icons

[daliscar55]

id like to ask a few really basic questions.

firstly i have just added an external hard drive to my computer and added a logo, but everytime i switch the computer off, it reverts back to original usb logo. why isnt it staying?

also i have an external dvd drive which i was thinking would have an icon on the desktop (firewire connection), it works fine but no sign its linked. is there a way to get this sorted?

thanks, and i bow to your knowledge...... daliscar55

 

[yellow]

firstly i have just added an external hard drive to my computer and added a logo, but everytime i switch the computer off, it reverts back to original usb logo. why isnt it staying?

How are you adding the icon?

also i have an external dvd drive which i was thinking would have an icon on the desktop (firewire connection), it works fine but no sign its linked. is there a way to get this sorted?

It doesn't work like that. When you put in optical media, THEY will show up on the Desktop.

 

[stevep]

To change an icon:
First get some icons. If you want some new ones try http://www.widgetwidget.com - they do a set of really nice icons. Also http://www.iconfactory.com.
Then:
1. Select the icon file you want to use in the Finder.
2. Go to 'Show Info' in the Finder's File menu.
3. An info window will appear. Select the icon in the top left hand corner. It will be highlighted in blue once you have done so, Press command-c. Or go to 'Copy' in the Finder's Edit menu.
4. Select the application/document/file whose icon you want to change.
5. Once more, select 'Show Info' from the File menu, or press command-i.
6. Click on the icon in the window that has just popped up.
7. Press command-v. You have just pasted in the icon that was on the clipboard.

And what Yellow said about optical discs.

 

[daliscar55]

it surprise me that lacie wouldnt have a icon for the dvd drive, just so i know its active???

ive changed icons the way you described, everytime i reboot, it reverts back to original icon and name, almost like i need to do something to save the change.

also is there also a way to keep icons in place on the desktop?, they keep reverting back to their original place when rebooting.

 

[yellow]

it surprise me that lacie wouldnt have a icon for the dvd drive, just so i know its active???

Again, optical drives don't work like this..

 

[Sunrunner]

it surprise me that lacie wouldnt have a icon for the dvd drive, just so i know its active???

ive changed icons the way you described, everytime i reboot, it reverts back to original icon and name, almost like i need to do something to save the change.

also is there also a way to keep icons in place on the desktop?, they keep reverting back to their original place when rebooting.

Apple's OS typically doesnt icon an empty device, only the media itself when it is plugged in/inserted.

 

[stevep]

The screenshot shows the 'right-click, get info' dialog, after pasting in your icon of choice. If you do it as I've outlined above (on your ext hard drive) it will stick. I've got 2 icons as I've partitioned my ext drive.
The little dialog (right-click on the desktop and choose Show View Options shows that the 'Keep arranged by' tick box is unticked - if you tick it your icons will be arranged, otherwise they won't.
The optical drive thing - you get an icon on your desktop when you insert a disc, With no disc in, there's no volume to mount, so no icon.

 

[daliscar55]

thanks steve, but when i bring up the get info dialog, i cant get to the desktop folder (little dialog on the screen shot). right click on the desktop doesnt have 'show view options', only the standard options when right clicking on any icon/screen

 

[stevep]

thanks steve, but when i bring up the get info dialog, i cant get to the desktop folder (little dialog on the screen shot). right click on the desktop doesnt have 'show view options', only the standard options when right clicking on any icon/screen

Are you sure? Make sure you're on a blank area of the desktop, then either click once with the right mouse button (you have got a 2 button mouse, yes?) or hold the CTRL key down while you click once with the left button (or, in the case of the standard Apple mouse, the only button!). You should get this 'contextual' menu:

 

[daliscar55]

yes definetly, 2 button mouse yes, must not have something set, when i do that it has everyhting EXCEPT for new burn folder, show view options, and automator. and i have attach a folder action which yrs doesnt have.
do i need to change a setting somewhere to get these priviledges?

this is the same on both my internal and external hard drive 'get info' boxes.

 

[freeny]

try hitting "command+I" after highlighting the desired item. this will also bring up the info dialogue.

 

[stevep]

I should have asked at the start - what version OS are you using? (Please don't tell me you're using Windows XP or I'll feel really stupid..... )

 

[daliscar55]

freeny thanks, i have the initial get info data, but its the further 'little dialog' im having trouble accesing. im using panther, 10.3.5, not windows

 

[yellow]

Burn Folder and Automater are Tiger only.

 

[daliscar55]

so is the 'keep arranged by' tiger only too?

 

[daliscar55]

scuse me i mean 'show view options'

 

[yellow]

As a part of the contextualy menu? Possibly, probably.. I don't have any Panther boxes, so I cannot check. But ultimately, it has no baring on your issue, so I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[daliscar55]

ok so how can i solve my problem? i still cant get the icons to remain having done the 'get info' initial icon change, when rebooted it changes name and icon back to default

 

[yellow]

Don't know.. You are an admin user, correct? Because if you're not, then that's why it's not sticking. If you are, try doing it as root maybe? It's not a problem I've ever had.

 

[daliscar55]

admin yes, sorry but newbie

could you explain root a little more?

 

[yellow]

How to enable root.

Enable root.
Login as root.
Make your icon changes.
Logout of root.
Login as yourself.
DISABLE ROOT.

You don't NEED root to be enabled for any reason, particularly if you're not familar with what root is and what it does. So make sure you turn it off/disable it when you're done.

 

[LimeiBook86]

admin yes, sorry but newbie

could you explain root a little more?

Mac OS X 10.3 "Panther" does have a few glitches with icons from what I remember. Especially on the desktop. They should stay fine but, for some reason they aren't. Try logging out (Apple Menu > Log Out) and Log back in to see if they stay or if they reverted back to the default.

You can also try upgrading to Mac OS X 10.3.9 for free via Software Update (Apple Menu > Software Update), just makes sure you have a pretty fast internet connection (Not dial-up) or you'll be waiting forever. There may be updates in Software Update that might fix the problem if it is indeed just a little glitch and not a bigger problem.

Also if you have something to add on a previous reply you made do not make a new reply, simply edit your existing one by clicking the "edit" button. This helps keep things more organized rather than looking like a messy chat room.

Welcome to MR, and good luck

 

[daliscar55]

thanks, ill update my panther and see what happens, thanks so much for the advice!