Desktop.ini Icon shows up on Desktop?

[Mackenrick]

I was working on the computer today using several programs and when I went
back to the desktop, I noticed a sort of ghosted out icon that looks like a
gear on top of a sheet of lined paper and the words "desktop.ini" under it.
I have no idea how it got there. Is it safe for me to delete it or is there
a better way of getting rid of it. Thank you for your help.

Win Vista Sp1 32

 

[Malke]

I was working on the computer today using several programs and when I went
back to the desktop, I noticed a sort of ghosted out icon that looks like
a gear on top of a sheet of lined paper and the words "desktop.ini" under
it.
I have no idea how it got there. Is it safe for me to delete it or is
there
a better way of getting rid of it. Thank you for your help.

Win Vista Sp1 32

Control Panel>Folder Options - put a checkmark in "Hide protected operating
system icons" (paraphrasing, exact language may be slightly different).

Malke

 

[Mackenrick]

Thanks for the quick reply Malke. On my computer it is worded ""Hide
protected operating system files" (none that says "icons").

I'm curious why it just showed up on my desktop when this setting "Hide
protected operating system files" has been UNSELECTED for around a month or
two. I'm really curious because it appears as an ICON on my desktop.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Thanks for the quick reply Malke. On my computer it is worded ""Hide
protected operating system files" (none that says "icons").

I'm curious why it just showed up on my desktop when this setting "Hide
protected operating system files" has been UNSELECTED for around a month or
two. I'm really curious because it appears as an ICON on my desktop.

The OS uses the desktop.ini file to help it arrange the appearance of the
folder it's in. That's about all I know, so don't ask me any embarrassing
questions

Anyway, the file might not be there until the OS decides it needs it (by
some magic - see above remark). IIRC, the same name appears in other
directories as well.

I think it's OK to delete it. The OS will recreate it if needed. I *think*.

The one on my desktop contains two lines of text, one a section descriptor
[something], and the other a description of a shortcut or of a shortcut's
icon, I can't tell which.

I just renamed my desktop.ini file, replacing "ini" by "nin". I had to
click OK about fifty times (well, actually, five or six) to do it. I won't
report on its effect, though, because it'll render my computer useless and
I won't be able to come back to the newsgroup.

Just kidding on the last...

 

[Saucy]

Thanks for the quick reply Malke. On my computer it is worded ""Hide
protected operating system files" (none that says "icons").

I'm curious why it just showed up on my desktop when this setting "Hide
protected operating system files" has been UNSELECTED for around a month
or
two. I'm really curious because it appears as an ICON on my desktop.

The OS uses the desktop.ini file to help it arrange the appearance of the
folder it's in. That's about all I know, so don't ask me any embarrassing
questions

Anyway, the file might not be there until the OS decides it needs it (by
some magic - see above remark). IIRC, the same name appears in other
directories as well.

I think it's OK to delete it. The OS will recreate it if needed. I
*think*.

The one on my desktop contains two lines of text, one a section descriptor
[something], and the other a description of a shortcut or of a shortcut's
icon, I can't tell which.

I just renamed my desktop.ini file, replacing "ini" by "nin". I had to
click OK about fifty times (well, actually, five or six) to do it. I won't
report on its effect, though, because it'll render my computer useless and
I won't be able to come back to the newsgroup.

Just kidding on the last...

Yup, it will be regenerated by the OS from time to time. And I've deleted it
from time to time and have noticed no deleterious effect from doing so.

Saucy

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Thanks for the quick reply Malke. On my computer it is worded ""Hide
protected operating system files" (none that says "icons").

I'm curious why it just showed up on my desktop when this setting "Hide
protected operating system files" has been UNSELECTED for around a month
or
two. I'm really curious because it appears as an ICON on my desktop.

The OS uses the desktop.ini file to help it arrange the appearance of the
folder it's in. That's about all I know, so don't ask me any embarrassing
questions

Anyway, the file might not be there until the OS decides it needs it (by
some magic - see above remark). IIRC, the same name appears in other
directories as well.

I think it's OK to delete it. The OS will recreate it if needed. I
*think*.

The one on my desktop contains two lines of text, one a section descriptor
[something], and the other a description of a shortcut or of a shortcut's
icon, I can't tell which.

I just renamed my desktop.ini file, replacing "ini" by "nin". I had to
click OK about fifty times (well, actually, five or six) to do it. I won't
report on its effect, though, because it'll render my computer useless and
I won't be able to come back to the newsgroup.

Just kidding on the last...

Yup, it will be regenerated by the OS from time to time. And I've deleted it
from time to time and have noticed no deleterious effect from doing so.

Saucy

When I read your reply, everything was still fine, but I realized I hadn't
rebooted since before I renamed the desktop.ini file. Since I am
superstitious (i.e., I don't know everything), I thought that before
replying to your post I should reboot to see if there were any problems
with startup.

So I rebooted; everything is still fine - as you and I both expected.

I've deleted desktop.ini files before, but this was the first time in
Vista.