Q: I have enabled the Show hidden files and folders setting in the Folder Options. Now, the two Desktop.ini icons are now showing on the desktop. I know that one comes from the C:\Users\Public\Desktop, the other comes from the current users Desktop folder. How do I hide them whilst still keeping other hidden files and folder visible?
A: The two desktop.ini files by default have the System, Hidden and Read-only attributes assigned. So they should not be showing on the Desktop unless the following option is disabled in Folder Options:
Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)
When I faced this problem in my own computer running Windows Vista, the option Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) was already enabled. Later I found that the ShowSuperHidden value was not present in the registry, but its corresponding GUI option Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) is enabled though. This sounds like a bug to me.
Fix
I then got this working by opening Folder Options (by typing CONTROL FOLDERS in Start – Search box), unchecked Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) and clicked Apply. Then re-checked the option and clicked Apply, OK.
The two desktop.ini files are no longer visible on the Desktop.
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I was dumb enough to completely remove them from the desktop without saving a back up of the two ini files first! *facepalm* , now my desktop is acting weird some time after booting, resulting in ‘focus loss’ of the icons in the system tray so that you can’t double click on them to open programs/what not.
Really frustrating.
Is there a way to get them on the desktop again, back-up somewhere to be found in the windows directory or online? Am using vista home premium 32 bit.
Cheers,
Richard
thanks all I was about to delete these desktop.ini files considering them as bugs
a method of curing headache by cutting the head off.
I want to see system files, except not on desktop…
Yay! All better. “the googler” saves the day again.
thnx…its gone!!!!!!
this solution does not work for vista 64 business. any other ideas?
haha…thank you very much…mr. genius….
Thats been annoying me for months. Nice !!!
This is one of the most annoying problems with Vista. In XP you can set everything to show and yet you don’t get the desktop.ini’s on the desktop.