copying photos problems, please help!

Hi, new user but I found you in a desperate search for info and hope
someone can help.
I tried to copy some of my vast numbers of photos onto a disc to take
to show my Mum this morning and as I was highlighting them to copy my
computer was busily copying them back into the same file. As I tried
to delete those copies it copied them again and then copied the
copies!
I now have thousands of copied photos that I don't want! I spent an
hour (yes really) putting them all in a file but it won't let me
delete it as it says that it is in use in another application (it
isn't cos I've shut everything)
Please someone help me! Why did it do that? How can I stop it
happening again?( I want to copy more but daren't) and how do I get
rid of all the unwanted copies which are going to fill up my storage!

Many thanks

"Dizzy" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi, new user but I found you in a desperate search for info and hope
someone can help.
I tried to copy some of my vast numbers of photos onto a disc to take
to show my Mum this morning and as I was highlighting them to copy my
computer was busily copying them back into the same file. As I tried
to delete those copies it copied them again and then copied the
copies!
I now have thousands of copied photos that I don't want! I spent an
hour (yes really) putting them all in a file but it won't let me
delete it as it says that it is in use in another application (it
isn't cos I've shut everything)
Please someone help me! Why did it do that? How can I stop it
happening again?( I want to copy more but daren't) and how do I get
rid of all the unwanted copies which are going to fill up my storage!

Many thanks


Some questions:

What operating system are you using?

Do you understand the difference between a folder and a file?

What do you mean by "disc"; is this a CD or DVD or removable USB disc like a
thumb drive?

In your struggle to solve this, there is a chance you'll delete the lot, so
be very careful when the advice starts flowing in.

Dizzy wrote:
Hi, new user but I found you in a desperate search for info and hope
someone can help.
I tried to copy some of my vast numbers of photos onto a disc to take
to show my Mum this morning and as I was highlighting them to copy my
computer was busily copying them back into the same file. As I tried
to delete those copies it copied them again and then copied the
copies!
I now have thousands of copied photos that I don't want! I spent an
hour (yes really) putting them all in a file but it won't let me
delete it as it says that it is in use in another application (it
isn't cos I've shut everything)
Please someone help me! Why did it do that? How can I stop it
happening again?( I want to copy more but daren't) and how do I get
rid of all the unwanted copies which are going to fill up my storage!

Many thanks

What application were you using to copy the files to a disk? Do you mean a
CD-Rom disk?

To copy files to a cd-rom disk you mneed to have a "burning" application
such as Roxio or Nero.

"a disc" could mean anything!

Dennis.

On 29 Sep, 10:29, "Dennis Pogson"
wrote:
Dizzy wrote:
Hi, new user but I found you in a desperate search for info and hope
someone can help.
I tried to copy some of my vast numbers of photos onto a disc to take
to show my Mum this morning and as I was highlighting them to copy my
computer was busily copying them back into the same file. As I tried
to delete those copies it copied them again and then copied the
copies!
I now have thousands of copied photos that I don't want! I spent an
hour (yes really) putting them all in a file but it won't let me
delete it as it says that it is in use in another application (it
isn't cos I've shut everything)
Please someone help me! Why did it do that? How can I stop it
happening again?( I want to copy more but daren't) and how do I get
rid of all the unwanted copies which are going to fill up my storage!

Many thanks

What application were you using to copy the files to a disk? Do you mean a
CD-Rom disk?

To copy files to a cd-rom disk you mneed to have a "burning" application
such as Roxio or Nero.

"a disc" could mean anything!

Dennis.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Oh, sorry, just shows what a dork I am really!
Ok, I have Nero, I was trying to burn them onto a cd-rom.
Operating system is Windows XP.
I do know the difference between a file and a folder I was just
stressed by it all and I meant I have put all the copied ones into a
folder!!
Thanks for the advice re deleting the lot, this is what I am worried
about, these are irreplaceable photos of our growing foal!

Dizzy wrote:
Hi, new user but I found you in a desperate search for info and hope
someone can help.
I tried to copy some of my vast numbers of photos onto a disc to take
to show my Mum this morning and as I was highlighting them to copy my
computer was busily copying them back into the same file. As I tried
to delete those copies it copied them again and then copied the
copies!
I now have thousands of copied photos that I don't want! I spent an
hour (yes really) putting them all in a file but it won't let me
delete it as it says that it is in use in another application (it
isn't cos I've shut everything)
Please someone help me! Why did it do that? How can I stop it
happening again?( I want to copy more but daren't) and how do I get
rid of all the unwanted copies which are going to fill up my storage!

Many thanKS

Select the lot of them (single click one and then hit CTRL and a at the same
time) and click right click one of the selected files. Select properties
from the list and make sure that "read only" is NOT checked. If XP askes if
you want this applied to all of your pics say yes.

That could be the problem. Hope this helps.

On Sep 30, 3:58 am, "CL]-[D" wrote:
Dizzy wrote:
Hi, new user but I found you in a desperate search for info and hope
someone can help.
I tried to copy some of my vast numbers of photos onto a disc to take
to show my Mum this morning and as I was highlighting them to copy my
computer was busily copying them back into the same file. As I tried
to delete those copies it copied them again and then copied the
copies!
I now have thousands of copied photos that I don't want! I spent an
hour (yes really) putting them all in a file but it won't let me
delete it as it says that it is in use in another application (it
isn't cos I've shut everything)
Please someone help me! Why did it do that? How can I stop it
happening again?( I want to copy more but daren't) and how do I get
rid of all the unwanted copies which are going to fill up my storage!

