Fix “Initializing the root folders to display” Message

When opening files from Word, Excel, etc. you are presented with and have to wait for a dialog that says “Initializing the Root Folders to Display.” After it finishes, browsing through items becomes painfully slow.

There is a problem with one of your mapped network drives. At least one of them is either disconnected or awaiting credentials. If you reconnect or disconnect it altogether, this problem will go away.



107 Comments so far

  1. Jim @ November 21st, 2007

    That fixed it! Easy as pie when you know how!

    Many thanks.

    Cheers.

  2. Karen Allen @ November 27th, 2007

    When I googled “office 2007 initializing the root folders to display”, this was the first hit!! Woohoo, great info, solved our issue. Thanks tons.

    Karen

  3. Andy @ January 15th, 2008

    Great info fixed the problem : thanks

  4. David @ January 17th, 2008

    This is sad because I still like to have my drives mapped even though they are in disconnected state (10 of them).

    Usually we work at multiple locations and remapping the drives each time you enter a different network is not productive.

  5. Greg @ January 24th, 2008

    Man – you just saved me a lot of grief! This problem was driving us crazy!! thank you.

  6. Blake @ January 26th, 2008

    I am running Windows XP. Where do I go to disconnect the network drives?

    Please Help

  7. Alexander @ February 13th, 2008

    This was very helpful. It fixed my problem.

  8. John @ February 25th, 2008

    Why can’t someone tell microsoft this is crap! If the mapped drive isn’t available then don’t look there. using a laptop or mobile device then your drives will not always be mapped. Why have to unmap and remap each time, whats the point of being mobile

  9. James @ March 19th, 2008

    too many indian working at microsoft

  10. phil @ March 24th, 2008

    I agree that this is poor programming on Microsoft’s part. With a laptop in multiple locations, I don’t want to disconnect drives. Why can’t they use the standard “Save AS” window that other programs use?

  11. Mary @ March 24th, 2008

    This has driven me crazy!!!! and such a simple solution. Thank you

  12. Oppfinnar Jocke @ April 1st, 2008

    It’s really amazing that MS ships a much-hyped product like Office 2007 with this defunct behavior. As many have already said, with laptops you don’t want to connect/disconnect drives manually.

    I guess the real problem is that no-one at MS really uses Office, they just develop… otherwise this problem would have been noted and fixed long ago…
    // OppfinnarJocke

  13. PB @ April 9th, 2008

    I tried this but it was not the fix for my issue. We have a Novell network, and all drives are connected. Every time Office still initializes the root folders. Any other suggestions?

  14. Henry Robinson @ May 28th, 2008

    Good old Microsoft. I think thart one of their design principles is, “if it works, break it”.

  15. Anthony @ June 18th, 2008

    Thanks for the tip. The nuisance is now explained.

  16. Sathi @ June 19th, 2008

    This is the first hit from google. It helps me a lot. It works great. Thank you very much

  17. TM @ June 30th, 2008

    I too have a user with this issue on a Novell network. None of the network drives are disconnected (nor do they show as being disconnected). He gets the initializing root folder dialogue and then when he clicks on the folder once they’re displayed Word just hangs. He is able to browse to the same folder using My Computer or by right clicking on start and picking Explorer.

    Any ideas for us Novell users with this issue?

  18. Harold @ July 14th, 2008

    Wow, I put up with this issue for over a year. I can’t believe it was that easy to fix. Thank you!!!

  19. ivan @ July 19th, 2008

    thanks a lot too! it’s one less headache…

  20. Sean @ July 22nd, 2008

    Deleting mapped drives is not practical when the portable computer moves from network to network. There needs to be a better option / control of this feature in Office 07. We have sales people who have to connect to different networks. This feature means that they have to keep a list of drives to map to for each location, and delete / remap when they want file access. This is completely unacceptable. These are sales people, not computer people, and making them do this sort of work is going backwards, in terms of computing servicability. This can’t be an uncommon situation for professionals. Modbility and transparancy are key to business productivity. There has to be a better answer.

  21. Ben @ July 24th, 2008

    Sean, I feel your pain.

    Are you in charge of these networks? I’m going to assume your environment includes Windows somewhere along the authentication path. Maybe you could automate drive mapping for each specific network with a set of login scripts?

  22. Sean @ July 24th, 2008

    Thanks Ben. Problem is complex, with 3rd parties, separate head office network, and peer to peer mappings. Scripts will work, but also looking for way to quickly kill the process or disable on demand. I will post any useful discoveries.

