Lost folder tree view in Windows 7 Save As

When opening files from email, I seem to have lost my folder tree (ie, the Windows hierarchy of folders) in Windows 7 Save As and Adobe Acrobat insert file dialogue boxes. Instead of the normal folder tree pane on the left-hand side, I get a list of folder names in a new column on the left-hand side of the normal view. This doesn't happen on all "Save As" actions, but only when I open files from an email - or when I am compiling files within Adobe Acrobat - so it may well have something to do with temp files.

In addition, the settings button was greyed out, so I was unable to tinker with the views to put it back to 'normal'. Grr.

For some time I have been looking for a solution when I thought of it. Recently I finally found a partial fix, thanks to pewpewpewlazerr, who finally managed to track down a solution in the Microsoft community after a lot of persistence. I am reposting pewpewpewlazerr's solution in case the Microsoft answer gets taken down, now that Windows 7 is no longer being supported.

• Go to Start | Run "cmd"
• In the DOS window, key (including the space before the forward slash):
  sfc /scannow
• This will take between 5-10 minutes. Just leave it running.
• Close the DOS command
• Restart your computer.

What this has done for me is to enable me to see the folder structures within the Save As window, although you won't be able to view the entire tree (see image above). It hasn't affected the Adobe Acrobat issue at all, unfortunately.

Still, it is much easier to navigate on Save As, and that will do me for now.

At some point in the future, I will start my search again!




Sam

• Reference: pewpewpewlazerr (5 January 2011). Suddenly, the folder trees on the left on 'save as'/'open' dialogs are missing... Retrieved 9 October 2017 from https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-files/suddenly-the-folder-trees-on-the-left-on-save/b0325c6b-982b-43e6-bbd2-088a88c301c6?auth=1