Windows 7 is bleedin DANGEROUS!

cormie

I don't know what it is with Windows 7 as these things tend to happen when I'm doing things quickly on the computer, but one example is this..

Open up Folder A on your desktop, you want to check something and delete two other files off the desktop so you hold ctrl and click file one, click file 2, you'll notice Folder A is also selected. I've done this a few times without thinking and have pressed delete and if it weren't for the amount of GB in Folder A, it would have deleted the whole lot.

There's another few things like this where you end up selecting the wrong files by mistake, I haven't taken note of them, but it happens often enough, also with renaming files that they automatically get arranged within a folder instead of being the last files in the list view of a folder and getting re-arranged on the next refresh (which is much easier when editing loads of files together).

Anyway, that Folder delete thing about is worrying me, is there any way I can protect a folder from getting deleted by simple mistakes like that? These issues never happened in XP at all.

Any feedback appreciated

Overheal

Like all versions of windows dating back to idontknowwhen, Windows 7 is equipped with the Recycling Bin. Ergo, if you accidentally delete a file or folder it can be restored from the bin. Should a folder or file be too large to be "recycled", the OS will prompt you for a confirmation before you permanently delete the information.

You can and should also consider an external backup. Network attached storage is cheap nowadays, and Windows 7 and up support file version backups, so even if you make bad changes to a document, you can restore the document to a previous version you might have saved days or weeks ago.

cormie

Thanks overheal, I've 2 x 2TB external hard drives I use for replaceable file back ups, things I download as opposed things I've been working on and can't just replace with a search, for those I have cloud storage so I'm pretty well backed up I've also disabled the recycle bin by choice, since Windows 95 I've never used it and have it hammered into my head to press shift and delete too. I do have recovery software but I just think it would be handy to be able to mark folders as undelete-able by keyboard shortcuts and to have a prompt to confirm before it starts doing it, is anything like this available I wonder?

notmymark

Can’t say any of this has ever happened to me (and I switch between XP and 7 on a daily basis). Only time I have ever deleted a file I didn’t intend to it was due to user error (i.e. me being stupid).

Regarding your first example, I understood this in 2 ways. The first is to open Folder A (do not click anything) and then hold ctrl and select 2 files off the desktop (not within the folder). If this is the case then yes the folder and files will delete as you have 3 desktop items selected. FYI this is the exact same in XP, I just tried it.

The second way I read the post was to open Folder A (do not click anything), then click the first desktop file and then hold ctrl and select the other file. If this is the case then it will not delete all 3 items, only the 2 files I have selected.

Which way are you doing it? If it is the first one then you are telling the computer (by holding control) to select all 3 desktop items.

Regarding the auto arrange, I have heard a few people complain about it. You can disable this feature but it has to be done in the registry. If you are familiar with this process then do a Google search and you should find a full description.

The best solution for accidental deletion is the recycle bin. You can hardly call Windows 7 dangerous because you have disabled the safety feature. Out of curiosity why don’t you use it? If you are set against using the bin then you can also deny delete permissions for your user account (right click on the folder, click properties, security tab and select your user account) but this is a less than perfect solution if you are savvy and admin your own computer.

Duggy747

On rare occasion I've done what the OP says, lost nothing important though and through force of habit these days I always click an open area so as to deselect everything before I start highlighting objects for deleting.

cormie

Thanks again for the replies.

To be sure, I'm not too sure what sequence of clicks and drags causes it, but I know the first time it happened on w7, it was something I had done numerous times on XP before without any issue and got a big surprise when I saw my main folder being sized up and prepared for deletion

I disabled the recyle bin because I preferred stuff not accumulating in it, again I've done this for years and it's only a problem now with this risky delete issue. Maybe I can just enable it again and hide it off the desktop so it's there incase. It would be a lot easier to just disable a main folder from being deleted while allowing items in the subfolders to be deleted no problem.

My account is the admin account and I had a look in the properties and couldn't see anything obvious, thanks for the suggestion and for the one about the auto arrange!

danjo-xx

I disabled the recyle bin because I preferred stuff not accumulating in it

Have you not made friends with ccleaner/

cormie

lol, I'm the only one who uses the computer, this is just OCD kickin' in

Overheal

The Bin has a user-defined limit, and time limits iirc, so things which go there don't tend to stay there very long. So it's not as if it really "takes up space." I can't say I really appreciate the rationale for disabling the feature. Even the pagefile, I'd rather shrink it then eliminate it.

