Pompeyfan, you really need to get some decent software. I'm not familiar with Saphire's suggestion but it is doubtless a good one. Irfanview is free and very good. Picassa is also free and has its fans, and the peerless PMView is free to try and cheap to buy. (
http://pmview.com ) There are lots of others, many of them excellent.
I've never used HP Image Zone but from what you have written about it, it sounds like a classic piece of junk. Would you use a 1MP camera with no exposure controls and fixed focus? Why inflict equally primitive software on yourself?
Seriously, do yourself a favour and get some decent software. You will not regret it.