Hide Libraries in Windows Explorer View


Libraries are a big part of Windows in recent versions and whilst they are useful on home computers, they can be difficult to manage for multiple users logged in on the network to Terminal Servers. You can use group policy to redirect them but as they are user control they can reconfigure them to look where they like. This can cause issues when the users raise calls saying that something doesn’t work in the libraries and it was customised by themselves away from the defaults you set for them.

After hunting around for a resolution to removing these libraries, the following was found:
http://www.s-inn.de/blog/post/remove-Libraries-Favorites-in-windows-explorer-navigation-pane.aspx

The site is in German, but can be translated. The tool is called WEPNCFG.EXE. It is a command line tool and has the following options:

WEPNCFG /option /option /option etc…

HideLibraries Removes the node libraries from navigation pane of Windows Explorer.
HideFavorites Removes the node from the navigation pane of Windows Explorer Favorites.
HideNetwork Network node from the Windows Explorer Navigation pane.
HideComputer Removes the node computer from the navigation pane of Windows Explorer.
ShowLibraries Displays node libraries in the navigation pane of Windows Explorer.
ShowFavorites Displays the node in the navigation pane of Windows Explorer Favorites.
ShowNetwork Displays the nodes network in the navigation pane of Windows Explorer.
Show machine Displays the node computer in the navigation pane of Windows Explorer.
Logoff For the changes to take effect, the Explorer shell process must be completed. If this option is specified, is an immediate logout of the Windows session.
Reboot For the changes to take effect, the Explorer shell process must be completed. If this option is specified, will immediate restart of the operating system.
Help This options displays the help text.

Here’s an example: wenpcfg /HideLibraries

Below you can see what it looks like before and after it has been applied:

Before:

After: 

Once this command has been run you need to log out to make the changes available. The handy part about this is that you can get them back just as easily!!!

Disclaimer: Some of this text is taken from the site linked above.  Use with the advice of that site.

 

2 Responses to “Hide Libraries in Windows Explorer View”

  1. Thanks, Can you tell me what happens to the pinned explore after you run this command? On most of the other reghacks and what not you can hide the libraries. However when you open up a pinned explorer it still defaults to the libraries. Does this fix that?

    thanks

    • Hi

      We found that the pinned explorer reflects the same default location as that in the start menu. I think if you in pin the one on the task bar and repin it it then defaults to Computer not the libraries. It’s been some time since we did this so I am not 100% on this answer. Let me know if it does not and I will double check it for you

      Thanks

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