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Whenever you uninstall or install programs on your PC or laptop you are essentially allowing outside sources full access to your computer's hard drive. The file extension .exe relates to an "executable file" these types of files can get access to almost any part of your computer, and sometimes even your whole network. There are also many other known file extensions that attack your operating system. These tend to be more dangerous because they are completely hidden from you, unless you know where to look. You can get rid of these types of files if you take the appropriate action.

Why are file extensions a problem?

One of the reasons that this is such a problem for end users is that Microsoft ultimately prefers simplicity over security, which in the end is the only choice they really have. When you think about how incredible all the functions we preform on our machines really are, in contrast with a few security issues, the platform as a whole is really incredible. However, because many hard drives have dangerous and harmful files already hiding themsleves by using cloaking file extension types you need to be careful.

Look Out For Fake File Names:

Some computer viruses spread by using worms by using file names that look like FunnyPicture.jpg.vbs or only Free-Wallpaper.png.exe. In these two examples the letters vbs and exe at the end of the file's name alerts us that these file extensions will have access to your Windows operating system if they are opened. Keep in mind this is 100% safe and something you do all the time with TRUSTED sources, but when you see something that is only pretending to look like a image file, be cautious.

This security issue problem is still frequently discussed and we think that hiding file extensions by default is wrong decision, but situation is still the same (Windows 7 or Windows Vista included).

Newer Versions of WIndows are Better, But Software Can Help:

If you are running more recent versions of Windows like Windows 7 then you are at less of a risk for harmful files be stored on your machine. Even starting with Windows Vista Microsoft made some pretty considerable imporvements to protecting your PC. However there are still, most likely files that should be considered malicious in certain cases of use, such as when files are downloaded from the web or received as an e-mail attachment from unknown sources. To protect yourself against computer viruses check your e-mail security settings to determine how attachments are handled, this is a good start.

You also have the option of using modern antivirus software solutions to help keep you safe. Some of these pieces of software defend you against attacks, and others determine if you are already at risk. If you are having trouble with file extension errors, you can download one of our system scanning solutions. This is a great first step toward diagnosing the problem. Once you know what's wrong, the File Curing software can help resolve the issues.

If your like a lot of people then you've definitely experienced some difficulties trying to rename a file on your computer. Sometimes stubborn files won't accept the new name you're attempting to give them, and sometimes they won't rename themselves at all—no matter what you type in. So what can you do about these tricky files, and how can you make sure this never happens again? Believe it or not these problems are pretty easy to avoid once you know how, and that's what I going to show you below.

Why can't I rename my files?

There are a few answers to this question. File names will only accept letters and characters that they deem worthy, and if you try to deviate from this look out, because the file will reject your proposed name every time. Check out the list of characters that you cannot use in file names below.

Which characters can't be used in file names?

Here's a list of characters that you cannot use in file names:: \ / ? : * " > < |

Things to remember when renaming files.

• You cannot rename a file if you have it open
• You cannot rename a network file if someone else has it open
• Doing a "Save as" command renames and copies the file
• You should not rename file name extensions

What are file name extensions?

A file name extension is a set of characters that helps your operating system (in most cases Windows) understand what kind of information the file has in it. File name extensions also tell your OS (operating system) what program it should use to open it. File name extensions are called extensions because they appear at the end of every file's name. You can see many types of file extensions following the default period in file names. For example, in the file name Example.txt, the extension is txt, which tells the OS that this is a text file.

Now that you have a general idea of what the elements on your desktop are, we can move on to working with these elements and performing commands.

How do I add icons to my desktop?

Like most operations in Windows there are a few ways to add icons to your desktop. Once you add the icons you'll be able to double-click on them to quickly launch the programs and files. One of the most commonly used ways to place a shortcut on your desktop is the following:

1) Open the folder where the desired file or folder is stored

2) Right-click

3) Select send to desktop (sometimes listed as create shortcut)

4) Go to the desktop and position the icon where you want it, and you're done!

Windows will automatically name the shortcut for you but you should rename it with something that make sense to you. To do this simply right-click on the on the shortcut, and then select rename. Notice that the name of the shortcut is now highlighted, you can begin typing the new desired name being careful to keep the file extension in tact, and then press enter to complete the task.

 

Figure 1: The icon areas is the areas circled above show you empty spaces where you can add/delete icons from your desktop.

Is it safe to delete icons from my desktop?

So now that you know how to create icons and shortcuts on your desktop, it's a good idea to learn how to get rid of them. Placing too many icons on your desktop can lead to a cluttered desktop, which does more harm than good. Fortunately, deleting desktop icons is easy. Place your mouse over the item you want to delete, left-click (so the item becomes highlighted), and then press delete on your keyboard. Windows will then ask if to confirm this action, it's always a good idea to make sure you're deleting the right thing before clicking yes, so check it and you're done. One thing I should mention here is that accidentally deleting things that you wanted to keep is not the end of the world. Deleted items end up in your trash folder and can be retrieved without too much of a headache. So don't let a fear of losing items keep you from keeping a tidy desktop.

Where can I retrieve icons that I've deleted?

The best place to retrieve icons is the recycle bin. Windows comes preloaded with a recycle bin shortcut on your desktop. If you don't see the shortcut then you will be able to find a link to your recycle bin by hitting the start button. Once you find the icon you're looking for you can drag and drop it to your desktop, or highlight it and click restore. One thing to note here is that if you are trying to delete the actual file or program that a desktop icon links to, it will not be possible by simply deleting items from your desktop. To find out how to uninstall a program, or to delete a file permanently you'll need to check some of my other posts where I talk about uninstalling programs.

