Securing Windows Explorer 

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 c
ompression 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.