Looking for solutions to several small Windows 7 Annoyances

[ions]

Hello Windows 7 Expert.

Below are my Windows 7 annoyances which I am sure must have a solution. I did not experience these annoyances under XP. I have lived with these annoyances for a while but am now looking for a solution.

1) In most Folders I want the files to be sorted Alpha Numerically. There is one Folder specifically I want sorted by Modified date. When I sort this specific Folder by Modified Date all other Folders are now sorted by modified date. How can I set sorts to be specific for each folder and not globally.

2) When I delete a file in a folder it doesn't disappear unless I hit the refresh button. This happens consistently when I navigate to the folder by right clicking a desktop shortcut and selecting Open File Location. If I open a folder regularly and delete files they do disappear immediately.

3) When I have a file on my desktop and I modify it Windows 7 changes it's position on the desktop to some default position. I would like the file to remain in the same location on the desktop after I have modified it.

4) I often do presentations and when I hoop up to some projectors my icons on my desktop get scrambled. Next time I restart my computer all my icons remain scrambled. To resolve this I always save a System Restore Point before a presentation. After the presentation I run the System Restore. I have noticed that the icons on my desktop are not always in the same positions as the original Restore Point. It's fairly close, like 90%, but not 100%. Why?

5) Sometimes when I open a specific email in Outlook it's not maximized and other times it is. This appears to be random behavior. Happens sometimes with other programs other than Outlook too I think. It forces an extra Maximize click and me wondering why it didn't open maximized this time.

6) Not sure if this is Windows 7 or Outlook issue. Ever since I started using Windows 7 instead of XP all my embedded images in sent emails are distorted (much lower quality) than the original embedded image. When I check old sent emails in XP the images are crystal clear. I would like my embedded images to appear the same quality when they are sent.

Thank you for the advice and recommended solutions.

 

[UsernameIssues]

The folder sort issue in #1 is probably due to the issues discussed/demonstrated in this post/thread:
http://www.sevenforums.com/general-...l-programs-programs-features.html#post2494172

The repeated use of System Restore is probably the cause of several of your other items. The System Restore process is far from perfect and (in my opinion) should only be used in emergencies. Use a tool like Desktop Restore to put you desktop objects (shortcuts, files, folders) back in place.

Maybe other forum members have suggestions for your other items/annoyances.

 

[whs]

ad #4 - Icons do not belong on the desktop. Use this method:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/72092-toolbars-how-use-windows-7-vista.html

 

[UsernameIssues]

ad #4 - Icons do not belong on the desktop. Use this method:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/72092-toolbars-how-use-windows-7-vista.html

Sure they belong on the desktop. It is background pictures that do not belong on desktops

I'm just joking with you. That info/video is a good addition to this thread... but now I'll ramble on a bit:

I find that some people use the desktop as a temporary work space; others, not so much. I have items on my desktop that only stay there for a few minutes while I work on them. Then they are moved off to a file server.

That Desktop tool bar method is horribly slow when you have lots of objects on the desktop. It takes much too long between first clicking on the Desktop tool bar and finally clicking on the desired object. Since I'm on a laptop (without a mouse), hovering over several nested folders/menus in the Desktop tool bar is not ideal.

I do use the Desktop tool bar at times. I've used it for many years - long before W7. However, my desktop objects are neatly arranged by theme (e.g. things related to networking are in the lower right corner. Things that I stream several times each day are in the upper right corner. Very temporary objects go in the middle.) I use each desktop object frequently enough to want them on the desktop. It is - of course - a matter of preference.


I do keep lots of shortcuts in about a dozen folders and sub-folders on the desktop - but many of those shortcuts get changed/updated quite often (think m3u8 streams). It is much easier to update those shortcuts using a Windows Explorer GUI than the Desktop tool bar menu.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

ad #4 - Icons do not belong on the desktop. Use this method:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/72092-toolbars-how-use-windows-7-vista.html

I disagree. MS actually intended the desktop to be used for program icons (although I prefer to have my program icons on the taskbar in the Qucklaunch menu or notification tray).

I have many icons (actually, mostly icons for shortcuts) for documents and folders on my desktop and they almost always stay put. One way that usually ensures that they stay put, once you arrange them the way you want, is to right click on an empty spot on the desktop, then left click on Refresh. Repeat anytime you make a change to the desktop. I've been doing that for years and rarely have a problem.

I generally avoid keeping any actual files or folders on the desktop (I don't want them cluttering up my C: drive). Instead, I put the file or folder in an appropriate folder elsewhere on my computer and create a shortcut to go on my desktop. The easy way to do that is to go to the location where you stashed the file or folder, right click on the file or folder, click on Send To, then click on Desktop. That will create a shortcut on your desktop that you can then relocate wherever you want. After relocating the shortcut, be sure to Refresh the desktop again.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Hello Windows 7 Expert.

Below are my Windows 7 annoyances which I am sure must have a solution. I did not experience these annoyances under XP. I have lived with these annoyances for a while but am now looking for a solution.

