Finder not remembering where folders go

[The Memory Hole]

Hello,
the Finder on my computer seems to no longer remember how I have the layout I setup for the different windows (ie, List, Icons, Column View, etc.). When I open the Macintosh HD, all the icons are strewn about, and I have to click Column View (which is what I normally have it at). I erased the Finders preference file, and it worked somewhat... the files in my home directory can now "remeber" the way they were set up. However, all of the other Finder layouts in the rest of my HD outside of my home directory are all messed up. I thought I should try to erase the .DS_Store files... good idea?

I apologize if this has been posted before, but I had no idea of what I should have been searching for.

 

[Cheryl]

Go to the finder Menu and select Preferences. When that window opens, click on General. Now check mark the open new window in column view.

That should help.

If you delete the .DS_Store, it might create more problems than you want.

 

[The Memory Hole]

That worked! Thanks! (I wonder why I didn't think of that...)