Why Filenames Don't Appear...??!?

I'm running XP Home edition (totally upgraded including SP2) and this has happened before the SP2 upgrade, so I know that it's unrelated to that...

Occasionally when viewing the desktop contents (through File Manager - My Computer) in thumbnail view - the NAMES of the folders and/or icons do NOT appear! I have to click on each one to either wait and see if I get the text pop-up which tells me what it is, or I have to actually single click on the file and watch the area to the left for the info to be filled in.

I defrag and clean out temp files regularly, so it doesn't seem to correspond with that, either. I cannot figure this out why sometimes it happens, and sometimes it doesn't. It probably happens less than 5% of the time or something, but when it does happen it's annoying... Any Ideas???!?

Thanks!
Gigi

 

Hi gigipo. Welcome to the board. To fix your problem try this. Open windows explorer and then while holding down the shift key click on desktop in the left pane. Can you see the names now? If so, doing the same thing over again will make them disappear again. This only happens in thumbnail view. If this doesn't work, what happens when you change the view to something other than thumbnails?

 

LOL - Zander, that was so bizarre that I just had to try it myself.

Dang if it don't. Really strange and I'd have been stumped too. Any idea what the purpose of that behavior might be?

 

Nope, I have no idea. I just knew about it because my daughter tried it once thinking it would open the folder in a new window. She called about it right away wondering how to straighten it out. She gave me the details of what she did and having no idea what to do I told her to try it again and see what happens. Ya gotta get lucky once in a while.

 

Thanks for the reply! I actually don't use 'Explorer' to open the desktop... I do it through 'My Computer'. I've uploaded an image of the screen that I'm referring to here. I guess I could go into Explorer and try it to see if that helps even if this view... I just wanted to make sure that you knew what I was actually referring to. Here's the link to the image that I uploaded:

http://www.geocities.com/gigipo/Filename-error.jpg

Thanks...

 

I'm sorry, I also forgot to mention that I DID try clicking on the word 'desktop' in the left margin, as I circled in that image. It didn't do anything.

I have now switched over to Explorer, and again tried clicking on the word 'desktop' in the left margin as you suggested (holding the 'shift' key down as mentioned) and still nothing...

Poltergeists??!


Gigi

 

Changing it in windows explorer will also change it in my computer. Just make sure when you do it, my computer is closed and once you're done in windows explorer, close windows explorer before opening my computer.

 

Yup. That's it. Here are screen shots from mine while I was "zandering" my system.

I had to try a few things to get the 'normal' view again. Mostly, going to a different location (I used C:\) and setting that to thumbnails to get a cure and then back to desktop.

 

Also, when you do this in windows explorer, make sure the view for desktop is set to thumbnails. If it's not, click on the desktop in the left pane, change the view to thumbnails and then click on a different folder in the left pane. Now while holding down the shift key, once again click on desktop. Then close windows explorer and try my computer.

 

Newt. I'll give you a hint. If you're going to be zandering your machine, use that virtual PC. Much safer. Otherwise, I won't be held responsible for..... whatever.

 

When I'm home, that's exactly what I do.

At work now so if it blows up, I get the PC break/fix folks to give me a new one.

 

GOT IT!!! Thank you SO MUCH!

I didn't need to do it through Explorer, but what I *DID* need to do was to alternate clicking on shift+desktop with then clicking on a different folder location, and then back to shift+desktop, etc. I'm sure you know what I mean, though I'm having a hard time wording it well...

I am EVER so thankful for your assistance, though! This was truly driving me bizarre. Okay, maybe MORE bizarre...

Have a great night!
Take Care!

Gigi

 

P.S. - In reading your last message - yes, I was ALREADY in the 'thumbnail' mode. It's pretty much the only view that I use. This problem never existed in either the 'tile' or 'details' modes... Thanks again!

 

Good! Glad to hear it. The only reason I suggested windows explorer to do it is because it's a bit easier to explain using it. No matter. Thanks for posting back!