Windows explorer used to be, basically, a file manager/browser. I believe Microsoft has integrated the two in your version (which must be some version of Windows 7).
There's probably a way to disable that, if you don't like what you're seeing in explorer.
Sorry I can't be more help with that, I'm fairly knowledgeable w/ respect to microsoft operating systems (that's how I pay the bills) - but I use the enterprise version that has windows media player (media center?) stripped out.
But, I can suggest different media applications.
For audio and video, I use VLC. For pictures I use GIMP. That has a lot of features, so if you're just looking for a viewer, try Nexus Image.
All of those applications are free and have 'portable' versions. Basically, 'portable' means it lives in its own folder, instead of installing (ie changing other files on your drive), like most software, which makes portable apps much less likely to cause problems with windows or other software.
Windows Explorer isn’t the problem. It works fine. Windows Media player is the issue.
I’ll check those other apps out when I can get online. At the moment when I’m online it has to be with my old computer…dial-up.
The DSL hasn’t been switched on yet and the modem hasn’t arrived either so I can’t get online with my new computer and therefore can’t download anything with it at the moment.
I just thought someone might know what was going on with Windows Media player.
I’m get it all straightened out once I can get online with it.
i prefer to re-install from win7 OS disks never from images. though creating a disk set of your original install is smart. Though I did remove and save my original drive from my alienware m17x laptop and creat a restore disk set just for resale i can put the original drive back in and offer the disk set for resell of the laptop. i guess same reason i don't run antivirus software i dont really rely on image back ups .. just seems its as much work to install from image backup as it is to just re-install the OS from scratch considering updates of drivers for motherboard, graphics, sound, webcam, games, mouse keyboard drivers and to bring misc programs up to their current versions and such. i prefer to image my main drive to a spare drive just in-case i do crash i can be up with a simple drive swap almost instantly. Prefer system wipe / re-install as aposed to imaging the systems original state. but im a computer geek.. and important data i store to Wuala.com offsite / cloud storage FREE. but if i am to image my drive i use acronis software and DVD-R if i were to save to a disk set instead of just a network drive. blah
cd and cd rw is 700MB
Dvd and DVD rw is 4.5GB about. though i never use re writable RW disks
most win7 system backups will be 15GB at minimum so a disk set would be 4 disks using DVDrs at least for a near virgin system. I use VLC http://www.videolan.org/ as a media player not windows media player. not sure what issues you were having with WinMediaplayre
I’ll just point out that my computer came with on OS disks. There were no disks at all.
One more question…my CD/DVD drive has some slots in the from and it’s referred to as a media card reader. What is a media card and are those slots for different types of “media cards”?
Is this for something like the memory card from a digital camera or something?
My last computer was almost 12 years old so please pardon what may be obvious to some
I have a fairly new (6 months old or so) pc and I keep getting a message telling me to create some kind of recovery discs but I keep clicking on "remind me later". Is it really that important?
Yes it is. It never matters to anyone until they've lost their OS. For the hour of your time it's going to take to do it, it's totally worth it.
Bearing in mind this type of backup is more to restore you OS in case of catastrophic failure. It's not really meant to be used as an important file backup. If you have lots of pics or music you update frequently you should get an external drive to do regular backups to.
As far as why this OS backup is important though... If you don't do it and you computer dies, it could take you 10 to 20 hours to reinstall your OS, drivers, and software assuming you can borrow an OS cd from someone.
Although my PC came with Windows installation disks, I make a fresh disk image of partition C: once a month (using Acronis).
I've used the image many times already. First, when I had to replace the dieing system disk, then when I had a modem that caused frequent seizings. Helps to get rid of stubborn infections too.
There was a time when I'd make a fresh disk image before trialling new software and then restore the image to prevent leftovers in registry that a simple uninstall would have left behind. I'm not that particular anymore. Now I clean the registry from time to time, after creating a fresh disk image, just in case that the registry cleaning process didn't work as expected.
Data partitions get copied to external drive using SyncBack (free).
check out sandboxie - great way to test software w/o making changes to your system (except of course installing sandboxie lol). Much easier than images, deep freeze, steadystate, etc.
Winamp (just make sure no annoying toolbars are installed, and switch to the "classic" skin)
@fishinfool: Yes it would be wise to do the backups once, ordering original backup disc from the manufacturer in case of software/hardware malfunction can be expensive and slow. Empty DVD+Rs are cheap these days.
i am windows xp. and i not use windows explorer (not internet explorer). save the data on USB memory stick i recommend. dvd-r burns with Nero well, dvd+r cant simulate. file manager is the ui to manage your folder and files i use opus. was this post helpful
Im not sure if this has been pointed out but most new PCs with out Restore / Recover Disks come with only OS disc. but have a recovery partition with the recover images to be burned off by the Owner upon receipt using software already on the machine.
My Serious suggestion to you is to check confirm if your system has System Recovery images on the PC already and an app to burn these off.
If not Buy some from PC make $20. Or have some one help you make these. Just so it can be easy for you.
But later to Really master your pc you need to be able to install from scratch for point of no return situations.
You need copy of your MS Win OS install disc.
USB/Thumb Drive containing motherboard chipset , network or Wireless Drivers so you can connect back to the internet to get windows update first then your other drivers and programs that are not on your Usb/Thumb Drive.
After Experience you can fresh install in a couple of hours easy mostly drinking coffee waiting to press continue buttons as they appear.
But yes a novice user needs a good fast way to get there PC restored usually using the factory supply image set that often times on their pc mostly likely waiting to be burned off.
Yes the slotted card reader is for storage cards of misc devices like you mentioned cameras also Mp3 players, phones, tablet PCs, spycams, gps, ereaders and such
maybe a little similar to vmware's thinpc, in that it basically takes a snapshot of the changes made by whatever you're running (you can use it to install, as well as just operate software). unlike thinpc, the snapshot isn't for deployment, it just allows you to dump all those changes - ie if you don't like the software you installed, or if you get some spyware while running your browser, you just clear the 'sandbox' and its gone...
it isn't without its own issues....but if you like to try out lots of software it might be worthwhile.
There were no original OS disks with the computer.
I ended up buying a few DVD+R disks and following the instructions to make a system image. I also made a recovery disk.
I hope I don’t need them but they are better than nothing since nothing is what was shipped with the computer.
I do use thumbdrive “sticks” to backup some photo’s and music files and to use to transfer from the old computer to the new one.
Now if the modem I ordered from Century Link would just arrive as the technician switches DSL on tomorrow. Without a modem that doesn’t do me much good
Then I’ll download Chrome and see if I can transfer my bookmarks.
Regarding Media Player. I can find other ways to view photo’s and listen to music. I’m just curious as to why it isn’t working correctly. Or rather why it doesn’t appear to me to be working correctly.
It’s looking at a folder that I’ve not aware of I guess.
After testing the DSL connection I plan to order Magic Jack as well.
