del ini file

  • Thread starter Thread starter Paul Mars
  • Start date Start date
P

Paul Mars

often I find ini files in various directories that I have made. What happens
if I delete one? Sometimes I move, rename, delete these directories.

Paul
 
The information contained in the ini file of coure would be gone.
double-click one and read it in Notepad.
 
Paul said:
often I find ini files in various directories that I have made. What
happens if I delete one?


The program that uses that ini file would probably either stop working
entirely, or rebuild the ini file with default values. Which it would do
depends entirely on the particular program and how it was coded to react to
that situation.
 
Tinker with them at your own risk. Why are you messing with the
ini files? Bored or what?

Doug W.
 
That desktop.ini file is for your Favorites folder.

If that desktop.ini file is in your Favorites folder and you delete the
desktop.ini file, the Favorites folder will no longer be special.

And you will be back here asking...

One of my special folders (e.g. My Documents, My Music, My
Pictures, Shared Documents, etc) has lost its name, lost its icon, or has
the wrong Task Pane template, how can I get it back?

These are all Special Folders...
Cookies, Control Panel, Desktop, Downloaded Program Files, Favorites, Fonts,
History, My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, My Videos, Recycle Bin, Shared
Documents, Shared Music, Shared Pictures, Shared Videos, SendTo, Start Menu,
Startup, Temporary Internet Files, etc.

Some info on Desktop.ini files pieced together from many sources...

File system folders are commonly displayed with a standard icon and set of
properties, which specify, for instance, whether or not the folder is
shared. The Desktop.ini file is a text file that specifies how a file
system folder will be viewed and handled. The most common use of the
Desktop.ini file is to assign a custom icon to a folder.

The desktop.ini can have info that lists the folder as a system file, hidden
and if deleted, it is recreated on the next boot. The desktop.ini can also
have info like a UICLSID line that hides the folder in Windows Explorer. And
a CLSID line that disables the Search utility from searching through the
folder.

Also the folder name info can be listed in the desktop.ini. For example,
the folder Shared Documents becomes just Documents if you remove the
desktop.ini.

In Windows XP, when you rename a read-only folder, a confirmation prompt is
not displayed that asks if you are sure you want to rename the folder and
the folder is immediately renamed.

This feature was changed because many folders that are marked as read-only
are named by the computer and not by the user. For example, a folder may be
marked as read-only if it has a custom icon or contains a Desktop.ini file.

The Desktop.ini file contains information regarding shell folders. This
file contains a unique Class ID (CLSID) that identifies what portion of the
shell it is in. If the CLSID line in the Desktop.ini file is removed or
changed the folder loses its name, icon or other special feature.


[[For example, when you open the Fonts folder in Windows Explorer, the
following commands may be missing from the Fonts folder menus. On the File
menu:
* Open
* Print
* Install New Font

On the View menu:
* List Fonts By Similarity
* Hide Variations (Bold, Italics, Etc.)

Among the causes, the Desktop.ini file may be missing or damaged. Note that
you do not see the Desktop.ini file when you view the Fonts folder. To see
the file, type or paste the following into the Run command:
c:\windows\fonts\desktop.ini

c:\windows\fonts\desktop.ini

[.ShellClassInfo]
UICLSID={BD84B380-8CA2-1069-AB1D-08000948F534}

Unlike the Read-only attribute for a file, the Read-only attribute for a
folder is typically ignored by Windows, Windows components and accessories,
and other programs. For example, you can delete, rename, and change a folder
with the Read-only attribute by using Windows Explorer. The Read-only and
System attributes is only used by Windows Explorer to determine whether the
folder is a special folder, such as a system folder that has its view
customized by Windows (for example, My Documents, Favorites, Fonts,
Downloaded Program Files), or a folder that you customized by using the
Customize tab of the folder's Properties dialog box. As a result, Windows
Explorer does not allow you to view or change the Read-only or System
attributes of folders. When a folder has the Read-Only attribute set it
causes Explorer to request the Desktop.ini of that folder to see if any
special folder settings need to be set. It has been seen where if a network
share that has a large amount of folders set to Read-only, it can cause
Explorer to take longer then what is expected to render the contents of that
share while it waits on the retrieval of the Desktop.ini files. The slower
the network connectivity to the share the longer this process can take to
the point where Explorer may timeout waiting for the data and render nothing
or appear to hang.

Note In some previous versions of Windows, you can change the Read-only
attribute for folders by using the Properties dialog box for the folder, but
no versions of Windows permit you to change the System attribute by using
Windows Explorer.

Windows may also store customization information in a hidden Desktop.ini
file in the folder. In this case, Windows sets the read-only attribute on
the folder to instruct Windows to look for the Desktop.ini file. The
read-only attribute does not prevent you from performing common file and
folder tasks (such as copy, move, delete, and rename), but the read-only
attribute can cause problems for some older programs.

The read-only attribute is not set, and Desktop.ini is not created, when you
customize a network share or a folder on a mapped network drive.

Special folders (such as hard disk folders, CD/DVD disc folders, Program
Files, My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, your Windows folder, Fonts,
Downloaded Program Files, and other similar folders) have their default
appearances set by Windows using a desktop.ini file.

SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to add a file to your Favorites folder, you may experience
one of the following symptoms:

* The OK button in the Add Favorite dialog box may be unavailable.
* The Add To Favorites command on the Favorites menu may be unavailable.
* Your Favorites may be displayed, but you cannot use them.

This behavior can occur if the Favorites folder or the desktop.ini file in
the folder is damaged.

By design, Windows Explorer uses the Desktop.ini and Index.dat files to
provide the functionality of the Temporary Internet Files shell extension.

