Last updated 13:01, Thursday, 10 April 2008

Alan Cleaver helps solve a sticky PC problem

Q WHEN I put my memory stick in to the USB port on my computer it immediately launches Photoshop. But I don’t always want to use Photoshop to look at the pictures. How can I stop this happening?

A: Memory sticks are fast taking over from CD-Roms as the method for storing data. They are quick and easy to use and can store huge amounts of data.

Normally when you insert one into the USB port of a computer it asks you what you want to do: open the folder to view the files, copy them onto your computer, launch a program or various other options. And you can tick a box to always do your preferred option. I suspect you once wrongly ticked that box and now it’s stuck like it.

But it is quite easy to get it back. Go to Start/My Computer (or there may be a My Computer icon on your desktop so just double-click on that).

Choose the drive your memory stick uses (if you’re not sure, put a memory stick in check). Right-click on that drive icon and choose Properties.

Click on the Autoplay tab and you’ll see a list of options for various types of file.

The safest option is to choose ‘Prompt me each time to choose an action’ for every file type.