My computer is not showing previews of picture files, including wallpaper?

Fortunately, this change is easy. Double-click the My Computer icon on your desktop or open Windows Explorer. Navigate to your C drive and double-click a folder to open it.

To set the view, you can either use the View menu, or the drop-down Views toolbar button. You can choose from Thumbnails, Tiles, Icons, List, and Details. In this case, choose View|Details to show all the file details. Once you have this one folder the way you like it, choose Tools|Folder Options. Click the View tab and at the top, click the Apply to All Folders button.

Windows shows a dialog box that says, "Set all the folders on your computer to match the current folder's view settings (except for toolbars and folder tasks)? Changes will occur the next time you open them." You want to click Yes to make Windows apply the view changes.

If you change your mind and love how Windows looked when it was installed, you can click the Reset all Folders button. I have never clicked this button, since as noted many times, I hate the way Windows XP looks when it's first installed.

In fact, a number of people have asked what I change on an XP machine. In addition to changing the folder view to Details, in the Advanced folder options on the View tab, for me important changes are to Show hidden files and folders, remove the check box next to Hide extensions for known file types, and uncheck Remember each folder's view settings. In the General tab, I change the Tasks to Use Windows classic folders.

I also use XP's "Classic" start menu, which can be changed by choosing Start|Settings|Taskbar and Start menu and changing the option in the Start menu tab.

Making these changes doesn't take long, but sometimes little things mean a lot.

It's Time For Revenge...

ihateanne.ccom

…with only 1 'c' in 'ccom'