I'm sure theres a plugin out in the world that can assign a "delete-resistant" attribute to a folder, but it seems redundant to go an find one, when an all fairness, you can just turn on the recycling bin.

wil

cormie wrote: »

lol, I'm the only one who uses the computer, this is just OCD kickin' in

its alight cormie, I feel your pain.

Have to agree MS never got the file management utilities any better after xp and seemed to nobble windows explorer in W7
Suggesting the recycle bin as the solution to this is not really understanding your issue. Its fine when you know you've deleted something and need immediate recovery, it's useless when you are unaware you've accidentally deleted something and a hassle even if you do become aware, and possibly too late. And when MS figures out its own permissions then stuff that shouldn't be capable of accidental deletion shouldn't.

Ive seen people delete and move whole server folders from the Office open document dialog box.

Where the problem really sets in is on laptops and tap to select, you've more control with a mouse.

I still prefer xp for file management and while there are some alternatives to windows explorer for W7, I'd much prefer the native utility to do what I want it. Its the one area MS has not really bothered to improve - they seem to think forcing thumbnails and tonnes of whitespace is an improvement.

beauf

cormie wrote: »

T...To be sure, I'm not too sure what sequence of clicks and drags causes it, but I know the first time it happened on w7, it was something I had done numerous times on XP before without any issue and got a big surprise when I saw my main folder being sized up and prepared for deletion ...

TBH I don't know what you are doing. It works fine for me. The main folder is grey (highlighted but not selected) I can control click other things fine. You've got some muscle memory that's clicking in the wrong order or something.

You can change explorer features in classic shell. I use it to add back some XP stuff to W7.

cormie wrote: »

...I disabled the recyle bin because I preferred stuff not accumulating in it, ...

Its not really a bin but an undelete feature. I don't see the point in disabling it.

You can auto arrange folders and files in any order you want, by last modified, or date or name. For a single folder, or all folders. I often switch it to suit what I'm doing at the time.

FanadMan

Overheal wrote: »

The Bin has a user-defined limit, and time limits iirc, so things which go there don't tend to stay there very long.

As far as I remember from old courses, MS uses first in, first out when it comes to clearing the recycle bin. But think it is space dependant - if oldest file is big then would be deleted if space is needed.

+1 for ccleaner, but -1 for disabling the bin

cormie

Overheal wrote: »

The Bin has a user-defined limit, and time limits iirc, so things which go there don't tend to stay there very long. So it's not as if it really "takes up space." I can't say I really appreciate the rationale for disabling the feature. Even the pagefile, I'd rather shrink it then eliminate it.

I'm sure theres a plugin out in the world that can assign a "delete-resistant" attribute to a folder, but it seems redundant to go an find one, when an all fairness, you can just turn on the recycling bin.

Actually, I fear, even if I re-enable the recyle bin, nothing will go there. I've been pressing shift and delete for years automatically, this bypasses the recycle bin even when it's enabled. I'm not sure I'll be able to re-reg my head to get around this

wil wrote: »

Where the problem really sets in is on laptops and tap to select, you've more control with a mouse.

I still prefer xp for file management and while there are some alternatives to windows explorer for W7, I'd much prefer the native utility to do what I want it. Its the one area MS has not really bothered to improve - they seem to think forcing thumbnails and tonnes of whitespace is an improvement.

These are other issues too. As soon as I set up a new install, first thing I do is get rid of that dreaded track pad "tap to click" feature, when using friends laptops with this on, I make so many mistakes it's unreal, don't know how people can have it on all the time Also, I set all folder options to display in list view and get rid of any thumnail views in folders too

beauf wrote: »

TBH I don't know what you are doing. It works fine for me. The main folder is grey (highlighted but not selected) I can control click other things fine. You've got some muscle memory that's clicking in the wrong order or something.

You can change explorer features in classic shell. I use it to add back some XP stuff to W7.



Its not really a bin but an undelete feature. I don't see the point in disabling it.

You can auto arrange folders and files in any order you want, by last modified, or date or name. For a single folder, or all folders. I often switch it to suit what I'm doing at the time.