  23. Wayne @ July 24th, 2008

    I agree that this is a total pain and would hope that MS provide a proper fix, upgrade to Vista… :-(
    I guess a work around for those users on the move between sites is to create seperate desktop batch files (per site), which map network drives using the faithful NET USE G: \\servername\sharename command. At the end of a seesion the user could then run the NET USE G: \\servername\sharename /DELETE to disconnect the drives and eliminate this particular issue? Just a thought.

  24. Tim @ July 24th, 2008

    One thing I don’t see noted here is that MS Office products are the only ones with this issue. It’s a pain to try to remember to connect and disconnect drives every day. I can’t imagine it would be that difficult to check if a drive is attached before spending minutes searching for it.

  25. Erik @ July 30th, 2008

    Thank you very much. Useful info indeed!

  26. Brian @ August 22nd, 2008

    So is there a fix for this very annoying problem? Is there a way to get rid of the “value added feature”? I don’t want to map and un-map drive as I move around and/or VPN on my laptop.

  27. Jamie @ August 27th, 2008

    I think the feeling I’m getting is that, no, there is no fix, just workarounds which are not feasable for many users. This is a total cock-up on MS part. An infuriating, stupid, dumb, childish bug.

  28. Chang9851 @ September 1st, 2008

    Just sharing with your, hope it help. For those having slow file searching or open, try to turn off the “automatically search for network folder and printers” in folder options.

    Go to Control panel then select folder option, click on view tab then uncheck the “automatically search for network folder and printers”.

  29. Saleem @ September 6th, 2008

    Very Good Solution.Saved me lot of time.It was driving me crazy

  30. Roy @ September 10th, 2008

    Good workaround. No solution. It is clear that too many people are willing to accept just a workaround.

    Look, when you click on your “My Computer” icon, any unmapped drives show up as “Unmapped Drive.” Therefore, going in to any polling for drives that triggers the ‘Initializing Root Folders’ routine, Office knows (or can know) that the drives are disconnected. It is a simple matter for Microsoft to check that value before setting of looking for unconnected drives.

    Come on, Microsoft. This is not rocket science. (Okay, maybe it is rocket science, but it is nevertheless basic stuff for a programmer.)

    And that the problem existed (at least) in Office2003 and not fixed by 2007, with as many postings on boards as there are about this problem, is simply arrogant.

  31. pierougo @ October 3rd, 2008

    may be a suggestion for anyone? My history. May be that I am the only one so tired to wait “Initializing the root folders…” so I uninstalled office 2007 and reinstalled office 2003!!!
    the problem remains… sigh.. sigh.. I continue waiting when I open folders in Word, in Excel…but NOT (!!!) when I open in Notepad. naturally I don’t know why. but this means that there is a dll (or something other)changed by office 2007, that remains in windows even disinstalling office. the new installation of office 2003 doesn’t put the old dll. you can believe that it is a BASIC driver to find folders, but I think that it isn’t, because notepad and paint use another driver and this one works well, unchanged. I hope that if someone can find the .DLL (or something other) that office 2007 puts in windows, may be that re-moving this one and reinstalling the old one, the painfully problem of “Initializing the root folders…” will be solved. whitout connecting and disconnecting drives every hour… Is there anyone able to find it? Thanks

  32. Jeremy @ November 12th, 2008

    ROCK!

    I had a user with this problem…got rid of the bad drive, cleared it right up.

    Thanks a ton!

  33. Arghhg @ November 26th, 2008

    Yeah great, then when I go back to the place where I have my 15 mapped drives I have to re-connect them all.

    Just great, yeah… really f*%cking :-(

  34. joe @ December 2nd, 2008

    that was great it fixed it

  35. Piet @ December 9th, 2008
  36. Jenny @ December 12th, 2008

    Oh my, you don't know how much this problem had bugged me. I only wish I had googled it sooner. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!

  37. Jenny @ December 12th, 2008

    Oh my, you don't know how much this problem had bugged me. I only wish I had googled it sooner. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!

  38. elvis @ January 5th, 2009

    That worked…It was awesume.. thanks

  39. C Cook @ January 20th, 2009

    Thanks so much for this! I though it was related to my fussy RAID array and am glad to know it isn't. I am relieved to know that this is the reason and it was so easy to fix. THANKS!

  40. Pierce @ January 22nd, 2009

    I owe you a beer.

  41. edreaux @ February 2nd, 2009

    How do I know which mapped drive is causing the problems? Or do i need to discconect all of them? If so, then what is the point of having maps to start with? Thanks.

  42. tom @ February 6th, 2009

    Thanks – this helped!!

  43. Ziad @ February 8th, 2009

    Thank you very much it worked with me when I disconnect the network drives.

  44. Allowishes @ February 19th, 2009

    When disconnecting mapped drives doesn’t work:

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/821690

    Old HP drivers…I just removed the printers.

