help renaming files!!!

[carolann]

We recently added an extra harddrive to give us more space and "my pictures" folder doesn't respond in the same way that it used to.
My first issue in not a big deal, but annoying just the same. I used to be able to grab a picture and move it to a different space in the order and it would click into that space and stay there. The pictures would remain evenly spaced and after closing the folder and reopening it, they would stay in the new order i had placed them in.
Now when i grab a pic and move it, it doesn't click into the space between 2 other pics but stays wherever i release it. Then after closing and reopening, the pictures are back in their original order according to the file name/number!
Also when trying to rename a pic a box pops up that says "if you change a file name extension the file may become unusable. Do you still want to change it?" We have many folders of pics and I'm very frustrated that i can't rename them.
So, does any one have any ideas as to why this is happening?
I would appreciate any suggestions that would help me to restore things back to the way they were.
Thanks!
Carol

[Spoiler]

Open My pictures and than look for View at the top of the window. Open it and look for arrange icons by...and than click auto arrange.

The renaming popup happens when you try to change the file extension. For example....

you have a file called pic.bmp and you change it to coolpic.jpg

you are changing a file from bmp to jpg. Windows sees that you are changing the extension and warns you about it. If you want to really change a file type than you have to convert it. Not just rename it.

[carolann]

Thanks for the reply.
So  you say "The renaming pop up happens when you try to change the file extension. For example...."
I'm not sure why this is happening. I used to just right click a picture hit rename and it would work.
I don't know what a file extension is. So I guess my question remains how can i successfully rename a pic?
Thanks

[SuperDave]

The file extension is the 3 letters after the dot. such as .jpg, .doc, .bmp. This extension tells the computer which program will open that particular file. The only method I've ever used to rename files is to right click the file, choose rename, erasing the name of the file being careful not to erase the extension, then type in the new name.

[Broni]

When you have file picture.jpg, and you try to rename it to picture1.jpg, you're fine, but when you try to rename it to picture1.xyz, then you'll get warning "if you change a file name extension the file may become unusable".
In the above example .jpg, .xyz are file extensions. Anything after "dot" is called "file extension".

[cryhelp]

Maybe this would be the easy way for you:  http://picasa.google.com/

[carolann]

Thank you for your responses!
Spoiler.....I found the auto arrange...problem solved.
SuperDave and Broni you are absolutely right...it works.
Thanks again for the help.
Carol

[programming_pat]

in windows explorer, drop down the tools menu and select folder options. under the view tab, check "hide file extentions for known file types". this will enable you to rename your pics without any hassles...

[Spoiler]

Glad it worked out for you!!

And welcome to Computer Hope!

[carolann]

Thanks Spoiler.....what a great forum!
Programming_pat, Thanks for the tip. This was obviously checked in my old hard drive as I never had trouble renaming pics previously.
I've clicked it, and just as you said, renaming  pics is now hassle free.
Thanks again,
Carol