The Desktop.ini in that folder contains a line named LocalizedResourceName
which specifies a resource module and the string ID to use as the name of
the folder to display when viewed using the File Explorer or the Shell. When
viewed in Windows Explorer, the Documents folder (above location) is
displayed as Shared Documents.
=================

[DeleteOnCopy] means that if you copy a desktop.ini and paste it into
another folder, the copy of the desktop.ini will be blank. Or if you copy
the folder elsewhere – for instance, to back up the contents – these entries
will not be copied.

Owner= The "Owner=" setting is set to the new user's logon name.

Personalized=

PersonalizedName= Name that Windows Explorer displays for the folder. I.e.
Shared Music instead of My Music, My Documents instead of Documents.

ConfirmFileOp=0 avoids the You Are Deleting a System Folder warning when
deleting or moving the folder. To preserve the warning, use ConfirmFileOp=1.

NoSharing=1 prevents the folder from being shared.

IconFile=Relative path to the icon file. If you want to specify a custom
icon for the folder, set this entry to the icon's file name. The .ico file
extension is preferred, but it is also possible to specify .bmp files, or
..exe and .dll files that contain icons. If you use a relative path, the
icon will be available to people who view the folder over the network. You
must also set the IconIndex entry.

IconIndex=n Set this entry to specify the index for a custom icon. If the
file assigned to IconFile only contains a single icon, set IconIndex to 0.

InfoTip= Set this entry to an informational text string. It will be
displayed as an infotip when the cursor hovers over the folder. If the user
clicks the folder in a Web view, the information text will be displayed in
the folder's information block, below the standard information.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Paul Mars said:
[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll
IconIndex=-173
[email protected],-12693



Bob I said:
The information contained in the ini file of coure would be gone.
double-click one and read it in Notepad.
 
Wow, thanks.

Does it only effect the special folder that it resides in?



Wesley Vogel said:
That desktop.ini file is for your Favorites folder.

If that desktop.ini file is in your Favorites folder and you delete the
desktop.ini file, the Favorites folder will no longer be special.

And you will be back here asking...

One of my special folders (e.g. My Documents, My Music, My
Pictures, Shared Documents, etc) has lost its name, lost its icon, or has
the wrong Task Pane template, how can I get it back?

These are all Special Folders...
Cookies, Control Panel, Desktop, Downloaded Program Files, Favorites,
Fonts,
History, My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, My Videos, Recycle Bin,
Shared
Documents, Shared Music, Shared Pictures, Shared Videos, SendTo, Start
Menu,
Startup, Temporary Internet Files, etc.

Some info on Desktop.ini files pieced together from many sources...

File system folders are commonly displayed with a standard icon and set of
properties, which specify, for instance, whether or not the folder is
shared. The Desktop.ini file is a text file that specifies how a file
system folder will be viewed and handled. The most common use of the
Desktop.ini file is to assign a custom icon to a folder.

The desktop.ini can have info that lists the folder as a system file,
hidden
and if deleted, it is recreated on the next boot. The desktop.ini can
also
have info like a UICLSID line that hides the folder in Windows Explorer.
And
a CLSID line that disables the Search utility from searching through the
folder.

Also the folder name info can be listed in the desktop.ini. For example,
the folder Shared Documents becomes just Documents if you remove the
desktop.ini.

In Windows XP, when you rename a read-only folder, a confirmation prompt
is
not displayed that asks if you are sure you want to rename the folder and
the folder is immediately renamed.

This feature was changed because many folders that are marked as read-only
are named by the computer and not by the user. For example, a folder may
be
marked as read-only if it has a custom icon or contains a Desktop.ini
file.

The Desktop.ini file contains information regarding shell folders. This
file contains a unique Class ID (CLSID) that identifies what portion of
the
shell it is in. If the CLSID line in the Desktop.ini file is removed or
changed the folder loses its name, icon or other special feature.


[[For example, when you open the Fonts folder in Windows Explorer, the
following commands may be missing from the Fonts folder menus. On the File
menu:
* Open
* Print
* Install New Font

On the View menu:
* List Fonts By Similarity
* Hide Variations (Bold, Italics, Etc.)

Among the causes, the Desktop.ini file may be missing or damaged. Note
that
you do not see the Desktop.ini file when you view the Fonts folder. To
see
the file, type or paste the following into the Run command:
c:\windows\fonts\desktop.ini

c:\windows\fonts\desktop.ini

[.ShellClassInfo]
UICLSID={BD84B380-8CA2-1069-AB1D-08000948F534}

Unlike the Read-only attribute for a file, the Read-only attribute for a
folder is typically ignored by Windows, Windows components and
accessories,
and other programs. For example, you can delete, rename, and change a
folder
with the Read-only attribute by using Windows Explorer. The Read-only and
System attributes is only used by Windows Explorer to determine whether
the
folder is a special folder, such as a system folder that has its view
customized by Windows (for example, My Documents, Favorites, Fonts,
Downloaded Program Files), or a folder that you customized by using the
Customize tab of the folder's Properties dialog box. As a result, Windows
Explorer does not allow you to view or change the Read-only or System
attributes of folders. When a folder has the Read-Only attribute set it
causes Explorer to request the Desktop.ini of that folder to see if any
special folder settings need to be set. It has been seen where if a
network
share that has a large amount of folders set to Read-only, it can cause
Explorer to take longer then what is expected to render the contents of
that
share while it waits on the retrieval of the Desktop.ini files. The slower
the network connectivity to the share the longer this process can take to
the point where Explorer may timeout waiting for the data and render
nothing
or appear to hang.