  45. Peter @ February 22nd, 2009

    Thnx for your great help.
    Peter

  46. Deuk @ February 25th, 2009

    Thanx for the solution / workaround!

    Irritating that anno 2009 you still have to solve basic problems this way…

  47. MA @ February 26th, 2009

    THX for the solution! quick fix.

  48. Alexwebmaster @ March 3rd, 2009

    Hello webmaster
    I would like to share with you a link to your site
    write me here preonrelt@mail.ru

  49. Teef @ March 4th, 2009

    Good stuff, many thanks for the advice and restoration of my sanity.

  50. Scott @ March 7th, 2009

    Can someone tell me how to disconnect a network drive? I seem to have a mapping for an F drive (DVD) that doesn’t exist. How do I get rid of this?
    This error is driving me crazy.

  51. Ben @ March 8th, 2009

    Open regedit and find:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MountPoints2

    Delete the ##server#share key near the top and reboot. That should do it in most cases.

  52. Jon @ March 24th, 2009

    i deleted indexing software from my computer and it made all the difference. Google desktop search and Windows desktop search 4.0 are the programs i have gotten rid of to fix the problem.

  53. Rashton @ March 25th, 2009

    Thanks lots. this bug really frustrated me. the few seconds it wastes, is my time lost

  54. Steeple @ April 15th, 2009

    Top beans, that sorted it.

  55. Jim @ May 5th, 2009

    Thanks Ben!

  56. sunil @ May 7th, 2009

    pls help me how to fix this problem, Initilizing the root folder to display problem how to fix in win xp, when try to save as any excel or word file to local drives this problem will occur,

  57. Simon T Wilde @ May 8th, 2009

    Thank you It worked

  58. hb @ May 11th, 2009

    this was my first hit, too. I work for a large corporation and was just working around the problem for the past 6 mos–this tip will save me a LOT of TIME!

  59. techgreg @ May 28th, 2009

    you totally nailed it! I was stumped and was inconvienenced but now its fixed with your solution!

  60. Rich @ June 8th, 2009

    Open Office does not have this problem

  61. gdc @ June 11th, 2009

    Thanks!

  62. deepak @ July 9th, 2009

    but i do want to disconnect a map network drive is there any other option

  63. Richard @ July 13th, 2009

    Most of you are simply repeating one another “i dont want to delete a disconnected mapping”. Change your thought stream and find a tool or write a simple batch script that automatically maps drives when you start your OS or click an icon.

  64. txinkpen @ July 13th, 2009

    Perfect! Finally fixed this very annoying problem. Thanks!

  65. tekamthi @ July 15th, 2009
  66. Agradecido @ July 16th, 2009

    Thank you ladies and gentlemen. Great that people like you still exist.

  67. TerryF @ July 16th, 2009

    Yet another workaround would be to not assign any network drives at startup.
    Write a batch files(s) with desktop ICONs that connect you to the required network drives – simple and do-able.

    Desktop ICON say Network Connnect
    The batch file has the required connections:
    net use J:\\servername\sharename
    etc

  68. Arnold @ July 27th, 2009

    Great help; got my issue fixed one of my mapped network drive was disconnected

  69. Bernard @ July 31st, 2009

    TerryF, no that does not work, sorry.

  70. Siva @ August 8th, 2009

    It fixed my problem

  71. Kathir @ August 17th, 2009

    Thanks. It fixed my problem and saved my time

  72. Len Spyker @ August 19th, 2009

    Thanks: After 30 years of software development could not believe that a simple disconnected network would be the issue.
    I had a USB wireless modem link set up that I unplugged due to port shortage.
    “Another day, another Windows patch and as always a even slower Windows. Bring back DOS 1.1.”

  73. Eric Tambogon @ August 24th, 2009

    Wow! It’s that simple. Thanks.

  74. D @ August 25th, 2009

    THANKS!!!!!

  75. JC @ August 25th, 2009

    My workaround (I agree with the comment that said ‘too many Indians’)

    If I am looking for a place inside the local computer, I UNPLUG THE NETWORK CABLE, but if the drive is in another computer, or you use wireless, no luck.

    Microsoft WILL NOT fix this problem because there are people outside like here who find workarounds to keep M$ expenditure down.

  76. dbreck @ August 31st, 2009

    Stud! Thanks for the tip.

  77. Lynette @ September 1st, 2009

    Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This has been driving me crazy especially when downloading MS Outlook attachments.

  78. Yaniv @ September 9th, 2009

    Works for me

  79. Mahesh @ September 22nd, 2009

    Thanku my dear friend

  80. rozy @ September 22nd, 2009

    Wow very simple solution that fixed very annoying problem. Many Thanks!

