ReNaming a Install EXE

At times surfing or download sites offer software that looks interesting, maybe need / use at a later date. Once D/L'ed, is it safe to "rename it" to provide a meaningful name. Creating a individual folder for the download would be a solution, just thought this would be simplier.

 

Absolutely.

In fact, what I do is change the name at download time. Then when I come back a week later I know what these files are that I have downloaded.

Then, after the install if I keep it, I move the installer into a "Installed" directory for safe keeping.

 

THANKS
Much appreciated. Have renamed many file types, but never EXE's... except when to disable them. Could not see why an "Install exe" would get in trouble since there should be no program call to it. BUT I did not want to test out my "guess" since it required to "install" the program... problems find me, don't need to create them. Like your archive approach to "Installed" directory.

 

I usually rename the .exe and any 'read me' files since they all seem to have the exact same name in the beginning.

 

I always change their names, or I'd never know what that stuff was! Periodically, I burn that whole file to a cd- and it's saved me a few times, when the software I once downloaded for free suddenly has a fee. (FavOrg comes to mind right away).

Johanna

 

Dennis,

I have created a folder in My Docs and named it DLs. Everything I download goes in there with a name I can recognize and make sense of. I also add the version number to the new name so I know what I have and don't find myself downloading it again in 6 months thinking it's a 'newer' version. As far as I know, I haven't lost or corrupted anything yet by 'renaming' it at the time of the download.


Phil,

Great idea, moving your 'installers' into a seperate folder for safe keeping and back up. That has become SOP as of now at my house.


Mike

 

Thanks for all of the good suggestions. In addition I'm doing the following. By right clicking on install exe | properties | Summary Tab, brings in many text fields for information input... which can be output to any windows "Explorer" view, by adding them to the tool bar.

 

Denis,

Adding that summary is a good idea.

Do you use a download manager for all your DLs?
I use Download Accelerator Plus.
Because I use dial-up, I always use "download later" when I'm away doing something else.
In DAP I can also add a short description for each file in case I forget later on.

lee

 

I always download to a file named: "Downloads ".

Rename each file prior to downloading in the "save in" dialog box.

If I install the download, I move it to a file in my Documents namend: "Downloaded and Installed ".

When I accumulate a bunch there, I burn them to CD and delete them from the HDD.

I'll be adding the version number to the name, per Indutch's post, good idea.

Martin

 

I do this: In My Documents I have a folder called Downloads. At the time of download I create a new sub folder with a name I choose. In that folder is the download with it's original name. If it is a zip file, I unzip it in that folder to a new sub folder. So when I open My Documents/Downloads there are several folders in there with familiar names.

 

All good ideas. In addition,I use a small proggie that adds a entry to the context menu titled " FileNote ".
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INFO from the author:

What is FileNote?
================

FileNote is little FREEWARE shell extension for Windows95/98/NT4 that adds one command to context-menu of file object. This command lets you easily edit or create text file, that has the "same name as the initial file ", but with the TXT extension.
For example you have file MyImage.jpg. If you right-click on that
file and choose FileNote from context-menu, new text file called
MyImage.txt is created and Notepad is opened to edit that text file.
If text file with that name already exists, it's just opened for
viewing/editing.

This extension may be useful for you if you are attaching such text comments to your files. Now you don't need to create those text files manually.
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I like this method much better than adding notes to the summary within the file itself,as this summary info does not transfer when you burn the file to CD. The additional text file created is very small,and since it has the same name,stays with the original file you are adding notes to.

For anyone interested,FileNote can be obtained free at:
http://www.moonsoftware.com
Best,Rich