Note In some previous versions of Windows, you can change the Read-only
attribute for folders by using the Properties dialog box for the folder,
but
no versions of Windows permit you to change the System attribute by using
Windows Explorer.

Windows may also store customization information in a hidden Desktop.ini
file in the folder. In this case, Windows sets the read-only attribute on
the folder to instruct Windows to look for the Desktop.ini file. The
read-only attribute does not prevent you from performing common file and
folder tasks (such as copy, move, delete, and rename), but the read-only
attribute can cause problems for some older programs.

The read-only attribute is not set, and Desktop.ini is not created, when
you
customize a network share or a folder on a mapped network drive.

Special folders (such as hard disk folders, CD/DVD disc folders, Program
Files, My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, your Windows folder, Fonts,
Downloaded Program Files, and other similar folders) have their default
appearances set by Windows using a desktop.ini file.

SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to add a file to your Favorites folder, you may
experience
one of the following symptoms:

* The OK button in the Add Favorite dialog box may be unavailable.
* The Add To Favorites command on the Favorites menu may be unavailable.
* Your Favorites may be displayed, but you cannot use them.

This behavior can occur if the Favorites folder or the desktop.ini file in
the folder is damaged.

By design, Windows Explorer uses the Desktop.ini and Index.dat files to
provide the functionality of the Temporary Internet Files shell extension.

The Desktop.ini in that folder contains a line named LocalizedResourceName
which specifies a resource module and the string ID to use as the name of
the folder to display when viewed using the File Explorer or the Shell.
When
viewed in Windows Explorer, the Documents folder (above location) is
displayed as Shared Documents.
=================

[DeleteOnCopy] means that if you copy a desktop.ini and paste it into
another folder, the copy of the desktop.ini will be blank. Or if you copy
the folder elsewhere – for instance, to back up the contents – these
entries
will not be copied.

Owner= The "Owner=" setting is set to the new user's logon name.

Personalized=

PersonalizedName= Name that Windows Explorer displays for the folder.
I.e.
Shared Music instead of My Music, My Documents instead of Documents.

ConfirmFileOp=0 avoids the You Are Deleting a System Folder warning when
deleting or moving the folder. To preserve the warning, use
ConfirmFileOp=1.

NoSharing=1 prevents the folder from being shared.

IconFile=Relative path to the icon file. If you want to specify a custom
icon for the folder, set this entry to the icon's file name. The .ico
file
extension is preferred, but it is also possible to specify .bmp files, or
.exe and .dll files that contain icons. If you use a relative path, the
icon will be available to people who view the folder over the network.
You
must also set the IconIndex entry.

IconIndex=n Set this entry to specify the index for a custom icon. If the
file assigned to IconFile only contains a single icon, set IconIndex to 0.

InfoTip= Set this entry to an informational text string. It will be
displayed as an infotip when the cursor hovers over the folder. If the
user
clicks the folder in a Web view, the information text will be displayed in
the folder's information block, below the standard information.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Paul Mars said:
[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll
IconIndex=-173
[email protected],-12693



Bob I said:
The information contained in the ini file of coure would be gone.
double-click one and read it in Notepad.

Paul Mars wrote:

often I find ini files in various directories that I have made. What
happens if I delete one? Sometimes I move, rename, delete these
directories.

Paul
 
Q: "Why are you messing with the ini files?"

A: "often I find ini files in various directories that I have made."
"Sometimes I move, rename, delete these directories."
 
Paul said:
often I find ini files in various directories that I have made. What happens
if I delete one? Sometimes I move, rename, delete these directories.

..ini.s are text files. Remame if you are not sure if you want to keep or
not.
 
Wesley, thank you so much! The OP's timng for posting this, and your
response are most timely for me. It's so great that you're willing to share
your knowledge experirnce and information with us.

If there is a "most unforgettable" on the 'net, it's you.

May I ask your geographic location? Just curious is all. I'm in far
upstate New York, right on the Canadian border, 55 miles S of Ottawa,
Ontario Canada. The nearest city is Ogdensburg, NY.

Regards,

Pop`


Wesley said:
That desktop.ini file is for your Favorites folder.

If that desktop.ini file is in your Favorites folder and you delete
the desktop.ini file, the Favorites folder will no longer be special.

And you will be back here asking...

One of my special folders (e.g. My Documents, My Music, My
Pictures, Shared Documents, etc) has lost its name, lost its icon, or
has the wrong Task Pane template, how can I get it back?

These are all Special Folders...
Cookies, Control Panel, Desktop, Downloaded Program Files, Favorites,
Fonts, History, My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, My Videos,
Recycle Bin, Shared Documents, Shared Music, Shared Pictures, Shared
Videos, SendTo, Start Menu, Startup, Temporary Internet Files, etc.

Some info on Desktop.ini files pieced together from many sources...

File system folders are commonly displayed with a standard icon and
set of properties, which specify, for instance, whether or not the
folder is shared. The Desktop.ini file is a text file that specifies
how a file system folder will be viewed and handled. The most common
use of the Desktop.ini file is to assign a custom icon to a folder.

The desktop.ini can have info that lists the folder as a system file,
hidden and if deleted, it is recreated on the next boot. The
desktop.ini can also have info like a UICLSID line that hides the
folder in Windows Explorer. And a CLSID line that disables the Search
utility from searching through the folder.
...

Snipped: Pls See preceding post for full text
 
Does it only effect the special folder that it resides in?

Yes.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Paul Mars said:
Wow, thanks.

Does it only effect the special folder that it resides in?



Wesley Vogel said:
That desktop.ini file is for your Favorites folder.

