# Access root folders in File Explorer (15063.414)



## MadafakkaThaGod (Jul 16, 2017)

I know there is a bug in the File Explorer with the properties window, and you can copy a shortcut of the C:\ drive from PC but MS fixed them.
As far as i know, there is no way to access the root folders in the newer builds.
I wasted soo many hours searching and trying similar bugs and "hacks" but without any success 

So i started searching in the registry and when i lost all of my hopes and gave up this project i have downloaded a wallpaper and when i opened my FE, i was in the root of C:\  
I have retryed all of the bugs, hacks and registrys one by one and finaly found the solution.

I wasted enough of my time, so i dont want to waste yours 

Here is the key to the locked doors:
p.coldline.hu/2017/07/16/2589137-20170716-UQoTB0.png
(HKLM \SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\ CURRENTVERSION\FILEEXPLORER\CONFIG\ DefaultFolder)
By default this is C:\data\users\public (or U:\users\public)
Set this to C:\ 
(if you leave it empty, you will  see the DATA (U:\) and the MainOS (C:\) drives)
Now open your built in FE


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## MadafakkaThaGod (Jul 16, 2017)

It works on Lumia 550 with 15063.414.
INTEROP UNLOCK NEEDED!!!
I hope i helped you.
If you want to help me, please find the way to add this path to another file manager with "admin rights"


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## augustinionut (Jul 16, 2017)

HKLM \SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\ CURRENTVERSION\FILEEXPLORER\CONFIG\ NavigationRoots

c:\


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## MadafakkaThaGod (Jul 16, 2017)

Also tried it. Its very close, but i still cant link the C:\ in any file managers. The solution shuld be something like this. I cant find the way to change the direction to This Device.


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## nate0 (Jul 18, 2017)

MadafakkaThaGod said:


> Also tried it. Its very close, but i still cant link the C:\ in any file managers. The solution shuld be something like this. I cant find the way to change the direction to This Device.

Click to collapse



Ya the default user is not going to have the elevated access to even see everything. On my Elite X3 I can see the mount points U and C.  Inside C:\Programs I see nothing.  But under C:\Windows I see all the files/directories.  Use the ID under localsystem and you would see inside all the folders and have the access to read and write.


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## MadafakkaThaGod (Jul 18, 2017)

Me too. I can access the C:\ but i cant do anything in it becouse if i try it crashes.


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## augustinionut (Jul 18, 2017)

We need a file manager from iot, i think.


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## MadafakkaThaGod (Jul 18, 2017)

Thats it. But know that there must be a way to do it...


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## nate0 (Jul 18, 2017)

augustinionut said:


> We need a file manager from iot, i think.

Click to collapse



Does IoT use a file manager like explorer?

Seems it's built for headless interaction/devices and would not need one.  But maybe it has a variant or package out there like that...


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## Archi.off (Nov 7, 2017)

and for those who are tired of the tab "recent files" there [HKLM \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ FileExplorer \ Config]
change the value of the DefaultFolder key to "knownfolder:{1C2AC1DC-4358-4B6C-9733-AF21156576F0}". it can be copied from the branch "... \ FileExplorer \ Config \ NavigationRoots"


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## nate0 (Jan 13, 2018)

Circling back here.  It may not surprise anyone but it is a cool hack.  This hack works now with root enabled through Heathcliff74's WPI 2.3. I can browse both Data "U:" and MainOS "C:" from the default file explorer on the phone.  Thanks again for sharing this.

Edit: It's funny though...when I copy something from public to lets say C:\Windows\system32 the File Explorer still crashes but the files end up copied.  Can anyone recommend a good fast UWP File explorer app?  Thanks


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## augustinionut (Jan 25, 2018)

More elegant: ad ;C:\ to the string value HKLM \SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\ CURRENTVERSION\FILEEXPLORER\CONFIG\ NavigationRoots.


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## djezair90 (Jan 26, 2018)

Hi,
I left the registry key as it was and just added ";c:;u:" and here is an image

shell:::{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6};knownfolder:{1C2AC1DC-4358-4B6C-9733-AF21156576F0};c:;u:


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## augustinionut (Jan 26, 2018)

Lector USB... INTERESTING.


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## djtonka (Jan 26, 2018)

It is SD card name only


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## ngame (Jan 26, 2018)

djtonka said:


> It is SD card name only

Click to collapse



Or maybe USB really . 
950 and 950XL I know they support OTG don't know about similar USB-Type C devices


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## augustinionut (Jan 26, 2018)

SD CARD is always mounted as D:\


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## nate0 (Jan 26, 2018)

OTG device.

