Can't get icon off desktop

[Menno Hershberger]

I have an icon on a user's desktop that won't delete. It is for MS Outlook
and has been renamed "Don't use". If you right click and hit delete,
nothing happens... no error messages either. It just won't go away. In
Windows Explorer, I can't find it in thatuser\desktop or in All Users
\desktop. Where might this phantom thing be located and how do I get rid
of it?
By the way, if you double click it, it will open Outlook which has never
been set up. They obviously have some reason they don't want it used and
want the icon off the desktop.

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

Try deleting the icon from a command prompt.

 

[Menno Hershberger]

That'd be fine if I had any idea where to find it!

 

[Sparky Spartacus]

I have an icon on a user's desktop that won't delete. It is for MS Outlook
and has been renamed "Don't use". If you right click and hit delete,
nothing happens... no error messages either. It just won't go away. In
Windows Explorer, I can't find it in thatuser\desktop or in All Users
\desktop. Where might this phantom thing be located and how do I get rid
of it?
By the way, if you double click it, it will open Outlook which has never
been set up. They obviously have some reason they don't want it used and
want the icon off the desktop.

Download TweakUI from MS and uncheck Microsoft Outlook under Desktop
options:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

I use their Power Calculator a lot, also.

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

From Start>Run type

cmd

then when at the command prompt, if the default settings haven't been
changed, type

cd desktop

then

dir

to list the files in that folder. After that type

del filename

See if that deletes it.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

OL: How to Remove the Outlook Icon from Your Desktop:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=321777

 

[Menno Hershberger]

Download TweakUI from MS and uncheck Microsoft Outlook under Desktop
options:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

I use their Power Calculator a lot, also.

OK, what I found out. This was in a limited user's account. I changed it
to an administrator account and then tried to remove it again. I then got
a message about the hazards of removing the Outlook icon. I chose to do
it anyway and that did it. I hadn't realized that it was a "protected"
icon. I hadn't even thought about Powertoys, but I do remember now in
Windows 98 you could use TweakUI to remove Network Neighborhoos, recycle
bin, and others.
Thanks for the idea though... I'm sure it would have worked!

 

[Kelly]

Hi,

Remove it from: Start/Run/Regedit

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace

To restore, depending on which version of Outlook, see line 283 (right hand
side):
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

--
In memory of our dear friend, MVP Alex Nichol: http://www.dts-l.org/

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com