How to achieve OneDrive like integration of custom folders in explorer

[elfensky]

So... For the longest time I've wanted to display my Google Drive/Mega/AdobeCC/... folders in the top-level of the windows explorer, just like OneDrive & Dropbox are by default.
 

 

Some time ago, combining different tutorials I found on the 'net, I was finally able to full fill mt long-time gripe and put my OCD to rest.

(yes I know it's not actual OCD just with a feeling of wanting neatness or whatever, let me have my semantic fun.)

 

THIS TUTORIAL WILL REQUIRE A LOT OF MANUAL REGISTRY EDITING, IF YOU DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH IT, PLEASE DON'T DO IT

 

First of all, we are going to need the folders we want to integrate in Windows Explorer and their location. The name of the folders (their path) should not contain any spaces. (I still haven't figured how to get around this limitation)

For the, these are located on my E drive, being the Google Drive & MegaSync folders. Navigate to the previously mentioned folders and click on the icon next to the breadcrumbs to get the full path. For me, these are E:\GoogleDrive & E:\MegaSync respectively. Remember or note them down, as we will require them for the next steps.

 

 

Before we start editing the registry, however, we need to create/download/get the icons that explorer will display to the left of the folder. It needs to be a windows .ico file. For these folders, I will provide them, but you can always create your own using icoconvertor, but there are a multitude of similar website on the internet.

Put the icons in the folder, in this example we are going to place them in the root of it.
GoogleDrive.ico MegaSync.ico

 

We also need two random GUIDs, one for each of the folders. A GUID looks something like this: {95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1} and you can generate your own here, just don't forget the tick the braces checkbox as well as the hyphens one.

 

Now we can finally start editing the registry. For the unaware, simply type regedit in the start menu and open the app.

 

 

Now comes the most boring, tedious but important part:

 

HKCR = HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT

HKLM = HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

1. Navigate to [HKCR\CLSID] (there is another CLSID folder inside, you don't need it, you need the first one)
    
2. Create a new key with the name "{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}" (or the GUID you created/want to use) [screenshot]
    
3. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}] right click on "(Default)", select modify and specify the value "Google Drive". (folder name explorer will display) [screenshot]
    
4. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}] right click and select "New > String Value". Call this new value "InfoTip" and give it the value "E:\GoogleDrive".
    
5. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}] right click and select "New > DWORD (32 Bit) Value". Call this new value "System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree" and give it a value of "1".
    
6. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}] right click and select "New > DWORD (32 Bit) Value. Call this value "SortOrderIndex" and give it a value of 42. [screenshot]
    
7. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "DefaultIcon".
    
8. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\DefaultIcon] right click on "(Default)", select modify and specify the value "E:\GoogleDrive\GoogleDrive.ico". [screenshot]
    
9. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "InProcServer32".
    
10. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\InProcServer32] right click on "(Default)", select modify and specify the value "%systemroot%\System32\shell32.dll".
     
11. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\InProcServer32] right click and select "New > String Value". Call this new value "ThreadingModel" and give it the value "Both". [screenshot]
     
12. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "Instance".
     
13. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\Instance] right click and select "New > String Value". Call this new value "CLSID" and give it the value "{0AFACED1-E828-11D1-9187-B532F1E9575D}". [screenshot]
    (This is the CLSID for "Folder Shortcut", if you try to add a different type of shortcut you will need a different CLSID for that).
     
14. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\Instance] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "InitPropertyBag".
     
15. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\Instance\InitPropertyBag] right click and select "New > DWORD (32 Bit) Value". Call this new value "Attributes" and give it the value "21".
     
16. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\Instance\InitPropertyBag] right click and select "New > Expandable String Value". Call this new value "Target" and give it the value "E:\GoogleDrive". [screenshot]
     
17. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "Shell".
     
18. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\Shell] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "Open Google Drive" (you can put what you want in here, it's the right-click menu that appears when you click it in explorer.)
     
19. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\Shell\Open Google Drive] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "Command".
     
20. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\Shell\Open Google Drive\Command] right click on "(Default)", select modify and specify the value "explorer /root,E:\GoogleDrive". [screenshot]
     
21. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "ShellEx".
     
22. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\ShellEx] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "PropertySheetHandlers".
     
23. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\ShellEx\PropertySheetHandlers] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}". [screenshot]
     
24. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "ShellFolder".
     
25. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\ShellFolder] right click and select "New > DWORD (32 Bit) Value". Call this new value "Attributes" and give it the value "f080004d".
     
26. Inside the Key [HKCR\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\ShellFolder] right click and select "New > DWORD (32 Bit) Value". Call this new value "SortOrderIndex" and give it the value "0". [screenshot]
     
27. Now navigate to [HKCR\Wow6432Node\CLSID].
     
28. Create a new Key with the same name "{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}"
     
29. Inside the Key [HKCR\Wow6432Node\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}] right click on "(Default)", select modify and specify the value "Google Drive".
     
30. Inside the Key [HKCR\Wow6432Node\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}] right click and select "New > String Value". Call this new value "InfoTip" and give it the value "E:\GoogleDrive". [screenshot]
     
31. Inside the Key [HKCR\Wow6432Node\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "DefaultIcon".
     
32. Inside the Key [HKCR\Wow6432Node\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\DefaultIcon] right click on "(Default)", select modify and specify the value "E:\GoogleDrive\GoogleDrive.ico". [screenshot]
     
33. Inside the Key [HKCR\Wow6432Node\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "InProcServer32".
     
34. Inside the Key [HKCR\Wow6432Node\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\InProcServer32] right click on "(Default)", select modify and specify the value "%systemroot%\System32\shell32.dll".
     
35. Inside the Key [HKCR\Wow6432Node\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\InProcServer32] right click and select "New > String Value". Call this new value "ThreadingModel" and give it the value "Both". [screenshot]
     
36. Inside the Key [HKCR\Wow6432Node\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "Instance".
     
37. Inside the Key [HKCR\Wow6432Node\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\Instance] right click and select "New > String Value". Call this new value "CLSID" and give it the value "{0AFACED1-E828-11D1-9187-B532F1E9575D}". [screenshot]
    (This is the CLSID for "Folder Shortcut", if you try to add a different type of shortcut you will need a different CLSID for that)
     
38. Inside the Key [HKCR\Wow6432Node\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\Instance] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "InitPropertyBag".
     
39. Inside the Key [HKCR\Wow6432Node\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\Instance\InitPropertyBag] right click and select "New > DWORD (32 Bit) Value". Call this new value "Attributes" and give it the value "21".
     
40. Inside the Key [HKCR\Wow6432Node\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\Instance\InitPropertyBag] right click and select "New > Expandable String Value". Call this new value "Target" and give it the value "E:\GoogleDrive". [screenshot]
     
41. Inside the Key [HKCR\Wow6432Node\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "ShellEx".
     
42. Inside the Key [HKCR\Wow6432Node\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\ShellEx] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "PropertySheetHandlers".
     
43. Inside the Key [HKCR\Wow6432Node\CLSID{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}\ShellEx\PropertySheetHandlers] right click and select "New > Key". Call this Key "{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}". [screenshot]
     
44. Now navigate to [HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace].
     
45. Create a new Key with the name "{95B84517-5AFC-468C-BC4E-5DBFB29830D1}". [screenshot]
     
46. Open up Task Manager (CTRL + SHIFT + ESC or right-click the start menu if you're using Windows 8 and higher).
     
47. Click on the "Details" tab.
     
48. Find "explorer.exe".
     
49. Right click "explorer.exe" and select "End Task".
     
50. Once "explorer.exe" has ended, click "File > Run New Task".
     
51. Type in "explorer" and hit enter. Explorer should now relaunch and take the new registry keys into consideration.
     
52. If all is working, you should now have a new "Google Drive" folder in your left hand menu.
     

This is how the final result should look like:

 

 

(Optional) To place the folder in My Computer instead of the root of windows explorer, modify step 43 by going to: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace] and adding the key there.
 

For the MegaSync and any other folder you want to use, simply generate another GUID and repeat the steps, replacing the paths & names where needed.

 

 

Sources used in making this tutorial:
- Superuser (oh my god this guy is amazing how does he know all this stuff I want to know his sources *gushes*)

- Eightforums

[givingtnt]

 

very nice !

 

 

 

edit : since he's insecure about why there was a line of text in the quote. the line has be obliterated..