Getting  Along With Your Computer Column Archive

Three Quick Tips

By Cate Eales
Appeared June 7, 2007 on castanet.net

Clip your Thumbnails, organize your Installers, and pass the Java, please. Here are three quick tips to improve your Windows experience.


All Thumbs
This week I heard from a client who was worried because "suddenly I'm getting all these files called 'thumbs.db' and they were never there before."

Windows XP creates a file called "thumbs.db" in every folder in which it finds a photo or almost any kind of picture. It also creates a 'thumbs.db" file in any folder you've viewed in Thumbnail view. (In Vista, you'll have one file called "thumbcache_xxxx.db" instead of a lot of "thumbnail.db" files.) If you delete those files, you don't hurt anything, but Windows just goes off and rebuilds them next time you open the folder!

As I explained to the client, those folders were always there, but they had remained invisible until we changed the view to show hidden files and folders. If you want to show the files and folders that Windows typically hides to protect us from ourselves:

Until I looked into this further, I thought there was no way to stop the "thumbs.db" files from being created. But I found, just above the option to show or hide Hidden Files and folders, the option "Do not cache thumbnails." And just checking that box turns those rascals off for good. Delete them, and they won't come back unless you reverse the setting. More documentation here.

Keep Installed Files Handy
It used to be that we installed all our programs from CD's. (Well it used to be that we installed all our programs from floppy discs. But we also used to listen to audio files on things called "records" while we were installing those files! Let's not go back that far.) Nowadays, many of us download programs from various websites and install them. Whether these programs are free or paid for, if you need to reinstall them, it's a nuisance to go out and find them all again. (It's even worse than digging through a pile of CD's!)

After I install a program I move it to a folder called "Installed" on my hard drive. The file doesn't clutter up my desktop or download folder, but it's available if I need it. Periodically, I backup the "Installed" folder to a CD or DVD, and delete the older installed files from my hard drive, just to keep down the clutter.

Fresh Java
In the last two weeks, I've heard from three people about the home page of the "Kelowna Daily Courier" not working properly or crashing outright. Well, naturally we'd rather you read the news over at Castanet.net!  But leaving that aside, apparently the problem is with something on that page that does not play nicely with older versions of Java. Installing the new version of Java fixed the problem for these people. If you are having problems with that page, or if you just want to upgrade to the most recent (and most secure) version, browse to http://java.com/en/, and click on the green Download button. Follow the instructions to install and test Java, and then please to remember to uninstall any and all older versions. (Start | Control Panel | Add/remove programs)

Secunia does a great job of tracking the security vulnerabilities of the most common Windows programs, and will advise you of updates and where to get them. Check them out at http://secunia.com/software_inspector/. The FileHippo Update Checker will find updated versions for most of your installed software. You'll find the Update Checker here. (This program is in Beta; the usual caveats apply.)


Thank you to everyone who wrote with questions and comments, even you Courier readers! Please email me at cate@rlis.com with your questions, comments, constructive criticisms, and Windows tips. Please remember you can read the old columns at any time in the Column Archives, here. We are open 24/7!  If you'd like to subscribe to this column by email, please visit this link.  It's easy, and free. If you'd prefer the RSS Feed, click here.


Links
Stop Windows from saving the thumbnail cache http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article03-204
Kelowna Daily Courier http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/
Castanet.net http://castanet.net
Java http://java.com/en/
Secunia Software Inspector http://secunia.com/software_inspector/
FileHippo Update Checker http://www.filehippo.com/updatechecker/
Wikipedia article on Beta software http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_software#Beta
Getting Along With Your Computer Column Archives http://rlis.com/column.htm
Get Cate's column by email http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=20618
RSS Feed: http://rlis.com/rlis.xml
Cate's list of good, free software http://rlis.com/columns/column75list.htm

---
Cate Eales has been helping people make online computing safe, accessible and fun for over 20 years. She lives in Kelowna with her husband, Eric, and her dog, Sandy. Cate is a partner in Real Life Internet Solutions, helping individuals and small businesses with virus, spyware and malware eradication; personal computer training and management; digital image management; music transfer; and website design, hosting and management. Email Cate at cate@rlis.com with your comments, suggestions, or questions. To browse the column archives, visit the Real Life Internet Solutions website at www.rlis.com.