If that desktop.ini file is in your Favorites folder and you delete the
desktop.ini file, the Favorites folder will no longer be special.

And you will be back here asking...

One of my special folders (e.g. My Documents, My Music, My
Pictures, Shared Documents, etc) has lost its name, lost its icon, or has
the wrong Task Pane template, how can I get it back?

These are all Special Folders...
Cookies, Control Panel, Desktop, Downloaded Program Files, Favorites,
Fonts,
History, My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, My Videos, Recycle Bin,
Shared
Documents, Shared Music, Shared Pictures, Shared Videos, SendTo, Start
Menu,
Startup, Temporary Internet Files, etc.

Some info on Desktop.ini files pieced together from many sources...

File system folders are commonly displayed with a standard icon and set
of properties, which specify, for instance, whether or not the folder is
shared. The Desktop.ini file is a text file that specifies how a file
system folder will be viewed and handled. The most common use of the
Desktop.ini file is to assign a custom icon to a folder.

The desktop.ini can have info that lists the folder as a system file,
hidden
and if deleted, it is recreated on the next boot. The desktop.ini can
also
have info like a UICLSID line that hides the folder in Windows Explorer.
And
a CLSID line that disables the Search utility from searching through the
folder.

Also the folder name info can be listed in the desktop.ini. For example,
the folder Shared Documents becomes just Documents if you remove the
desktop.ini.

In Windows XP, when you rename a read-only folder, a confirmation prompt
is
not displayed that asks if you are sure you want to rename the folder and
the folder is immediately renamed.

This feature was changed because many folders that are marked as
read-only are named by the computer and not by the user. For example, a
folder may be
marked as read-only if it has a custom icon or contains a Desktop.ini
file.

The Desktop.ini file contains information regarding shell folders. This
file contains a unique Class ID (CLSID) that identifies what portion of
the
shell it is in. If the CLSID line in the Desktop.ini file is removed or
changed the folder loses its name, icon or other special feature.


[[For example, when you open the Fonts folder in Windows Explorer, the
following commands may be missing from the Fonts folder menus. On the
File menu:
* Open
* Print
* Install New Font

On the View menu:
* List Fonts By Similarity
* Hide Variations (Bold, Italics, Etc.)

Among the causes, the Desktop.ini file may be missing or damaged. Note
that
you do not see the Desktop.ini file when you view the Fonts folder. To
see
the file, type or paste the following into the Run command:
c:\windows\fonts\desktop.ini

c:\windows\fonts\desktop.ini

[.ShellClassInfo]
UICLSID={BD84B380-8CA2-1069-AB1D-08000948F534}

Unlike the Read-only attribute for a file, the Read-only attribute for a
folder is typically ignored by Windows, Windows components and
accessories,
and other programs. For example, you can delete, rename, and change a
folder
with the Read-only attribute by using Windows Explorer. The Read-only and
System attributes is only used by Windows Explorer to determine whether
the
folder is a special folder, such as a system folder that has its view
customized by Windows (for example, My Documents, Favorites, Fonts,
Downloaded Program Files), or a folder that you customized by using the
Customize tab of the folder's Properties dialog box. As a result, Windows
Explorer does not allow you to view or change the Read-only or System
attributes of folders. When a folder has the Read-Only attribute set it
causes Explorer to request the Desktop.ini of that folder to see if any
special folder settings need to be set. It has been seen where if a
network
share that has a large amount of folders set to Read-only, it can cause
Explorer to take longer then what is expected to render the contents of
that
share while it waits on the retrieval of the Desktop.ini files. The
slower the network connectivity to the share the longer this process can
take to the point where Explorer may timeout waiting for the data and
render nothing
or appear to hang.

Note In some previous versions of Windows, you can change the Read-only
attribute for folders by using the Properties dialog box for the folder,
but
no versions of Windows permit you to change the System attribute by using
Windows Explorer.

Windows may also store customization information in a hidden Desktop.ini
file in the folder. In this case, Windows sets the read-only attribute on
the folder to instruct Windows to look for the Desktop.ini file. The
read-only attribute does not prevent you from performing common file and
folder tasks (such as copy, move, delete, and rename), but the read-only
attribute can cause problems for some older programs.

The read-only attribute is not set, and Desktop.ini is not created, when
you
customize a network share or a folder on a mapped network drive.

Special folders (such as hard disk folders, CD/DVD disc folders, Program
Files, My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, your Windows folder, Fonts,
Downloaded Program Files, and other similar folders) have their default
appearances set by Windows using a desktop.ini file.

SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to add a file to your Favorites folder, you may
experience
one of the following symptoms:

* The OK button in the Add Favorite dialog box may be unavailable.
* The Add To Favorites command on the Favorites menu may be unavailable.
* Your Favorites may be displayed, but you cannot use them.

This behavior can occur if the Favorites folder or the desktop.ini file
in the folder is damaged.

By design, Windows Explorer uses the Desktop.ini and Index.dat files to
provide the functionality of the Temporary Internet Files shell
extension.

The Desktop.ini in that folder contains a line named
LocalizedResourceName which specifies a resource module and the string
ID to use as the name of the folder to display when viewed using the
File Explorer or the Shell. When
viewed in Windows Explorer, the Documents folder (above location) is
displayed as Shared Documents.
=================

[DeleteOnCopy] means that if you copy a desktop.ini and paste it into
another folder, the copy of the desktop.ini will be blank. Or if you
copy the folder elsewhere – for instance, to back up the contents – these
entries
will not be copied.

Owner= The "Owner=" setting is set to the new user's logon name.

Personalized=

PersonalizedName= Name that Windows Explorer displays for the folder.
I.e.
Shared Music instead of My Music, My Documents instead of Documents.

