This week's Windows Tip Sheet column is about opening an Explorer window from the command prompt. One of my readers sent me an email about using this tip in Vista:
I’m currently running Vista and when I type “explorer.exe /e, %cd%” I get the same results as “explorer.exe /e /root, %cd%”. So is /root really necessary? Wouldn’t it be faster to remove it if you get the same results?
He's right in that you essentially end up with an Explorer window opened to the current directory. But there is a subtle difference that might matter to you. When you use /root, you should see that folder tree in the left hand pane is “rooted” to the specified folder. When you do it without /root, the folder tree is the full tree showing your computer, network places and the rest.
On my Vista Ultimate laptop, I didn't really notice any performance difference between using /root or not. It would save you from typing a bit, but I use a batch file anyway.
It boils down to how you intend to use the Explorer window. If you want to easily navigate away from the current folder, then don't use /root. The command is flexible so do what works for you.