Ok this might seem like a small item but it has proved to be a helpful one to many who know how to use Windows fully. Windows Explorer or My Computer is used for displaying files on your system and is generally the tool used to move, copy, delete, and even open files. It really is the file management part of the Windows Operating system. Sadly however many of the options are not known or even turned off by default. The one we are most concerned about at this point is the folder view or display options. Most know by now that virus files are actually program files that are designed to harm your system. There are ways to mask these files when sent as file transfers or email attachments and it would be unseen if you use the default setting on Windows Explorer. However it is very possible to set Windows Explorer to display the entire file name by default. Here is how you can do it.

    Open Windows Explorer or My Computer. ( Windows Explorer is started by right clicking mouse on the START button on the screen and selecting Explore. My Computer icon is usually on the top left of the desktop. ) The first thing to do is to go to the folder options area on your computer. This varries slightly from one Windows version to the next. Shown above is Windows 2000 Professional, and it should be about the same for Windows XP and ME. Windows 95/98 may have the Folder Options listed under the VIEW instead of TOOLS. In most cases these can also be found in the control panel. The next thing to do is to select VIEW, then uncheck the Hide File Extentions for known file types. Then after you have done this click the button that says Set all folders to the current view. This will also effect any desktop folders you may have but you can repeat this when you open the desktop folder and select Large or Small Icons and just not select to have all your folders look that way for it to display Icons on desktop folders. In most cases the later versions of Windows will also all you to view thumbnails but it has to be mentioned that it is possible to attach virus content to JPG type files so it is not a good idea to use this option unless you have very good antivirus software as a thumbnail view means Windows will be opening the file as well as running any hidden attachments to it. I personally perfer knowning what files are on my computer including hidden files so I also have Windows Explorer show hidden and system file types as well.

    It is not a huge matter if you do not like this look of Windows Explorer or My Computer as you can just come back to this Folder option area and use the provided button to restore the default settings and then apply it to all your folders and it should return Windows back to the default settings. However for my personal tastes I would prefer to know what is there before I open it.

    I generally suggest you set up a download folder where you can place all download files by saving them to disk. Never run a download file from your desktop. Then using My Computer or Windows Explorer simply virus scan the folder before you open any files in it. Most antivirus software out also places the option to scan a folder or file on the right click options when using Windows Explorer or My Computer. It is a good habit to get into as it will stop many virus infections before they get started. Also be aware that not all antivirus software has the ability to scan all compression formats unless you provide the program with the external paths to the software to open those types of files. So if for example you select to scan an ARJ type compressed file, but do not have ARJ software or a compression program that can open ARJ compression the file may not be scanned until it is opened.

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