ConfirmFileOp=0 avoids the You Are Deleting a System Folder warning when
deleting or moving the folder. To preserve the warning, use
ConfirmFileOp=1.

NoSharing=1 prevents the folder from being shared.

IconFile=Relative path to the icon file. If you want to specify a custom
icon for the folder, set this entry to the icon's file name. The .ico
file
extension is preferred, but it is also possible to specify .bmp files, or
.exe and .dll files that contain icons. If you use a relative path, the
icon will be available to people who view the folder over the network.
You
must also set the IconIndex entry.

IconIndex=n Set this entry to specify the index for a custom icon. If
the file assigned to IconFile only contains a single icon, set IconIndex
to 0.

InfoTip= Set this entry to an informational text string. It will be
displayed as an infotip when the cursor hovers over the folder. If the
user
clicks the folder in a Web view, the information text will be displayed
in the folder's information block, below the standard information.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Paul Mars said:
[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll
IconIndex=-173
[email protected],-12693



The information contained in the ini file of coure would be gone.
double-click one and read it in Notepad.

Paul Mars wrote:

often I find ini files in various directories that I have made. What
happens if I delete one? Sometimes I move, rename, delete these
directories.

Paul
 
Hi Pop,

I have learned an awful lot from others that also share. ;-)

Greeley, CO.

50 miles north of Denver. 50 miles south of Cheyenne. 50 west of Ft.
Morgan. 50 miles east of Estes Park.

I sold books door-to-door part of one summer in Utica. That's as close as I
have been. ;-)

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
definatly :))

When I delete a directory, since I no longer need it, then I do not need to
worry about the lone file in it. That lone file being a dll.

p

Wesley Vogel said:
Does it only effect the special folder that it resides in?

Yes.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Paul Mars said:
Wow, thanks.

Does it only effect the special folder that it resides in?



Wesley Vogel said:
That desktop.ini file is for your Favorites folder.

If that desktop.ini file is in your Favorites folder and you delete the
desktop.ini file, the Favorites folder will no longer be special.

And you will be back here asking...

One of my special folders (e.g. My Documents, My Music, My
Pictures, Shared Documents, etc) has lost its name, lost its icon, or
has
the wrong Task Pane template, how can I get it back?

These are all Special Folders...
Cookies, Control Panel, Desktop, Downloaded Program Files, Favorites,
Fonts,
History, My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, My Videos, Recycle Bin,
Shared
Documents, Shared Music, Shared Pictures, Shared Videos, SendTo, Start
Menu,
Startup, Temporary Internet Files, etc.

Some info on Desktop.ini files pieced together from many sources...

File system folders are commonly displayed with a standard icon and set
of properties, which specify, for instance, whether or not the folder is
shared. The Desktop.ini file is a text file that specifies how a file
system folder will be viewed and handled. The most common use of the
Desktop.ini file is to assign a custom icon to a folder.

The desktop.ini can have info that lists the folder as a system file,
hidden
and if deleted, it is recreated on the next boot. The desktop.ini can
also
have info like a UICLSID line that hides the folder in Windows Explorer.
And
a CLSID line that disables the Search utility from searching through the
folder.

Also the folder name info can be listed in the desktop.ini. For
example,
the folder Shared Documents becomes just Documents if you remove the
desktop.ini.

In Windows XP, when you rename a read-only folder, a confirmation prompt
is
not displayed that asks if you are sure you want to rename the folder
and
the folder is immediately renamed.

This feature was changed because many folders that are marked as
read-only are named by the computer and not by the user. For example, a
folder may be
marked as read-only if it has a custom icon or contains a Desktop.ini
file.

The Desktop.ini file contains information regarding shell folders. This
file contains a unique Class ID (CLSID) that identifies what portion of
the
shell it is in. If the CLSID line in the Desktop.ini file is removed or
changed the folder loses its name, icon or other special feature.


[[For example, when you open the Fonts folder in Windows Explorer, the
following commands may be missing from the Fonts folder menus. On the
File menu:
* Open
* Print
* Install New Font

On the View menu:
* List Fonts By Similarity
* Hide Variations (Bold, Italics, Etc.)

Among the causes, the Desktop.ini file may be missing or damaged. Note
that
you do not see the Desktop.ini file when you view the Fonts folder. To
see
the file, type or paste the following into the Run command:
c:\windows\fonts\desktop.ini

c:\windows\fonts\desktop.ini

[.ShellClassInfo]
UICLSID={BD84B380-8CA2-1069-AB1D-08000948F534}

Unlike the Read-only attribute for a file, the Read-only attribute for a
folder is typically ignored by Windows, Windows components and
accessories,
and other programs. For example, you can delete, rename, and change a
folder
with the Read-only attribute by using Windows Explorer. The Read-only
and
System attributes is only used by Windows Explorer to determine whether
the
folder is a special folder, such as a system folder that has its view
customized by Windows (for example, My Documents, Favorites, Fonts,
Downloaded Program Files), or a folder that you customized by using the
Customize tab of the folder's Properties dialog box. As a result,
Windows
Explorer does not allow you to view or change the Read-only or System
attributes of folders. When a folder has the Read-Only attribute set it
causes Explorer to request the Desktop.ini of that folder to see if any
special folder settings need to be set. It has been seen where if a
network
share that has a large amount of folders set to Read-only, it can cause
Explorer to take longer then what is expected to render the contents of
that
share while it waits on the retrieval of the Desktop.ini files. The
slower the network connectivity to the share the longer this process can
take to the point where Explorer may timeout waiting for the data and
render nothing
or appear to hang.