Now that you have a general idea of what the desktop is, and some understanding of the basic elements that reside on it we're going to move on to some slightly more interesting topics.

What is the windows taskbar?

The taskbar in windows helps you work faster and see what's going on in your computer at a glance. It's important to get a firm understanding of how the taskbar works, and what it can do for your productivity. So what is the taskbar? The taskbar is the area at the very bottom of your screen that contains buttons which open all kinds of programs and provides you with other information such as the time. See figure 1.

Figure 1: The taskbar is the area circled above. We'll talk about the different elements of the taskbar later in the article. 

Four parts to the taskbar

The taskbar has four main parts. You can control each section of the taskbar independently so changes you make to one area may not impact the other three sections. The section of the far left is hopefully one that you are already familiar with, it's the start button. All windows computers have a start button located on the bottom left of the desktop. Next to the start button is the quick launch toolbar.

The quick launch toolbar:

The quick launch toolbar helps you launch programs and/or bring program windows to the front of your screen no matter what else is going on. This is extremely helpful, I recommend that every computer user take advantage of the quick launch toolbar.

The notification area:

The notification area tells you some programs that are running on your PC, probably in the background. The notification area is the least important area of the taskbar and you can certainly get by without it.

The clock:

Everyone's favorite, the clock.

One thing I get asked about a lot is the notification-message popups. People ask me what are they, who is sending them, and what can I do about them? In short these are messages from programs that you have installed on your PC or laptop. Sometimes these messages are informing you that an update is required. Other times these popups are just reminders, alerts, or other "helpful" reminders. The long and the short of it is this, if you recognize what program is asking for your attention then you should see what it has to say. If you don't, then chances are you can safely avoid taking action. The general rule, like all computing, is you should read the message and attempt to resolve the issue before ignoring it completely.

Hardware notifications on the taskbar

The final thing that you'll see appear in the notification area are messages relating to your hardware. If you plug in speakers, or your keyboard connection comes lose, the message will appear in the bottom right of your screen telling you what's going on.

This article covered some basics so you can understand more about "what stuff is". This way when we move on to more advanced subjects like "how-to..." you'll have a good foundation to work from. See you next time!

The Windows desktop is the first screen you see when you login to your computer, it's where all your work begins and ends. Knowing what tools are available through your Windows desktop is essential to building a solid foundation for computer knowledge. Without skill like these, your computing experience will suffer greatly, and you wont be very comfortable using your machine. But the good news is once you learn these skills, you will be able to start programs, work with files, and complete many other task with ease. These skill are easy to learn so let's dive in!

What does the term "desktop" mean?

The desktop if the background area on your computer. Think of this area just like you would the physical desk you sit at to work. Just like your real desk, you can put files and tools on your virtual as well. These will help you get work done faster, and find things easier. Another cool thing about the desktop is that you can access to all the programs and files on your computer. In other words, if it's on your computer, you can get there if you start at the desktop. This is why some people call the desktop the "home screen". It's okay to call it by either name and I'll call it both in this article to keep you from lulling to sleep... and so you can learn both terms.

What does the term "home screen" mean?

In general a computer's home screen and it's desktop are the same thing. However, one thing to keep in mind here is that each program or browser window also has a home screen that is specific to it and has nothing to do with the desktop. So if you want to be clear use the term desktop.

Desktop Quick Tips:

1. Did you know that you can change the image and background on your desktop?
2. You can place addition icons on the desktop, which give you fast access to programs you use a lot.
3. In Microsoft windows the start button is always located in the lower left corner of the screen.

What is the start menu in windows?

The start menu provides a list of programs and folders that are most commonly used by most people. The start menu is also appropriately named, because this is the place that all commands should start (if you don't know the shortcuts). To launch the start menu simple click the "Start" button. You should then see a menu popup that offers lots of choices on where to go next, take a look at figure 1 for an example.

Figure 1: Every start menu will look a bit different but your should look something like this.

What are desktop icons?

You can control desktop icons in any way you want. Desktop icons are helpful shortcuts that allow you to access your programs and files, no matter where they are on your computer, from your desktop. The cool thing about icons is that you can arrange them to sit anywhere on the desktop, you can put files inside of folders, or create shortcuts to just about anything imaginable. I'll talk more about that later, right now we still have to define some more terms.

How do I work with desktop icons?

Your computer probably came preloaded with some desktop icons on it. You can work with desktop icons by moving them around. To do this:

1. Move the mouse pointer so it's over the icon
2. Press and hold down the left-click button on your mouse
3. Drag the mouse around, the icon should come with it
4. When the icon is in the place you want, simply release the mouse click button

Another easy way to arrange your desktop icons it to let Windows do the work for you. What do I mean by this? Let's find out. Windows can automatically align the icons on your desktop with a few clicks. Try performing the following example.

1. Move the mouse pointer to a blank area on the desktop (no icons under it)
2. Right-click
3. Select sort by from the menu
4. Choose the defining characteristic that you'd like to organize your icons by
1. Name
2. Size
3. Type
4. Modification date

Hopefully this article got you understanding the basics a bit more. In my next article we'll go over some more advance stuff that the desktop can help you with and get into some things that will really save you time.

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