(Bits
& Bytes Users Group)
Computer Club of The Tropics |
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It’s easy to loose track of what’s on your system, including hidden
treasure. Most computers have dozens of small but handy applications that
go unused simply because no one knows they're there. Perhaps you
downloaded something and forgot about it. Or maybe it was installed when
you added a new peripheral to your computer and you just didn’t realize it.
Many software packages come bundled with free helper applications or trial
versions of related software by the same manufacturer that are installed
automatically.
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Unfortunately, there’s no map available to help you find these potential
treasures. But the next time you find yourself in front of your computer
with some time to spare, try these tricks to locate files you didn’t know were
buried there.
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Windows®
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Browse the Program menus: Click on “Start,” and then mouse over
the Programs menu and sub-menus. Since most installation programs add a
link here, this is a good way to get a bird’s eye view of most of the
applications on your computer. |
Use Windows Explorer: Click on “Start > Programs > Windows
Explorer.” With this tool you can look through your computer’s
directories one by one, though you’ll have to sift through lots of files with
frequently obscure file names. To easily identify application files, click
“View > Folder Options,” and select the View tab. Remove the check
from the option “Hide File Extensions for Known File Types” so all file
extensions will show. Files that have the “.exe” extension are
executable program or application files. To easily sort these files from
data, image, and system files, click on “View > Arrange Items > by
Type.” |
Use the Find utility to search for all application files automatically:
Click on “Start > Find > Files or Folders,” then click on the
"Advanced" tab. From the drop-down menu, pick “Application”
for type of file, and then click on “Search.” The generated list
should contain every application file contained in the specified drive or
directory. |
Of course, identifying what any given file might be or do, with nothing more
than a commonly obscure file name to go by, can be next to impossible. You
can get more information by right clicking on the file name or icon and
selecting “Properties” form the menu that pops up. Along with the file
name, size, and location, you can usually find a short description of the
application, along with information about who originally created it, on the
"Version" tab.
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Mac OS®
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In the "Finder," double-click on the hard-drive icon and browse
through individual folders. To sort items in each individual folder,
select "View > Arrange > by Kind." This will group all the
application files together, so they are easier to identify. |
Open "Sherlock," the Mac OS search tool, from the Apple menu.
Select “Applications” from the drop-down menu, but leave the search box
empty. Click on the "Search" icon to return all the application
files on your computer. Select a file to view it’s location on your
computer in the lower window. From the menu bar, choose "File >
Get Info > General Information (or Command-I)" to view general
information about the file, including who originally created it, how big it is,
and when it was last modified. You can even add your own comment for later
reference. |
x marks the spot
Will your hunt turn up any hidden treasures? If it does, be sure
not to loose them again by making a short cut to the program from your desktop.
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in Windows: Right-click on the file name or icon.
Select “Create Shortcut” from the pop-up menu, and then click and drag the
newly created file to your desktop. |
in Mac OS: Open the folder containing the application
in the "Finder." Click once to select the file, and then choose
"File > Make Alias (or Command-M)" to make an alias. Click
and drag the newly created file your desktop. |