Note In some previous versions of Windows, you can change the Read-only
attribute for folders by using the Properties dialog box for the folder,
but
no versions of Windows permit you to change the System attribute by
using
Windows Explorer.

Windows may also store customization information in a hidden Desktop.ini
file in the folder. In this case, Windows sets the read-only attribute
on
the folder to instruct Windows to look for the Desktop.ini file. The
read-only attribute does not prevent you from performing common file and
folder tasks (such as copy, move, delete, and rename), but the read-only
attribute can cause problems for some older programs.

The read-only attribute is not set, and Desktop.ini is not created, when
you
customize a network share or a folder on a mapped network drive.

Special folders (such as hard disk folders, CD/DVD disc folders, Program
Files, My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, your Windows folder, Fonts,
Downloaded Program Files, and other similar folders) have their default
appearances set by Windows using a desktop.ini file.

SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to add a file to your Favorites folder, you may
experience
one of the following symptoms:

* The OK button in the Add Favorite dialog box may be unavailable.
* The Add To Favorites command on the Favorites menu may be unavailable.
* Your Favorites may be displayed, but you cannot use them.

This behavior can occur if the Favorites folder or the desktop.ini file
in the folder is damaged.

By design, Windows Explorer uses the Desktop.ini and Index.dat files to
provide the functionality of the Temporary Internet Files shell
extension.

The Desktop.ini in that folder contains a line named
LocalizedResourceName which specifies a resource module and the string
ID to use as the name of the folder to display when viewed using the
File Explorer or the Shell. When
viewed in Windows Explorer, the Documents folder (above location) is
displayed as Shared Documents.
=================

[DeleteOnCopy] means that if you copy a desktop.ini and paste it into
another folder, the copy of the desktop.ini will be blank. Or if you
copy the folder elsewhere – for instance, to back up the contents –
these
entries
will not be copied.

Owner= The "Owner=" setting is set to the new user's logon name.

Personalized=

PersonalizedName= Name that Windows Explorer displays for the folder.
I.e.
Shared Music instead of My Music, My Documents instead of Documents.

ConfirmFileOp=0 avoids the You Are Deleting a System Folder warning when
deleting or moving the folder. To preserve the warning, use
ConfirmFileOp=1.

NoSharing=1 prevents the folder from being shared.

IconFile=Relative path to the icon file. If you want to specify a custom
icon for the folder, set this entry to the icon's file name. The .ico
file
extension is preferred, but it is also possible to specify .bmp files,
or
.exe and .dll files that contain icons. If you use a relative path, the
icon will be available to people who view the folder over the network.
You
must also set the IconIndex entry.

IconIndex=n Set this entry to specify the index for a custom icon. If
the file assigned to IconFile only contains a single icon, set IconIndex
to 0.

InfoTip= Set this entry to an informational text string. It will be
displayed as an infotip when the cursor hovers over the folder. If the
user
clicks the folder in a Web view, the information text will be displayed
in the folder's information block, below the standard information.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In Paul Mars <[email protected]> hunted and pecked:
[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll
IconIndex=-173
[email protected],-12693



The information contained in the ini file of coure would be gone.
double-click one and read it in Notepad.

Paul Mars wrote:

often I find ini files in various directories that I have made. What
happens if I delete one? Sometimes I move, rename, delete these
directories.

Paul
 
Depends on what the directory is and what *.dll file is.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Paul Mars said:
definatly :))

When I delete a directory, since I no longer need it, then I do not need
to worry about the lone file in it. That lone file being a dll.

p

Wesley Vogel said:
Does it only effect the special folder that it resides in?

Yes.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Paul Mars said:
Wow, thanks.

Does it only effect the special folder that it resides in?



That desktop.ini file is for your Favorites folder.

If that desktop.ini file is in your Favorites folder and you delete the
desktop.ini file, the Favorites folder will no longer be special.

And you will be back here asking...

One of my special folders (e.g. My Documents, My Music, My
Pictures, Shared Documents, etc) has lost its name, lost its icon, or
has
the wrong Task Pane template, how can I get it back?

These are all Special Folders...
Cookies, Control Panel, Desktop, Downloaded Program Files, Favorites,
Fonts,
History, My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, My Videos, Recycle Bin,
Shared
Documents, Shared Music, Shared Pictures, Shared Videos, SendTo, Start
Menu,
Startup, Temporary Internet Files, etc.

Some info on Desktop.ini files pieced together from many sources...

File system folders are commonly displayed with a standard icon and set
of properties, which specify, for instance, whether or not the folder
is shared. The Desktop.ini file is a text file that specifies how a
file system folder will be viewed and handled. The most common use of
the Desktop.ini file is to assign a custom icon to a folder.

The desktop.ini can have info that lists the folder as a system file,
hidden
and if deleted, it is recreated on the next boot. The desktop.ini can
also
have info like a UICLSID line that hides the folder in Windows
Explorer. And
a CLSID line that disables the Search utility from searching through
the folder.

Also the folder name info can be listed in the desktop.ini. For
example,
the folder Shared Documents becomes just Documents if you remove the
desktop.ini.

In Windows XP, when you rename a read-only folder, a confirmation
prompt is
not displayed that asks if you are sure you want to rename the folder
and
the folder is immediately renamed.

This feature was changed because many folders that are marked as
read-only are named by the computer and not by the user. For example,
a folder may be
marked as read-only if it has a custom icon or contains a Desktop.ini
file.

The Desktop.ini file contains information regarding shell folders.
This file contains a unique Class ID (CLSID) that identifies what
portion of the
shell it is in. If the CLSID line in the Desktop.ini file is removed
or changed the folder loses its name, icon or other special feature.


