What is "desktop.ini"?

I have two icons on my desktop that are named "desktop.ini". They were
there with my Vista and now they are there on my W7. When I click on them
they appear to be some kind of script that I don't understand. Can I delete
them? Hide them? How? TIA, Paul

"Paul H" <> wrote in message
news:...
> I have two icons on my desktop that are named "desktop.ini". They were
> there with my Vista and now they are there on my W7. When I click on them
> they appear to be some kind of script that I don't understand. Can I
> delete
> them? Hide them? How? TIA, Paul
>

Hide them. In Windows Explorer do Organize - Folder and Search Options -
View and check "Don't show hidden folders, files or drives"

Thanks - it worked - but what will I miss that I prefer/need to see?

"Gordon" <> wrote in message
news:...

"Paul H" <> wrote in message
news:...
> I have two icons on my desktop that are named "desktop.ini". They were
> there with my Vista and now they are there on my W7. When I click on them
> they appear to be some kind of script that I don't understand. Can I
> delete
> them? Hide them? How? TIA, Paul
>

Hide them. In Windows Explorer do Organize - Folder and Search Options -
View and check "Don't show hidden folders, files or drives"

"Paul H" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Thanks - it worked - but what will I miss that I prefer/need to see?
>

Nothing really - unless you need to look at users/account name/AppData -
when you just reverse the process!

You have probably customized the display of a folder in any way, such a
changing its icon or manner of display. Windows has saved those setting
in a desktop.ini file. You have probably also enabled hidden files. I
you disable those (in Organize > Folder and Search Options > View tab)
it will disappear from the desktop

--
whs

On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:31:23 -0600, "Paul H"
<> wrote:

>I have two icons on my desktop that are named "desktop.ini". They were
>there with my Vista and now they are there on my W7. When I click on them
>they appear to be some kind of script that I don't understand. Can I delete
>them? Hide them? How? TIA, Paul

What is it? See here:-

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...02(VS.85).aspx


--
----------------
Stubbo of Oz
----------------

Whoa! TMI! Overload! So I gather that I caused these by changing icons -
yup, I've done that. If I delete one, the icon will revert?

"Stubbo of Oz" <> wrote in message
news:...
On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:31:23 -0600, "Paul H"
<> wrote:

>I have two icons on my desktop that are named "desktop.ini". They were
>there with my Vista and now they are there on my W7. When I click on them
>they appear to be some kind of script that I don't understand. Can I
>delete
>them? Hide them? How? TIA, Paul

What is it? See here:-

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...02(VS.85).aspx


--
----------------
Stubbo of Oz
----------------

On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:52:57 -0600, "Paul H"
<> wrote:

> Thanks - it worked - but what will I miss that I prefer/need to see?


In my view, hiding them at the expense of also hiding all other hidden
files is a bad mistake. I think everybody should always see all files,
hidden or not.



> "Gordon" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>
> "Paul H" <> wrote in message
> news:...
> > I have two icons on my desktop that are named "desktop.ini". They were
> > there with my Vista and now they are there on my W7. When I click on them
> > they appear to be some kind of script that I don't understand. Can I
> > delete
> > them? Hide them? How? TIA, Paul
> >
>
> Hide them. In Windows Explorer do Organize - Folder and Search Options -
> View and check "Don't show hidden folders, files or drives"

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

"Paul H" <> wrote in message
news:eOKJ6B#...
> Whoa! TMI! Overload! So I gather that I caused these by changing
> icons -
> yup, I've done that. If I delete one, the icon will revert?

There is nothing wrong with sending the desktop item to the trash can.
Deleting this icon will not delete the file, as you are going to discover
when you do it.
Just leave your files visible and not hidden, as mentioned.
'Ship Ahoy',

Harry.

>
> "Stubbo of Oz" <> wrote in message
> news:...
> On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:31:23 -0600, "Paul H"
> <> wrote:
>
>>I have two icons on my desktop that are named "desktop.ini". They were
>>there with my Vista and now they are there on my W7. When I click on them
>>they appear to be some kind of script that I don't understand. Can I
>>delete
>>them? Hide them? How? TIA, Paul
>
> What is it? See here:-
>
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...02(VS.85).aspx
>
>
> --
> ----------------
> Stubbo of Oz
> ----------------
>

Who gave bad advice? You didn't include a snippit of the post. I guess
that is beyond your comprehension and abilities. Just like setting your
clock.

Too bad.

"Stan Starinski" <China@stealsUSJobsPatentsSoftwareMusicVideo> wrote in
message news:#j$#...
> You just gave a bad advise to customer.
>
> 1) Hiding all hidden/system/protected files in order to server just 2
> little files, is overkil.
> Customer did not ask to hide them all, he merely asked WHAT are these
> files.
>
> 2) Hiding any of the above is absolutely not an option for even power
> users, let alone professionals.
> I personally would be unhappy if even one bis of my diskdrives is hidden.
> Remember how it was until late 1990's?
> Operating System would show you disk true content.
> With Windows95 it started to get warped.
> Now it's really fuzzy in WinXP/Vista/Win7.
> There're all kinds on fake folders, junctions, things that don't exist
> physically on your disk, yet files which exist are sometimes shrouded in
> mystery.
>
> I am not a fan of this.
> But it was done to serve general public, home users & other dummies who
> otherwise used to f-up their computers because they would click &
> delete/rename/move system files.
> SO hiding it is an option for newbies.
> Butr don't give this advise to professionals.