Windows XP forum: Can't open "My Pictures" folder properly.

Go to Start/Run and type in: regsvr32 /i shell32

If that doesn't correct the issue which it should, use this automated edit:

Search Opens When Double Clicking a Folder or Drive (Line 18-right column).

Save the REG File to your hard disk. Double click it and answer yes to the import prompt.

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Tufenuf

I never have messed with Registry so I thought I'd try "Restore" before I did your regsvr32/i shell32 thing - and restore fixed it. But, as a note of interest - I had posted the same question on the PCMech forum and the admin. linked me to a Microsoft support article 25986 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986/EN-US/) that says you can inadvertently change the default just by opening up "Folder Options" and going thru a few more steps, even though you don't change or edit anything. A fault of Windows XP. And I had done just that, cause I had read an article by Jim Coates - Chicago Tribune Computer guru - about going into Folder Options to change your folder icons. And I went there just to look at it. So, thanks for your response. Cliff

Not really anything to do with this discussion, and posting to 'old' threads like this often means that the regular helpers here 'walk on by' when the see the age of the first post. You would have done better creating your own new discussion.

I'm not sure of your problem. There are two ways of viewing videos from web pages.

1] Streaming video. You don't 'download' the video file yourself. Instead the web page 'streams' the video direct to a video player plugin installed in your browser. Once the video is finished, your computer does not retain the video file. With this method, the video size is fixed by the dimensions set by the web page designer and is usually much smaller than the browser page itself. However, right clicking inside the video window will sometimes offer options to expand to full screen. Some of these in-page video players also have a full-screen button.

To exit from the full-screen in these cases, you either press the ESC key, or click the 'return to normal size' button, or perhaps right click and make a choice on the menu.

2] Downloaded files. If a web site offers a file download, you would normally select to "Save to file", instead of running the file. This is so you can scan the file for viruses before opening it.

Once scanned and assuming the file is malware free, then you can double click the file and watch it in the media player. But different file types will use different media players, for example, RM files will play in Real Player, and WMP files will normally play in Windows Media Player. However, users can change these file associations themselves to choose different media players as their default players.

Without knowing more about what you do, where the files come from, and what media players are used, I am not sure what advice can be given. Have you tried right clicking the full-screen window and selecting "Video size", or similar?

Mark

Thank you so much I have been pulling my hair out trying to solve this problem. I have looked at several on line help but nothing worked. Your solation was so fast and simple and it worked.

Thank you again