Although I use it mainly in desktop mode, I have had few issues with Windows 8.1 except for file explorer - it seems they've adopted the Apple approach of 'You must have it the way we want you to have it' rather than letting users configure it themselves...
Specifically,
1. I can't find how to force it to create new explorer windows at the size I want - they are always too small so I have to change each one - is there a way to do this?
2. I've managed to get it to display on opening: file/date modified/type/size in the 'details' view which is my prefered opening view, but I then have to click 'date modified' column to bring the latest up to the top - is there any way to force it to do that on opening?
3. In the 'save' box Windows now focuses on 'This PC' rather than 'Favourites', so I invariably have to scroll up to the top to see my Favourites, which includes 'Recent places' which is something I use probably 90% of the time - most of my saves and file openings are sometime I was recently working on. Is their any way to change this?
I am trying to figure out how i can change the cover art/icon for my DVD movies (mkv) so they dont all have the same default icon. I would like to change the icon to like a DVD cover for each movie so its easy to look through them and find the movie you want, not to mention it looks so much better.
I want to change the File Explorer default opening location from the Libraries to 'This PC -> Desktop'. However, both 'Target' and 'Start In' fields in the File Explorer properties are greyed out.
I am an administrator, and as far as I can tell with my level of know-how, I have full permissions.
I have many folders (with a couple of thousand files) configured to display sorted by date. When using software and needing to open a file from within the program, it opens what looks like an Explorer window. However, the sort order is always by name initially and it takes a minute or so to suddenly display in the correct sort order as specified in Windows itself.
If I repeat this a few minutes later it goes through the routine all over again!
Running explorer from Windows 8 itself is no problem, it remembers the sort order. Is there a way to make third party software that calls up an explorer window do the same please?
Incidentally having given up on the truly slow and clumsy windows search function, I installed Search Everything and it is instant and reliable. Why can't Microsoft Search be like that?
Dell Inspiron 17R 5721 OS Name Microsoft Windows 8 Version 6.2.9200 Build 9200
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3517U CPU @ 1.90GHz, 2401 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 4 Logical BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. A03, 10/24/2012 SMBIOS Version 2.7 Embedded Controller Version 1.01 BIOS Mode UEFI
Secure Boot State On Boot Device DeviceHarddiskVolume1 Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 8.00 G
As so many others have written, I can't change the boot-up order which means at this time, I can only boot from the hard disk.
I am hopeful that it is my ignorance that prevents me from accessing and changing the order, and that some good hearted soul will set my down the right path.
In other verisons of windows the tiles on the taskbar would be in order from time. If i opened Google Chrome, and then Adobe, and then another Google Chrome instance it would look that way. Now however it "groups" the two Google Chrome ones near other, and the Adobe one on the left. Anyway to change that?
When I access my UEFI during startup, the Boot Priority section is either empty or shows unrelated drives attached. I can select the drive from which to boot by clicking on the Boot Menu, then clicking on the drive desired.
I purchased a new Intel SSD and installed it as the "C" and "D" drives and was happily booting from that SSD until I added new HDDs to my system. I now have four HDDs plus the SSD. One of those HDDs still contains the original Root C bootup and Windows 8 system on it. I frequently now find the system, reason unknown, may choose to boot from the HDD rather than the SSD.
I cannot find the method for directing the UEFI bootup menu/priority steps... my goal is to have the computer boot from the SSD, which if it were to fail, then would secondarily boot from the HDD original Root C.
The computer arbitrarily changes the SSD from drive designation "C:" to "J:" and the HDD to "C:"... how to specify the SSD as the "C:" unless it fails or is removed? the computer system info:
I have win 8.1 pro x64. I want to know if I can change the display order of disks icons manually. Usually the c drive appears first (from left to right), second cdrom icon and next the external drives. Can I change that with drag and drop? (I remember that I can do it in Vista).
I'd like to change the order in which certain programs in my startup folder load. I don't need to know how to add or remove programs from the startup folder, and I'm not talking about security or system programs. I'm talking about some programs I've added to my computer, which I use all the time in my research work, and I just want them to wind up in a different order on my taskbar for ease in switching back & forth, making notes, etc.
I'm trying to reinstall a driver for my printer but I cannot locate the file to run.
I clicked on the download command at the HP website and my computer gave me a screen asking if I wanted to save the file (not run but save). I clicked save and the download completed and apparently the file has been saved but I don't know how to get to it in order to run it. Where is it?
My Dell Inspiron 660 is 2 months old. It came with Windows 8 preinstalled. My problem: I am trying to change the boot order so I can boot from CD ROM as a first option. I have tried using the "F" keys on boot, but it just ignores me and goes on to boot up. I have also tried the "Advanced Options > UEFI Firmware Settings" in "Change PC Settings" and got the same results. I spent some time on the phone with a Dell tech. After trying all the things I had already tried, he and his supervisor decided I must have a bad Motherboard. Does this sound right? Is there any way to repair this problem?
.I have an HP Pavilion Slimline PC desktop. It does not allow me to boot from CD/DVD drive or USB connection. Windows 8.1. I wish to be able to use the boot options cd/dvd and all the USB options. I can't use any of the options. I list bios setup options and suggestions given to me from articles but I'm not sure I'm afraid of error. I don't have that much experience in bios setup.
