Cleaner, More Efficient Windows 7

One of the things I hate about Win 7 is the automatic “smart” folders like Homegroup, Favorites, Libraries, and the User folder. They are ass and unbelievably annoying. I have a folder called work that is well organized, but way too often I’d end up the the Library “work” which is just idiotically bizarre. I want my pictures organized the way I want them, typically topically, not all lumped into a folder called “Pictures” and segregated from another folder of “videos.”

Why someone at Microsoft thought that dynamically self-organizing file structures was a good idea is beyond me. They are in love with this insanely stupid premise that it is somehow helpful that every time you click on a menu or open a folder it is organized differently that the last time based on some algorithm you can’t control. It is like having Clippy restructure your documents for you.

They should have a central “turn off all features where MS engineers think they can organize things for you automatically and let me organize my computer myself, OK?” But they don’t, and while it is a bit tedious, it is possible keep Microsoft’s meddling fingers out of your organization with a few regedits.

Remove Favorites: https://web.archive.org/web/20131005200518/http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/window-on-windows/remove-favorites-from-windows-explorer-in-windows-7/3461

Remove User Folder: https://web.archive.org/web/20210315084556/https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/48123-user-folder-add-remove-navigation-pane.html

Remove HomeGroup: https://web.archive.org/web/20130925000911/http://www.techrepublic.com:80/blog/window-on-windows/remove-homegroup-from-windows-explorer-in-windows-7/3425

Remove Libraries: https://web.archive.org/web/20130917233557/http://www.techrepublic.com:80/blog/window-on-windows/remove-libraries-from-windows-explorer-in-windows-7/3401

And regain control of your computer.