Many thanKS

Select the lot of them (single click one and then hit CTRL and a at the same
time) and click right click one of the selected files. Select properties
from the list and make sure that "read only" is NOT checked. If XP askes if
you want this applied to all of your pics say yes.

That could be the problem. Hope this helps.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Oh Lor', what have I done now? I did what you said and ticked the
hidden box, it has now blurred all the photos in the preview screen so
they are difficult to see? Thet still seem to open ok. Can I change
them back? BTW the read only wasn't checked and the hidden was a green
square which I changed to a tick?
Thanks for all the help by the way.

Dizzy wrote in
oups.com:

On Sep 30, 3:58 am, "CL]-[D" wrote:
Dizzy wrote:
Hi, new user but I found you in a desperate search for info and
hope someone can help.
I tried to copy some of my vast numbers of photos onto a disc to
take to show my Mum this morning and as I was highlighting them to
copy my computer was busily copying them back into the same file.
As I tried to delete those copies it copied them again and then
copied the copies!
I now have thousands of copied photos that I don't want! I spent an
hour (yes really) putting them all in a file but it won't let me
delete it as it says that it is in use in another application (it
isn't cos I've shut everything)
Please someone help me! Why did it do that? How can I stop it
happening again?( I want to copy more but daren't) and how do I get
rid of all the unwanted copies which are going to fill up my
storage!

It did that because when you were selecting the files, you moved the mouse
while you had the button pushed. This tells the computer to copy the files
to that folder, just the same as if you dragged them to another folder.
Next time hold the mouse still while clicking on the files.

Many thanKS

Select the lot of them (single click one and then hit CTRL and a at
the same time) and click right click one of the selected files.
Select properties from the list and make sure that "read only" is NOT
checked. If XP askes if you want this applied to all of your pics say
yes.

That could be the problem. Hope this helps.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Oh Lor', what have I done now? I did what you said and ticked the
hidden box, it has now blurred all the photos in the preview screen so
they are difficult to see? Thet still seem to open ok. Can I change
them back? BTW the read only wasn't checked and the hidden was a green
square which I changed to a tick?
Thanks for all the help by the way.


What have you done now? You didn't follow what you were told, that's what.
You were supposed to just check that "read only" was unticked. You were
not supposed to tick "hidden" or anything else. Now, highlight the files
again and untick "hidden".

"Dizzy" wrote in message
oups.com...
On 29 Sep, 10:29, "Dennis Pogson"
wrote:
Dizzy wrote:
Hi, new user but I found you in a desperate search for info and
hope
someone can help.
I tried to copy some of my vast numbers of photos onto a disc to
take
to show my Mum this morning and as I was highlighting them to copy
my
computer was busily copying them back into the same file. As I
tried
to delete those copies it copied them again and then copied the
copies!
I now have thousands of copied photos that I don't want! I spent an
hour (yes really) putting them all in a file but it won't let me
delete it as it says that it is in use in another application (it
isn't cos I've shut everything)
Please someone help me! Why did it do that? How can I stop it
happening again?( I want to copy more but daren't) and how do I get
rid of all the unwanted copies which are going to fill up my
storage!

Many thanks

What application were you using to copy the files to a disk? Do you
mean a
CD-Rom disk?

To copy files to a cd-rom disk you mneed to have a "burning"
application
such as Roxio or Nero.

"a disc" could mean anything!

Dennis.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Oh, sorry, just shows what a dork I am really!
Ok, I have Nero, I was trying to burn them onto a cd-rom.
Operating system is Windows XP.
I do know the difference between a file and a folder I was just
stressed by it all and I meant I have put all the copied ones into a
folder!!
Thanks for the advice re deleting the lot, this is what I am worried
about, these are irreplaceable photos of our growing foal!


If these are truly "irreplaceable photos of our growing foal!!" (or
anything else for that matter), I would STRONGLY suggest you do
some research into how to make backup copies of your "priceless"
photos. Sooner or later, something will happen to them if you only
have one copy (disk crash, operator error, fire, theft ... ).
Spend some time looking into "photo backup" or "photo archive"
methods.

mikey

In article . com,
Dizzy wrote:

now have thousands of copied photos that I don't want! I spent an
hour (yes really) putting them all in a file but it won't let me
delete it as it says that it is in use in another application (it
isn't cos I've shut everything)
Please someone help me! Why did it do that? How can I stop it
happening again?

I don't know why this happens, but I get the same problem on occasions. I
have solved the problem, sometimes, by just re-launchcing the Finder , but
most often restarting the whole shebang.

This has never resulted in the problem surviving through the re-boot. BTW,
Cmd+Option+esc will bring up the Force Quit window even if the Spinning
Wheel of Death is there. It may take a little longer than usual, but who
cares? It's only 72.472 sec. out of your life. :=)
--
After four decimal places, who cares?

Bob in Central California