Articles have said in BIOS setup Security is to be disabled. I suppose Legacy remains disabled(?). It is suggested that I shutdown and reboot.
BIOS Setup > Storage > Boot Order has this list: UEFI Boot Sources Windows Boot Manager USB Floppy/CD[code]....
At bottom of this Boot Order Window are the options: F5=disable Enter=drag F10=accept ESC=cancel
Windows Boot Manager at the the top stops all other options.beneath it. How does that 'drag' work. Don'tr I have to move 'Windows Boot Manager' to the bottom?
And move ATAPI CD/DVD drive to the top? of this UEFI boot sources list?
Is it true that if there is an error in the BIOS Boot Setup and Windows 8.1 does not boot, the BIOS Setup will come up instead so one can do a fix?
I'm trying to boot Windows 8.1 from DVD (for Nero backitup.) . I can get to the advanced settings option and even to the UEFI option. Once I get tothe UEFI restart the computer shuts down and then just sits there - power light on - but nothing on the screen. The screen stays asleep(?) if that is what you would call it.
I'm on an Acer Aspire AT3-605_ES20 desktop. They had an instruction to hit "delete" at the Aspire logo during boot. But I don't get an Aspire logo - it just starts up to the Windows log in screen. I turned off "fast startup". How I can change my boot order so I can boot from DVD?
When in file explorer the zip icon under the share tab is not active. When I click on a simple folder, it does not highlight. If I right click on the folder and go to send to all I get is the dvd drive unless I shift right click first then a drop down of more selections appear but not send to compress. Is this something that need to be activated. I can un-zip a fle from the view tab.
Is it possible to sort a folder's contents with both File names and Sub-Folder names intermixed? I have projects in sub-folders, and 'support' files like this:
I did a clean install of Windows 8.1 this week and have a fully updated installation now with minimal programs installed. My problem is this, I have my downloads folder set to sort files by date created, from newest to oldest so I can easily find my newest downloads as they should be at the top of the listing, but Windows explorer will not refresh the view if I have have explorer open, forcing me to either manually refresh it or go to another folder, then come back which updates the view. I never had to do this with the old win 8 pro installation and have tried resetting the folders several times but it still won't update by itself. I do have the latest version of Start8 installed, but that never caused a problem before.
I use an alternative file manager so I don't run explorer.exe very often. But today I had a need to, and when I opened it, I found that the ribbon interface was missing.
The file manager I use does take over all file and folder operations by default, but even turning off the "Explorer replacement" option, the ribbon remains missing...
Iam running 8pro 64 bit. when I open an file explorer window, sometimes there is everytihg, but most of the time, there is just "desktop" and it is searching.I have to manually right click and open new explorer to get it to show all drives and locations. Also, when I get into a window with movies or pictures, all the files are white, no thumbnail! I have no virus and the installation is new and it is from the Microsoft site. all updates are installed.
When i open up my file explorer and for some reason steam friends it shows on the task bar that it is there and it is running but when i click on them it doesnt show the window.
my windows file viewer has an annoying bug. When I double click a folder it opens in a new tab, every time. I've tried going to >view>options>change folder and search options but it says that they should open in the same window.
"To change the way Windows Explorer opens (copy and paste)
one of the examples below to the target portion of a shortcut and name it Windows Explorer.
Examples:
Open Windows Explorer with My Computer as the root with all drives visible and "My Computer" selected. C:WINDOWSEXPLORER.EXE /e,/n,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}"
(other examples followed)
In Windows 8.1 the "target" box is grayed out. File Explorer always starts with the THIS PC folder highlighted... and I would like to change that. How?
I have just had a factory reset & for some reason I can't get my photos in Pictures in File Explorer back into Photos. If I insert a flash drive with pictures on it & select 'Import' in Photos, it will import the photos but after supposedly downloading them, nothing! I have the 'Show photos & videos' box ticked off in Settings on the Charms panel.
Since 2 days ago I've noticed that I cannot create a new folder with File Explorer by any way possible. Using the taskbar or the SHIFT + Ctrl + N. Even when saving projects with Save File as... and trying to use the "New Folder" text string button does not create any folder. Using CMD prompt or powershell all works well as with Total Commander which i only installed to see if it could create folders and it does. Other programs that auto create folders also works well (i.e. Foobar when transcoding to new unavailable folder). My Windows 8 Pro is original, it's a 4 month old install, I've not made any customizations, no registry hacks, Windows is bare apart from Classic Shell which i only use now as a custom button to go to start screen with the mouse. I also made a custom High Contrast Theme that i use at night or when eyes are a bit tired. It's 2 months old so it's there long before the problem.I've not installed any new programs in the last week apart from some updates from FileZilla, Foxit pdf and Notepad++.Last system update is COPICOM from 13 July.I followed this guide which as not resolved the problem: I cannot find a way to create a new folder in Windows 8. -
So I have a high res display on my laptop and the File Explorer looks like the fuzzy poop you get. Usually you right click the app in the task bar, then right click the name, click compat tab, and then disable dpi scaling, but the compat tab is missing for some reason for File Explorer and only that app. So it looks fuzzy and crappy.
I don't know how long it's been missing, if it ever was there, but I thought it would be handy to have File Explorer on the Task Bar.
I found it on the Applications page of the start menu, right clicked on it, and saw that File Explorer was already pinned to the task bar. I tried unpinning it, then repinning it, but is just doesn't show up.
