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Picture Icons changed

Computer Lady — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:09:10 +0000

Dear Computer Lady,

All of a sudden the pictures in my “pictures folder” are icons of a cat with legs sprawled out.

How can I get my pictures to show again without opening each one directly?

Arlene

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Dear Arlene,

It sounds like you have recently installed on of my favorite programs, Irfanview. Not that irfanview caused your problem, but that is what their icon looks like. I have always like Irfanview because it opens my pictures quickly, and I can use the space-bar to quickly look through all the pictures in any folder.

Irfanview is a free image viewing program that can be downloaded at: www.irfanview.com

Your problem is that the view in the folder your pictures are in has been changed from thumbnails to icons. Here is how to change it back again.

1. Open the folder where you pictures are stored.
2. Look for the menu bar at the top of the window. If you are using Vista or Windows 7, just tap the “Alt” key on your keyboard to display the menu bar.
3. Click on “View” in the menu bar and click on “large Icons” or “Extra Large Icons”.

Your icons should now be a small thumbnail of the picture.

In some older versions of Windows, you might have the option to click on “Thumbnails” instead of large or extra large icons.

Elizabeth

Single Click Icons

Computer Lady — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:21:48 +0000

Dear Computer Lady,

I have a problem with my computer at the school where I work. Our OS is Windows 2000 Professional. All of a sudden all of my bookmarks as well as folders and files are underlined. The underlining itself doesn’t bother me but there are certain functions that no longer work. I don’t know how it turned on or how to turn it off. This did not happen to any other computers on the network. Would you have any ideas? I’ve never seen this in all my years of using PCs!

Thank you! Caroline

Dear Caroline,

It sounds like a setting has been changed that makes all your icons single click instead of double click. I can tell you how to change it back in Windows XP, I am not sure if it is exactly the same in Windows 2000, but it will probably be about the same:

1. Right click on the “Start” button
2. In the Context menu that appears, click on “Explore”
3. In the window that opens, click on “Tools” in the menu bar.
4. In the “Tools” menu, click on “Folder Options”.
5. In the Folder Options window, click on the “General” tab.
6. Click to select “Double-click to open an item”
7. Click the “OK” button at the bottom of the window to save your changes and close the window.

Elizabeth

Start Menu Icon Size

Computer Lady — Thu, 06 Jan 2005 18:47:07 +0000

Dear Computer Lady,

I am a long-time reader of your wonderful newsletter. I have not just fallen of the turnip truck by any means computer-wise and your newsletter continues to give me absolutely great info.

Question: XP Pro, I have pinned many programs to my start menu but there are too many items and they won’t all display because there’s no room, so I need to get smaller icons just for the start menu.

Is it possible to decrease the size of the menu icons only? I do not want to change the size of the desktop icons.

Marge

Dear Marge,

Yes, you can change the size of the menu icons without decreasing the desktop icons.

Right click on a blank spot of your XP taskbar, and click on Properties to bring up the “Taskbar and Start Menu Properties” window.

Click on the “Start Menu” tab at the top and then click on the active “Customize” button in the lower section.

On the “General” tab, you will see a section that will allow you to select “Large Icons” or “Small Icons” for your start menu.

Make your selection and click “OK” twice to save your changes.

Elizabeth
PS: Directions for this and many other XP changes can be found in my e-book “How To Customize The Windows XP Taskbar and Start Menu” at: http://asktcl.com/ebooks/XPtskbr.htm