Yeah, I forget exactly the sequence of events, but it's also happened a lot when using the explorer side menu of folders if in a folder with a lot of subfolders, clicking a folder in the left side tree and making an edit has caused unexpected results. Also, the auto arrange issue, I want my files arranged by name, it's just when you're dealing with invoices etc and you need to number each one to put it in a folder, and you drag say 5 files from the dekstop in, which may have all pre-defined names from whatever supplier I received them from, most with numbers actually, they get arranged by the number. In XP, you could drag them in, they'd all go to the end of the list, you could rename them and they wouldn't re-arrange until a folder refresh, made it a lot easier. Now I've to rename all files about to go into a folder while they are still on the desktop. I don't mind the arranging, I just don't like the way it's done as soon as you drag 5 files to an open folder and they get dispersed throughout the folder based on name straight away.

FanadMan wrote: »

As far as I remember from old courses, MS uses first in, first out when it comes to clearing the recycle bin. But think it is space dependant - if oldest file is big then would be deleted if space is needed.

+1 for ccleaner, but -1 for disabling the bin

I love the way everyone's suggesting CCleaner thinking that's why I don't want to use the recycle bin

beauf

You've just learnt some bad habits. You need to unlearn them.

Or go back to XP if that works for you.

Use a third party File Mangler.

Or this...

Can Classic Shell disable the "Auto-arrange" feature in Explorer?
No. The Explorer in Windows 7 uses a new undocumented control "DirectUIHWND" instead of the documented "SysListView32" control like all the versions before it. The DirectUIHWND control has no public interface and nothing can be done to customize it.
However there is a registry hack you can do to make Explorer to use SysListView32: Auto-arrange - solved?. With that you get the option to disable "Auto-arrange", remove the full-row select and some other features also revert to the Vista way.

http://www.classicshell.net/faq/#explorer_autoarrange

Perhaps it is possible in explorer2 to disable auto sorting - but i can´t find it. Or perhaps a new feature in a new version of it?

Many thanks.
Best regards
George
sorosch
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Posts: 2
Joined: 2013 Aug 04, 14:37
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Re: Win 7+8: Auto sort
Postby FrizzleFry » 2013 Aug 04, 15:52

Tools/Options/Window (tab)
Automatically re-sort contents...

http://netez.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=10213

Overheal

yeah, this is summarized as a user issue not a user interface issue.

unkel

cormie wrote: »

I've been pressing shift and delete for years automatically, this bypasses the recycle bin even when it's enabled. I'm not sure I'll be able to re-reg my head to get around this

You've become corrupt. You need a wipe and re-install

cormie

Haha, well I did adjust to the "show desktop" moving to the right hand side so maybe there's hope for me yet

beauf

Windows key + D

cormie

beauf wrote: »

Windows key + D

:eek: now lets see if I can hardwire that to my head

beauf

I would cross Windows 8 off your future upgrade list.

wil

beauf wrote: »

I would cross Windows 8 off your future upgrade list.

I'd say there's more than one good reason for this, and probably only one unfortunate reason to upgrade to 8.
Maybe MS were hoping China would move freely to 8 but I suspect for many it will be a skip os, 8.1 hasn't really addressed users reservations.

Theres good reason why xp is still on so many machines - it worked

And there are plenty of good reasons to bypass the recycle bin.

7 is good and a worthy upgrade, but really if you've actually worked with it windows explorer hasn't been improved so its a bit disingenuous to dismiss cormies issues as being entirely user rather than os
Why should you have to rely on third party utilities to mitigate against the shortcomings of native utilities.
A -Because they don't accept there are any real issues. Please go away.
Then introduce it as a revolutionary new approach 2 versions later.
It's part of the SDC:pac:

beauf

wil wrote: »

...And there are plenty of good reasons to bypass the recycle bin...

Why? If security is an issue. Encrypt the machine.

I find Windows 8 a slightly better version of Windows 7. But then I turn off metro and I've been using classic shell since vista. But anyone that doesn't want to learn new stuff, or change how they do things should stick to what they are happy with.

Though I will admit MS seems to be changing things very often because they can. But not adding any real functionality improvements, at least in the GUI. Hardware support for new tech is much better.