[[For example, when you open the Fonts folder in Windows Explorer, the
following commands may be missing from the Fonts folder menus. On the
File menu:
* Open
* Print
* Install New Font

On the View menu:
* List Fonts By Similarity
* Hide Variations (Bold, Italics, Etc.)

Among the causes, the Desktop.ini file may be missing or damaged. Note
that
you do not see the Desktop.ini file when you view the Fonts folder. To
see
the file, type or paste the following into the Run command:
c:\windows\fonts\desktop.ini

c:\windows\fonts\desktop.ini

[.ShellClassInfo]
UICLSID={BD84B380-8CA2-1069-AB1D-08000948F534}

Unlike the Read-only attribute for a file, the Read-only attribute for
a folder is typically ignored by Windows, Windows components and
accessories,
and other programs. For example, you can delete, rename, and change a
folder
with the Read-only attribute by using Windows Explorer. The Read-only
and
System attributes is only used by Windows Explorer to determine whether
the
folder is a special folder, such as a system folder that has its view
customized by Windows (for example, My Documents, Favorites, Fonts,
Downloaded Program Files), or a folder that you customized by using the
Customize tab of the folder's Properties dialog box. As a result,
Windows
Explorer does not allow you to view or change the Read-only or System
attributes of folders. When a folder has the Read-Only attribute set it
causes Explorer to request the Desktop.ini of that folder to see if any
special folder settings need to be set. It has been seen where if a
network
share that has a large amount of folders set to Read-only, it can cause
Explorer to take longer then what is expected to render the contents of
that
share while it waits on the retrieval of the Desktop.ini files. The
slower the network connectivity to the share the longer this process
can take to the point where Explorer may timeout waiting for the data
and render nothing
or appear to hang.

Note In some previous versions of Windows, you can change the Read-only
attribute for folders by using the Properties dialog box for the
folder, but
no versions of Windows permit you to change the System attribute by
using
Windows Explorer.

Windows may also store customization information in a hidden
Desktop.ini file in the folder. In this case, Windows sets the
read-only attribute on
the folder to instruct Windows to look for the Desktop.ini file. The
read-only attribute does not prevent you from performing common file
and folder tasks (such as copy, move, delete, and rename), but the
read-only attribute can cause problems for some older programs.

The read-only attribute is not set, and Desktop.ini is not created,
when you
customize a network share or a folder on a mapped network drive.

Special folders (such as hard disk folders, CD/DVD disc folders,
Program Files, My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, your Windows
folder, Fonts, Downloaded Program Files, and other similar folders)
have their default appearances set by Windows using a desktop.ini file.

SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to add a file to your Favorites folder, you may
experience
one of the following symptoms:

* The OK button in the Add Favorite dialog box may be unavailable.
* The Add To Favorites command on the Favorites menu may be
unavailable.
* Your Favorites may be displayed, but you cannot use them.

This behavior can occur if the Favorites folder or the desktop.ini file
in the folder is damaged.

By design, Windows Explorer uses the Desktop.ini and Index.dat files to
provide the functionality of the Temporary Internet Files shell
extension.

The Desktop.ini in that folder contains a line named
LocalizedResourceName which specifies a resource module and the string
ID to use as the name of the folder to display when viewed using the
File Explorer or the Shell. When
viewed in Windows Explorer, the Documents folder (above location) is
displayed as Shared Documents.
=================

[DeleteOnCopy] means that if you copy a desktop.ini and paste it into
another folder, the copy of the desktop.ini will be blank. Or if you
copy the folder elsewhere – for instance, to back up the contents –
these
entries
will not be copied.

Owner= The "Owner=" setting is set to the new user's logon name.

Personalized=

PersonalizedName= Name that Windows Explorer displays for the folder.
I.e.
Shared Music instead of My Music, My Documents instead of Documents.

ConfirmFileOp=0 avoids the You Are Deleting a System Folder warning
when deleting or moving the folder. To preserve the warning, use
ConfirmFileOp=1.

NoSharing=1 prevents the folder from being shared.

IconFile=Relative path to the icon file. If you want to specify a
custom icon for the folder, set this entry to the icon's file name.
The .ico file
extension is preferred, but it is also possible to specify .bmp files,
or
.exe and .dll files that contain icons. If you use a relative path,
the icon will be available to people who view the folder over the
network. You
must also set the IconIndex entry.

IconIndex=n Set this entry to specify the index for a custom icon. If
the file assigned to IconFile only contains a single icon, set
IconIndex to 0.

InfoTip= Set this entry to an informational text string. It will be
displayed as an infotip when the cursor hovers over the folder. If the
user
clicks the folder in a Web view, the information text will be displayed
in the folder's information block, below the standard information.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In Paul Mars <[email protected]> hunted and pecked:
[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll
IconIndex=-173
[email protected],-12693



The information contained in the ini file of coure would be gone.
double-click one and read it in Notepad.

Paul Mars wrote:

often I find ini files in various directories that I have made. What
happens if I delete one? Sometimes I move, rename, delete these
directories.

Paul
 
ref: "Depends on what the directory is and what *.dll file is."

That statement takes us back to the beginning and negates all in this
thread....

Wesley Vogel said:
Depends on what the directory is and what *.dll file is.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Paul Mars said:
definatly :))

When I delete a directory, since I no longer need it, then I do not need
to worry about the lone file in it. That lone file being a dll.

p

Wesley Vogel said:
Does it only effect the special folder that it resides in?

Yes.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In Paul Mars <[email protected]> hunted and pecked:
Wow, thanks.

Does it only effect the special folder that it resides in?