1) In most Folders I want the files to be sorted Alpha Numerically. There is one Folder specifically I want sorted by Modified date. When I sort this specific Folder by Modified Date all other Folders are now sorted by modified date. How can I set sorts to be specific for each folder and not globally...

I had the exact same problem. It was caused by accessing my folders and files through the shortcuts on the Start Menu; in other words, clicking on the Windows Orb (or hitting the Windows key), then clicking on Documents, Music, or Photos. Unlike it was in XP, those shortcuts are actually to Libraries and any changes made to sorting will be made to everything in the Library. I just hid those libraries and made shortcuts on my desktop by goning into Computer, navigating to the appropriate folder, and creating the shortcut as outlined in my previous post. The shortcut can then be dragged to where ever you want, such as the Taskbar, the Quick Launch Menu on the Taskbar (that is what I did), or the Start Menu (it will appear in the left column with programs but it can be rearranged).

There is a tutorial here somewhere for replacing the existing Library shortcuts on the right hand side of the Start Menu with ones that bypass the Libraries and go directly to the appropriate folders.

Re. System Restore: I never could get that to work properly in Win 7 (actually, not at all) and I much prefer an imaging program called Macrium Reflect (Macrium Reflect Free for the free version). An image is like a photo negative of a drive. It can be used to restore that drive to the state it was in at the time the image was made, very similar to what System Restore is supposed to do. I have found Macrium Reflect to be 100% reliable as long as I verified images after creating them.

To best utilize imaging, your System Files (OS and Programs) should be on their own drive or partition ( C: ) and data on separate drives or partitions.

 

[ions]

The repeated use of System Restore is probably the cause of several of your other items. The System Restore process is far from perfect and (in my opinion) should only be used in emergencies.

I wasn't aware of this. I thought System Restore was pretty solid. Thanks for the Heads up.

Use a tool like Desktop Restore to put you desktop objects (shortcuts, files, folders) back in place.

Thanks for the suggestions.

One way that usually ensures that they stay put, once you arrange them the way you want, is to right click on an empty spot on the desktop, then left click on Refresh.

This worked. Thank you.

It was caused by accessing my folders and files through the shortcuts on the Start Menu;

This problem occurs for me even when I access the folder through Explorer.

I much prefer an imaging program called Macrium Reflect (Macrium Reflect Free for the free version)

I image my HD every night with Acronis. Haven't had to use it yet though.

At this point items 3) and 4) are resolved.

Am I to assume that you are not experiencing issues 1), 2) and 5) and these are possibly caused by System Restore?

Thanks for your feedback.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I explained how to deal with #1 in my post #6. If I wasn't clear enough (it happens more than I care to admit), let me know and I'll try to clarify it.

I never have a problem with #2.

I get #5 once in a blue moon in other programs; I haven't used Outlook since XP (and only used it then because I had to at work and don't recall the problem from way back then since I retired from that job over 12 years ago). I don't know why it happens but it happens so rarely, I just don't worry about it.

My only issue with System Restore is it never worked for me in Win 7 (it worked fine for me in XP). Others report it works for them but almost always admit occasionally it doesn't work. I have no idea why that is but, since I've never had Macrium Reflect fail me, I just use it and don't worry about it. I seriously doubt System Restore has anything to do with any of your problems.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Lady Fitzgerald,
I could be wrong, but I think that ions is saying that he does not access files by "clicking on Documents, Music, or Photos". I don't get to files that way either and yet I've seen the issue in #1.


ions,
In post #2, I link to an old post that shows why issue #1 happens. That old post has a fix. Did you try that fix and it failed?

Here is the link to the old post again:
http://www.sevenforums.com/general-...l-programs-programs-features.html#post2494172

and here is one way to fix issue #1:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/15692-folder-view-settings-reset-all-default.html

 

[lehnerus2000]

Folder Template

For issue 1, try setting a Folder Template for:

• The folders you wish to sort by Name
• The folders you wish to sort by Date

What I do is to set up my standard view options (Details view, choose columns and set widths) and then apply those to the General Folder Template.

​

I then create modified versions of the General Folder Template for the Documents, Music, Pictures* and Video Folder Templates.
For the Pictures Folder Template, after I have set the basic values I change the View to "Large Icons".
I can still "Sort by" and/or "Group by" the columns I chose when I set up the Details view.

After setting each Folder Template, I click the "Apply to Folders" button in the View tab of the Folder Options window.

​

Tutorials
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/41198-folder-view-set-default-all-folders.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/15699-folder-template-default.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11356-folder-view-apply-folders.html

 

[ions]

Thank you for the Responses. I haven't had a chance to try the suggestions for Issue #1 but I will.

A few minutes ago I was working in MS Word and when I returned to my desktop all the Icons were huge. I must of CTRL + Scroll on the desktop without my awareness. When I Ctrl+Scroll back to smaller icons all my desktop icons were out of position.

Is there a setting that will disable the Ctrl+Scroll on the desktop only which will prevent making the icons larger / smaller. I do not want this to happen again in the future to my desktop. I often use Ctrl+Scroll in Word and in my Browser so I just want to disable it on the desktop.

Thank you.