing to do with my question. There are programs (eg Xplorer 2, UltraExplorer, TotalCommander and CubicExplorer, some of which can also be "memory stick browsers") that can be set as the default file manager. I presume these programs would merely make any number of registry changes for this to happen so I just want to know what they are so I can apply them to freeCommander instead.

[Ali Rizwan]

Hi there, can someone please tell me how I change the default file manager program Windows uses (Explorer) if the program I want to use (freeCommander) doesn't have an option to set it as the default manager? It can't be done via Explorer/Folder Options/File Types as there are no "Opens with" options for File Folder or Folder. I don't want to change the entire Windows shell just the file manager program. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Hi
I have make my own explorer and i m using it and is doing well but i used a bunch of softwares for that so if you computer is not Highspeed pc it will slowdown.
I f you want it tell me

[Gene Brown]

I do not know the registy entries that are modified but I used a program called "FileTypeMan" which can be found at "http://portableapps.com/" to accomplish what you are talking about. Understand that even though this is a portable applicication, it does make lasting changes to your registry. I am sure that there are other programs out there just like this one but this is the one that I used.

This program listed the "Folder" extension (which didn't show up in "Controle Panel\Default Programs\Set Associations"). When I highlighted the line that listed the "Folder" extension it showed me a list of all the programs that were registered to work with it. In that list I simply picked my prefered program and marked it as the default application.

Please note that a side affect of this is that some the items in your "START MENU > CONTOL PANEL", "START MENU > DEFAULT PROGAMS" and "RTCLICKonDESKTOP > PERSONALIZE" will also open in the file viewer that you set as default. The only problem I see with this is that, in my case atleast, my default program would not display all these items correctly. My solution is to simply keep "FileTypeMan" handy so that I can change the defaults back when necessary but if you go into these areas quite often then this may not be a good choice for you.

If anyone knows a better way then I would still interested in hearing it

.