1. Goto “Organize -> Folder & Search Options“.
2. In “View” tab, enable “Show hidden files and folders” option and disable “Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)” option.
3. Now check the Desktop, u’ll get 2 “desktop.ini” files on desktop.
Now first thing wth there are 2 desktop.ini files? I came to know that 1 file is for current user and 1 for all users profile.
Ok, but why these files are shown on desktop after enabling/disabling above mentioned options?
In earlier versions of windows (like XP) no such file was shown on desktop even the file exists in desktop folder, but it was not used to show on desktop. It was a good feature.
But in Vista, it looks so annoying. Many users like me enable “show hidden files/folders” option and disable the option “hide protected system files”. But if we do so, then desktop starts showing those 2 ugly files. I want a clean desktop, as clean as possible. So its too annoying.
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Bob said:
Hey dude,
Why do you want to see hidden files on your desktop? Just say dont show hidden files or folders and apply it only to your desktop folder.
They go away. Its really no big deal, hidden files on the desktop that you WANT to see shouldnt have the hidden attribute even set. Thats just dumb
VG said:
Hi Bob
You didnt read it carefully. First of all “Show Hidden files/folders” option affects all file/folders. You can’t set it to any particular folder.
And the goof-up was. Many ppl enable “show hidden files/folders” and “Show Protected system files” options but it should not show those 2 desktop.ini files on desktop.
If you remember, windows XP didnt show such files even after setting those 2 options.
Also in “Temporary Internet Files”, “History”, “Recent Files”, etc folder “Desktop.ini” file exists but doesnt show even after enabling both options. But its strange that the same file shows on desktop.
Thats why I called it goof-up. I hope you got the point.
colby said:
I’m with you.. I can’t stand the two hidden ini files, and so far can’t find any fix.
the best thing I came up with is to hide them on my second desktop and make my sidebar always on top.. you never see them.. but you ‘always’ have to have sidebar running, which i hate.
VG said:
^^ Thanks. Thats what I was talking about.
Coldplayer said:
umm i just deleted them….easiest way to fix it..they dont come back or anything…and also there arnt any bad side effects…
Powerking said:
I’ve got the fix…install an operating system that works well…like Linux, or if you MUST Windows XP. Dont buy into the Vista garbage….
VG said:
^^ lol.
VaibhaV said:
If you really want to see hidden files, then you must also see the DESKTOP.INI -whats the issue here? Isn’t is great that you get to see ALL the hidden files? You bear with the hidden/system files in other folders, then why not on the desktop?
The best solution would be to enable the Show Hidden Files option only when you need to see the hidden files and keep it disabled the rest of the time. Workarounds are always better
VG said:
^^ Its not about hidden files. Its about the system files which are used to distinguish special folders like Desktop, Temporary Internet Files, History, Cookies from other folders.
If you see carefully, “Desktop.ini” file is not visible in these remaining folder even after enabling Show hidden files option and disabling “Hide protected files” option, then why it shows on Desktop? Which is quite irritating.
UncleBob said:
I deleted these nasty files a while ago. Looks like it’s not a big deal. Everything is just fine so far. That was a good joke from Vista developers anyway.
Mike said:
Haha, I know EXACTLY what VG means, some people just dont understand how the more advanced user would want to have all hidden/system files shown at all times.. For windows XP it made an exception for the Desktop.. which was great! but in Vista it shows those horrible Desktop.ini’s
They are safe to delete, and I tested deleting them, refreshing the desktop and then tried to restore them but Windows said they were already there and asked to replace.. but I could no longer see them on the desktop. It looks like the feature from XP is still there but its a bit bugged.. it seemed to only kick in after deleting them. Odd..
VG said:
^^ Exactly. I’m glad you understood it completely.
Carmen said:
Actually, you can do it. You can have hidden and superhidden files showing, and not see the desktop.ini files on your desktop. What you do is:
1) Assign a blank (transparent) default icon to .ini files (inifiles on the registry).
)
2) If you have “show extensions” enabled, you need to add a value in the registry to not show the extensions only for .ini files (NeverShowExt).
3) Finally, use a free program such as iconoid to make the text of your desktop icons be the same color as you desktop’s background (assuming you are using a solid color, but if you are annoyed by desktop.ini files showing (as am I), you probably don’t have a full color picture of your baby niece as your background either
Note that none of your other desktop icons would show their text either, but that’s only an added bonus in my book… At least now I don’t have to Alt-255 them into oblivion…
Good luck!
cerhn said:
But it shouldn’t be necessary. There is such a thing as professionalism. Most semi-aware users are going to want to see hidden files. Those should not be stored by default on something so visible as the Desktop. It’s just bad design.
Invince_Z said:
hi there,
I hope i not too late.
I you enable both “Show hidden files and folders” and “Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)”, you still can hide both “Desktop.ini”.
The trick?
Right click on desktop –> View –> Untick “View Desktop Icons”.
* by doing this you’ll hide all files and folders on you desktop.
Gopinath M said:
Vista is making life more tough….
Carmen said:
>Right click on desktop –> View –> Untick “View Desktop Icons”.
>* by doing this you’ll hide all files and folders on you desktop.
I think the point is to hide only the .ini files, not every icon, file or folder on the desktop
Aravinda said:
I can’t understand why do you use Win Vista
Use Linux, No problem, No Virus !!