Here are the details to re-create this bug:
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 and you'll see 2 "desktop.ini" files on desktop.
Now you'll say what's the bug here? The bug is, these 2 files should not be visible on Desktop at all. In earlier versions of windows (like XP) no such files were shown on desktop even the file exists in desktop folder. These files are used to customize folder settings.
I came to know that one file is for current user settings and the other file is for all users profile settings.
Many power users enable "show hidden files/folders" option and disable the option "hide protected system files" in their system but also they want a clean desktop. But its not the case in Vista.
To make it more clear, "Desktop.ini" file also exists in other system folders like "Temporary Internet Files", "History", etc but these folders don't show these files even after enabling/disabling the options mentioned in Step2, then why Desktop shows these 2 files? Strange, very strange...
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Doug
I found this fix elsewhere on the internet: Go to Folder Options (by typing "control folders" in the Start – Search box). In the "View" tab, uncheck the "Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)" and then click "Apply" and "OK." Then go back in and re-check the option and click "Apply" and "OK" again. It worked for me.
Darth GTB
Ok... but the problem here (not realy a problem... just... another Vista bug?) is the fact we want to see this kind of files but not in de desktop. Like it was in XP... in XP you only will see this files in desktop if you go to desktop by explorer. In the desktop as "desktop" it dont appear in XP
and another problem i had (after deleting the desktop.ini files didnt happen again) was my profile logging in as the system profile.
[sent in 11/15/2009]
s.
One more thing of note is: how the hell did they manage to put two files with identical filename in one directory?
Darth GTB
it's simply because there is actually 2 directories
the User desktop and the system profile desktop
well... i think now i will have peace with this and other bugs... i will install XP or Seven in my notebook... i have it free because my university have some kind of contract with microsoft and they let students try it for free (IT students)
Spartan
Hi there,
For some reasons or due to bugs and malware and viruses your VISTA operating system files are not protected. To do this and hide desktop.ini 2 files in Vista, proceed as follows:
Open Explorer/Organize/Folder and search options/View/Hide protected operationg system files (recomanded)
Voila....you are done.
Perform a deep Virus check and Malware check of your OS and you will find milions of viruses, troyans and malware on your system....
Hope this hepls...
Merry Christmas everybody!
Spartan
Darth GTB
Spartan,
obviously you didnt read the other replies right?
and this is not a virus...
Panda X
One's for the Desktop namespace the other's for %userprofile%\Desktop
Cerno
Windows XP did not have this problem simply because by default there were no Desktop.ini files in the Desktop folder and so did not appear on the desktop even if you had the "Hide protected operating system files" option de-selected. The desktop folder is normally only used by the system so does not really need to be customised. Under XP go into c:\documents and settings\users profile and customise the Desktop folder and see the Desktop.ini file appear on the desktop if you have the "Hide protected operating system files" de-selected.
The difference with Vista and Windows 7 is that there are Desktop.ini files in the desktop folders for some reason and so as soon as you unhide hidden operating system files they appear. Not sure why they have these but most likely due to the extra Vista/Win7 customisablility.
John
I am puzzled as to how the system makes use of one of two identically named files (both stored in an identical location) without confusing between the two of them. How does the system know which one to use? (I've read their respective contents in Notepad and they point to different locations or values).
By the way, re your initial advice, how do you get to that opening "Organize"? It's not on my startup menu list of options. I got to the later options you've listed by some route on the day a few weeks ago when I put hidden files on view, but now I can't remember how I did it, and the overall process of getting to things in general in Vista is about as clear as Mist.
It bugs me in particular that the tree hierarchy is not as transparent in Vista as it was in XP. The "folder up a level" button (which helped users be clear about the pathway to a location) has been taken away from us - why? The way of bringing up guidance on a given topic is often sooo counter-intuitive. If you do find some particularly useful official tip / help / sources of advice, often by an obscure and unexpected route, you can't determine its pathway location and save it as a desktop shortcut. Vista is like those supermarkets that keep hiding the milk.
PS I only bought "Appalling Vista" because the shopkeeper said XP was unavailable and had been withdrawn. I pleaded for XP but he said no way, it was impossible. Thanks Microsoft, for making customer choices on our behalf. We're too dumb to know what we really want; luckily the experts in Redmond know what medicine is best for us.
bug bug bug
This is a bug. Don't come saying the desktop isn't a special folder because it is and should be. When i set my options i mean those to be used in the FILE EXPLORER only, not there and randomly across the system. My advice: if u have to use vista, live with it.