How can I map a volume GUID to explorer?  Any ideas.


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## augustinionut (Jan 26, 2018)

Link to. Shortcut.


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## nate0 (Jan 26, 2018)

augustinionut said:


> Link to. Shortcut.

Click to collapse



Maybe you can clarify what the keys under HKLM\SYSTEM\MountedDevices represent.  Are they reserved junctions? Or actual active mount points without partition lettering?  I want to see if it is possible to explore any of those volumes under those keys from the phone.


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## augustinionut (Jan 26, 2018)

Wait until i get a lab rat (today i will update my lumia 530 tu wm10 then experiment)
I think they are more than DATA, EFIESP, GPT, MAINOS, PLAT, RPM, SBL1, TZ, TZAPPS, UEFI, WINSECAPP.


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## nate0 (Jan 26, 2018)

There are only so many FAT and NTFS partitions. Let me know what you see.  

On a side note I was able to copy files ffom data\users\public to the EFISP partiton on my 950 XL with only interop enabled.  I have not tried to copy files from there to anywhere yet but it moving files from C:\Windows always failed.  No root or unlocking done and copied them just fine.


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## nate0 (Jan 27, 2018)

12/22/2017  12:25 AM    <JUNCTION>     Data [\??\Volume{c3cadf92-019d-4e23-a848-5d0f62074e84}\]
12/22/2017  12:26 AM    <JUNCTION>     DPP [\??\Volume{cf704a27-7fe6-479f-835b-c82816f2e293}\]
12/22/2017  12:26 AM    <JUNCTION>     EFIESP [\??\Volume{8183040a-8b44-4592-92f7-c6d9ee0560f7}\]
12/22/2017  12:26 AM    <JUNCTION>     MMOS [\??\Volume{27a47557-8243-4c8e-9d30-846844c29c52}\]

Here is my reg key entries below.  We know 2 of the mount letters pertain to C and U (MainOS and Data).  I am curious what volume {a76b8ce2-0187-4c13-8fca-8651c9b0620a} represents if its binary value is equal to the dosdevices C: binary value.  I tried to add this one as its own DosDevices O: and map it in NavigationRoots, but no luck even after a reboot.  It just causes nothing to appear at all in the known folders list.  My point of doing this is to gain access to the PLAT partition.  I have non-lumia devices that if I were able to gain access to this partition then I could essentially flash other FFUs by upating the SMBIOS.cfg.  All of the other W10M devices I own that are non-lumia don't use a RKH check that I know of or if they did ffutool.exe could allow them to flash.  Certain devices like the Elite X3 could potentially run the GSM or VZW firmware if the SMBIOS.cfg file could be reached and edited, as it is just a text file.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices]
"\\DosDevices\\C:"=hex:44,4d,49,4f,3a,49,44,3a,e2,8c,6b,a7,87,01,13,4c,8f,ca,\
  86,51,c9,b0,62,0a  
"\\DosDevices\\U:"=hex:44,4d,49,4f,3a,49,44,3a,92,df,ca,c3,9d,01,23,4e,a8,48,\
  5d,0f,62,07,4e,84
"\\??\\Volume{c3cadf92-019d-4e23-a848-5d0f62074e84}"=hex:44,4d,49,4f,3a,49,44,\
  3a,92,df,ca,c3,9d,01,23,4e,a8,48,5d,0f,62,07,4e,84
"\\??\\Volume{a76b8ce2-0187-4c13-8fca-8651c9b0620a}"=hex:44,4d,49,4f,3a,49,44,\
  3a,e2,8c,6b,a7,87,01,13,4c,8f,ca,86,51,c9,b0,62,0a *----->so far Unknown Volume Label*
"\\??\\Volume{27a47557-8243-4c8e-9d30-846844c29c52}"=hex:44,4d,49,4f,3a,49,44,\
  3a,57,75,a4,27,43,82,8e,4c,9d,30,84,68,44,c2,9c,52
"\\??\\Volume{8183040a-8b44-4592-92f7-c6d9ee0560f7}"=hex:44,4d,49,4f,3a,49,44,\
  3a,0a,04,83,81,44,8b,92,45,92,f7,c6,d9,ee,05,60,f7
"\\??\\Volume{cf704a27-7fe6-479f-835b-c82816f2e293}"=hex:44,4d,49,4f,3a,49,44,\
  3a,27,4a,70,cf,e6,7f,9f,47,83,5b,c8,28,16,f2,e2,93


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