In a previous post I complained about how hard it was to use FTP in Internet Explorer’s newest browser version, 7.0. The problem is that in keeping with the Windows Vista-type theme, IE 7.0 hides the File menu by default. That means that when you hit your FTP site, you can’t go to “File | Login as…” to give your FTP credentials.
Never fear. I’ve found a partial solution!
The key is in the words stated above: “by default”. It turns out that Microsoft includes the feature in a menu option called “Classic Menu.” Activate the Classic Menu toolbar, and you now have access to the File menu.
Here’s the rub: there is no longer a “File | Login as…” option in IE 7. Instead, you can now use the File menu to select the “Open FTP in Explorer” option. Then you have to go to “File | Login as…”. See IE 6 did this step for you. It changed the window from an IE 6 window to a Windows Explorer window. In IE 7, you have to go the extra step.
If you’d rather skip this step, you can simply right-click on the Start Menu, and select the “Explore” option. Then, in the address bar, enter your FTP location (i.e. ftp://ftp.example.com; don’t forget the ftp://, or it won’t work!) Then use Windows Explorer’s “File | Login as…” option to access your site via FTP as you were used to with IE 6.
This Windows Explorer problem may be an issue with Windows XP, and may go away when Windows Vista comes out next year. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. In the mean time, you can still achieve your IE 6 expected functionality by using one of the choices outlined above.
Update (11/20/06): I’ve posted again on this topic… Click here for the new post.
why dont you just create a network places icon for it then u dont even have to open up ie7 in the first place.
I know it won’t help your more computer illiterate clients, but filezilla is a free open source ftp client.
Filezilla download
Maybe I’ll make a screencast on my site for my clients video tutorials here when I get a chance.
If the “open ftp in explorer” is greyed out
Go to ‘tools’… ‘internet options…’
under the ‘advances’ tab, below the ‘Browsing’ section.
Mark this option:
“Enable FTP folder view (outside of Internet Explorer)”
Believe this would solve it.
FTP use in “Explorer” is still totally messed up compared to previous IE6 and/or Win2k.
In Windows XP running IE7 and/or Windows Explorer to try to FTP, each new folder double-click launches a new Explorer window requiring a new logon (no, there is no Explorer setting to fix this, the “open each folder in the same window” IS selected but the FTP window system ignores it), plus I get constant timeouts and loss of connection to the FTP sites.
It worked flawlessly in Win2k and/or IE6. Now I have to spend money on a third-party FTP app just to get proper working FTP access.
This is one of only a handful of MS botches, but they should do something about it.
My problem seem to be different…I can’t even login to FTP with FTP cilent or IE7. It kept saying error and talks about permission? Somebody help.
All this complaining is so funny. If you are using Internet Explorer as your FTP client, then you should be band from using port 21 ever again. Get a client like filezilla.
What is funny is that you blame Microsoft for your ignorance.
Thank you backslash! Your solution worked and allowed me to get an important file to a client in a timely manner.
well try this out and it work on windows xp, just type your ftp address in any folder address bar and you will get a message simply telling you you need a pass. go to file select login as to skip the technical issues with explorer and login to your ftp site. example one. ftp://ogr.org/ –> click ok to pop up message —> file —> login as—> login successful!!!!!
example2:
type your full login infomation in the folder address bar,
“ftp://Username:password@ogr.org(your ftp address)/ —> login successful!!! .
enjoy.
LA
Can anybody help me? I have problem with my ftp files… I’m trying to open my files using this “To view this FTP site in Windows Explorer, click Page, and then click Open FTP Site in Windows Explorer”
But an Error occurs “FTP file error – Windows cannot access this folder. Make sure you typed the file name corectly and that you have permission to access the folder” Details: A connectionwith the server cannot be established” I have typed the file name correctly and there’s no problem with my server… Is there any alternative way that I could solve this problem? (im using IE 7).
Thanks in advance…
[...] pays, with covernants. Here is a blog that explains ftp:// protocol support in IE7 RCI. http://blog.paulpehrson.com/2006/06/…t-explorer-70/ Now, after you have read the blog, it will explain to you that you must use the Windows Explorer [...]
For IE7 use this method:
ftp://omar@hosteyes.com
then enter ftp username and password and that all
Check the image on this link >> http://www.hosteyes.com/images/ftp.jpg
Good Luck
Hello, I can’t understand how to add your blog in my rss reader.
There are two settingg you can change in the registry:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftInternet ExplorerMainFeatureControlFEATURE_INTERNET_SHELL_FOLDERS]
“iexplore.exe”=dword:00000001
[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftFtp]
“Use Web Based FTP”=”no”
With these settings, when you open an ftp site with IE 7, it give a login screen and then open in Explorer view.
Bill – Cool. I haven’t tried this, because my computer is a work computer and I’m loathe to change the registry unless necessary, but if it works, that sounds like a cool solution. I wonder how IE8 handles it?
I also encountered some problems with FTP launched in IE7. for folder names ending in letters the explorer.exe will be loaded perfectly. However If i use explorer.exe ftp://servername/foldername 1.2.1 then it would load Internet Explorer and wont see “Page” and Tools” menu and it also give me an error that “FTP cannot be viewed in Windows Explorer”.
Can someone help me on the workaround for this problem?
Janice, I think the problem is that you have spaces in your file names. The best thing to do in this case, I think, is to use a “real” FTP client, rather than the pseudo FTP client that is in Windows Explorer. There are several low-cost and free FTP clients out there. I most frequently use FireZilla, an extension for the FireFox web browser.
Hello Janice Lagundi,
From My Computer click on Folders
ftp://username@domainname.com just like
ftp://omar@hosteyes.com
then enter ftp username and password and thats all
you can check this processs from:
http://www.hosteyes.com/images/ftp.jpg
Bye right now
Omar
Thanks Omar for your response. So from what i’ve seen and read, it is really not advisable to launched ftp from IE7. Better launch ftp from desktop windows explorer directly.
I think this is true, Janice. In fact, IE 8 doesn’t work at all for FTP, so you’ll still need to do this from desktop windows.
Yes Janice Lagundi you are right, but I searched many website but I did not get any solution.
So this is good solution to access FTP.
Also there is a nice solution in FireFTP of Mozilla Firefox, and it is really very nice and you can upload/download files in both ways ASCII or BINARY mode.. just try it
!!!! There was an error when I submit my reply, plz check this !!!!
Yes Janice Lagundi you are right, but I searched many website but I did not get any solution.
So this is good solution to access FTP.
Also there is a nice solution in FireFTP of Mozilla Firefox, and it is really very nice and you can upload/download files in both ways ASCII or BINARY mode.. just try it
Also there is a nice solution in FireFTP of Mozilla Firefox, and it is really very nice and you can upload/download files in both ways ASCII or BINARY mode.. just try it
I don’t know what is the problem today with submitting
All three of your comments posted, so I’m not sure what error you were getting. In any case, it seems to be working. Let me know if you have any more problems. You can use the “contact” links on the blog to contact me directly. Thanks for reading!
Thanks Paul and Omar for your suggestions.