  81. yosuperyo @ September 28th, 2009

    My Novell mapped drives are all connected but it still shows the same problem. Can someone help?

  82. Ben @ September 28th, 2009

    I can honestly say I’ve got no idea why this is happening w/ a Novell share. And unfortunately, I don’t have the ability to replicate this setup in a lab environment.

    Are you really running a Novell server or is it SUSE Linux?

  83. ilyas @ September 30th, 2009

    thank you so much its simple thing but hard to find, thax again

  84. lme @ October 14th, 2009

    For Novell Users try this as it worked for me:

    Net use * /delete to kill all mappped drives then logout and login and let the login script re-map them.

  85. Jim @ October 16th, 2009

    Perfect! Simple solution to an issue that was driving me crazy. Thanks!!

  86. Eileen @ October 28th, 2009

    Woo Hoo!! easy fix when you know whats wrong. Thanks for the help!

  87. Kathy @ November 1st, 2009

    Disappointing, I just finnly got Remote Desktop to work with my office {C and the re-mapping drives will now be required every time I want do it…and it was supposed to be easier.

  88. shinto @ November 3rd, 2009

    wow…..
    its cool

    thnx a lot

  89. Sandeep Oke @ November 14th, 2009

    That’s great… worked like a charm. Thanks a lot

  90. Doug @ November 21st, 2009

    And this is one more reason why so many people are going Mac’s. This fixed the issue, but it is very unproductive not that I have to remap my drives when I need them.

  91. Jonnya @ November 28th, 2009

    Thanks, found you by google on top. It was the issue!!

  92. Doug @ December 5th, 2009

    Of course MS would not bother to fix the problem; they are in the business of creating problems.

    But even worse, once I finally get to a mapped folder and double-click to go to a subfolder, it takes yet another 30 sec, and each time I go to a deeper folder, I have to wait 30 sec more. What is this? Are these people complete idiots?

  93. Scuffy @ December 7th, 2009

    why then does all the rest of my programs find what I am looking for without any hesitation.

  94. FIL @ December 8th, 2009

    Thanks, Awesome

  95. PeterN @ December 12th, 2009

    Thank you. The Microsoft website had *nothing* on this extremely annoying problem. From the numerous kudo messages, it is obviously a big issue. You have save me much frustration.

  96. Johnny Moore @ December 19th, 2009

    This has been driving me mad for a long time. Your fix worked! Thanks!

  97. A Non E Moose @ January 8th, 2010

    Please change the title from FIX “Initializing the Root Folders to Display” to WORKAROUND Initializing the Root Folder to Display”.

    workaround [ˈwɜːkəˌraʊnd]
    n
    (Electronics & Computer Science / Computer Science) a method of circumventing or overcoming a problem in a computer program or system

    A TRUE fix would fix the issue so that a user would not have to “disconnect” their mapped network drives each time!

  98. Monique @ January 11th, 2010

    Recently I installed the backup software Acronis, true image home 2009. Ever since I get this problem as well ‘initializing …’. when I start the computer it takes now such a long time when I can start working. How to solve this problem…… the disconnect network drive does not work…..

  99. Louise @ January 18th, 2010

    Thank you for the advice – it worked a treat. I have been frustrated with this for so long…..now all sorted – THANKS!

  100. carita @ January 20th, 2010

    Instead of clicking on the drop down list, click on one of the options in the column on the left side, such as My Documents or My Computer. This has always worked for us.

  101. SN @ January 20th, 2010

    excellent… you just made my day buddy… thank you so much

  102. david alster @ January 24th, 2010

    Everyone seems to be happy but I still don’t know what to do to solve the problem

  103. Jonathan @ January 26th, 2010

    Thank you Ben for a nice, clear solution. Great!

  104. jwulf1092 @ January 26th, 2010

    On Jan 20th 2010, Carita posted what seems to be a better workaround!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Way to go girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    She said: “Instead of clicking on the drop down list, click on one of the options in the column on the left side, such as My Documents or My Computer.” From this you can then click thru to a functioning mapped drive, or to whatever local folder you desire. EXCELLENT solution, now I just have to retrain myself for the way I normally do things…

  105. James Gordon @ January 26th, 2010

    Wow…how horribly dysfunctional. Leave it to Microsoft to create a problem that no other piece of software has by being overwritten and wanting to behave like it owns the environment. Another step towards Open Office.

  106. hsha @ February 1st, 2010

    thanks man disconnecting the map drive helped get rid of the error.

  107. Stefan.Blixt @ February 5th, 2010

    People say this more eloquently earlier in this thread, but it can’t be stressed enough – Microsoft will keep impressing you with their ability to be worst in class on all fronts until the revolution comes and the company is erased from existance.

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