Preventing XP creating copies of files selected for deleting

[duncan]

When I use Ctrl + click to select random image files in Windows Explorer [or My Documents] prior to deleting them, Windows XP has the irritating habit of making copies of the same files before it deletes those selected. Sometimes XP appears to make more than one copy and the files multiply like a deranged electronic Hydra.

The confusing thing is that it does not ALWAYS happen! I suspect operator error of some sort i.e. I have or have not ticked some box somewhere. But it is not just me; a friend of mine has the exact same problem on their home computer.

Can someone please therefore advise how to select image files for
deletion WITHOUT Windows making copies?

Many thanks for any help.

Duncan

[K0LO]

duncan:

I was just helping my wife with the exact same issue last night while she was trying to rearrange her photos. She kept making copy after copy of her photos accidentally.

In Windows, if you hold the control key down while moving an icon, even slightly, then you will make a copy.

When you're doing a multiple-select and holding the control key down you have to be careful to only click on each additional item. If you click and then move the mouse even slightly while the left mouse button is held down, Windows will interpret this as a "drag" movement, and control + drag = copy.

To fix you need to be careful to only "click" while you're holding down the control key doing a multiple select.

You may be able to control the sensitivity of this function with TweakUI. There's a setting for "Mouse Sensitivity" that lets you specify how many pixels are interpreted as a "Drag". The default is 4 pixels. Perhaps you could set this higher to get around the problem. I tried 10 pixels and that seems to help.

Maybe I need to do this to wifey's computer.....

[duncan]

Excellent! Thanks a lot Mark. I'm sure you are right - inadvertent dragging. Thanks also for the suggested tweak; sounds like an excellent idea and I shall set about upping the 4px to 10px forthwith!
Duncan

[duncan]

...errm. TweakUI? What's that? and where does it live? Tried searching in XP 'Help' for both TweakUI and 'mouse sensitivity' but came away empty handed. Thanks for any info. Duncan

[christopher_wolf]

Search for it on Microsofts site; it is a download that lets you "tweak" your GUIs.

[duncan]

Okey dokey. Thanks for the pointer. Duncan

[GomJabbar]

...errm. TweakUI? What's that? and where does it live? Tried searching in XP 'Help' for both TweakUI and 'mouse sensitivity' but came away empty handed. Thanks for any info. Duncan

Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP

[duncan]

Thanks for the link GomJabbar. Been there, done that and in case there is anyone else out there stumbling in this direction, I can report that, although PowerToys may look a bit 'nerdy' the files download quickly and install easily. [The download links are on the right with a brief text description in the centre of the page.] I grabbed TweakUI and a few others as nobody was looking. As advised in an earlier post I have increased the mouse sensitivity from 4 to 10 pixels. Now if I could just get the hand tremor under control...

Thanks for all the help.

Duncan