That desktop.ini file is for your Favorites folder.

If that desktop.ini file is in your Favorites folder and you delete
the
desktop.ini file, the Favorites folder will no longer be special.

And you will be back here asking...

One of my special folders (e.g. My Documents, My Music, My
Pictures, Shared Documents, etc) has lost its name, lost its icon, or
has
the wrong Task Pane template, how can I get it back?

These are all Special Folders...
Cookies, Control Panel, Desktop, Downloaded Program Files, Favorites,
Fonts,
History, My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, My Videos, Recycle Bin,
Shared
Documents, Shared Music, Shared Pictures, Shared Videos, SendTo, Start
Menu,
Startup, Temporary Internet Files, etc.

Some info on Desktop.ini files pieced together from many sources...

File system folders are commonly displayed with a standard icon and
set
of properties, which specify, for instance, whether or not the folder
is shared. The Desktop.ini file is a text file that specifies how a
file system folder will be viewed and handled. The most common use of
the Desktop.ini file is to assign a custom icon to a folder.

The desktop.ini can have info that lists the folder as a system file,
hidden
and if deleted, it is recreated on the next boot. The desktop.ini can
also
have info like a UICLSID line that hides the folder in Windows
Explorer. And
a CLSID line that disables the Search utility from searching through
the folder.

Also the folder name info can be listed in the desktop.ini. For
example,
the folder Shared Documents becomes just Documents if you remove the
desktop.ini.

In Windows XP, when you rename a read-only folder, a confirmation
prompt is
not displayed that asks if you are sure you want to rename the folder
and
the folder is immediately renamed.

This feature was changed because many folders that are marked as
read-only are named by the computer and not by the user. For example,
a folder may be
marked as read-only if it has a custom icon or contains a Desktop.ini
file.

The Desktop.ini file contains information regarding shell folders.
This file contains a unique Class ID (CLSID) that identifies what
portion of the
shell it is in. If the CLSID line in the Desktop.ini file is removed
or changed the folder loses its name, icon or other special feature.


[[For example, when you open the Fonts folder in Windows Explorer, the
following commands may be missing from the Fonts folder menus. On the
File menu:
* Open
* Print
* Install New Font

On the View menu:
* List Fonts By Similarity
* Hide Variations (Bold, Italics, Etc.)

Among the causes, the Desktop.ini file may be missing or damaged.
Note
that
you do not see the Desktop.ini file when you view the Fonts folder.
To
see
the file, type or paste the following into the Run command:
c:\windows\fonts\desktop.ini

c:\windows\fonts\desktop.ini

[.ShellClassInfo]
UICLSID={BD84B380-8CA2-1069-AB1D-08000948F534}

Unlike the Read-only attribute for a file, the Read-only attribute for
a folder is typically ignored by Windows, Windows components and
accessories,
and other programs. For example, you can delete, rename, and change a
folder
with the Read-only attribute by using Windows Explorer. The Read-only
and
System attributes is only used by Windows Explorer to determine
whether
the
folder is a special folder, such as a system folder that has its view
customized by Windows (for example, My Documents, Favorites, Fonts,
Downloaded Program Files), or a folder that you customized by using
the
Customize tab of the folder's Properties dialog box. As a result,
Windows
Explorer does not allow you to view or change the Read-only or System
attributes of folders. When a folder has the Read-Only attribute set
it
causes Explorer to request the Desktop.ini of that folder to see if
any
special folder settings need to be set. It has been seen where if a
network
share that has a large amount of folders set to Read-only, it can
cause
Explorer to take longer then what is expected to render the contents
of
that
share while it waits on the retrieval of the Desktop.ini files. The
slower the network connectivity to the share the longer this process
can take to the point where Explorer may timeout waiting for the data
and render nothing
or appear to hang.

Note In some previous versions of Windows, you can change the
Read-only
attribute for folders by using the Properties dialog box for the
folder, but
no versions of Windows permit you to change the System attribute by
using
Windows Explorer.

Windows may also store customization information in a hidden
Desktop.ini file in the folder. In this case, Windows sets the
read-only attribute on
the folder to instruct Windows to look for the Desktop.ini file. The
read-only attribute does not prevent you from performing common file
and folder tasks (such as copy, move, delete, and rename), but the
read-only attribute can cause problems for some older programs.

The read-only attribute is not set, and Desktop.ini is not created,
when you
customize a network share or a folder on a mapped network drive.

Special folders (such as hard disk folders, CD/DVD disc folders,
Program Files, My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, your Windows
folder, Fonts, Downloaded Program Files, and other similar folders)
have their default appearances set by Windows using a desktop.ini
file.

SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to add a file to your Favorites folder, you may
experience
one of the following symptoms:

* The OK button in the Add Favorite dialog box may be unavailable.
* The Add To Favorites command on the Favorites menu may be
unavailable.
* Your Favorites may be displayed, but you cannot use them.

This behavior can occur if the Favorites folder or the desktop.ini
file
in the folder is damaged.

By design, Windows Explorer uses the Desktop.ini and Index.dat files
to
provide the functionality of the Temporary Internet Files shell
extension.

The Desktop.ini in that folder contains a line named
LocalizedResourceName which specifies a resource module and the string
ID to use as the name of the folder to display when viewed using the
File Explorer or the Shell. When
viewed in Windows Explorer, the Documents folder (above location) is
displayed as Shared Documents.
=================

[DeleteOnCopy] means that if you copy a desktop.ini and paste it into
another folder, the copy of the desktop.ini will be blank. Or if you
copy the folder elsewhere – for instance, to back up the contents –
these
entries
will not be copied.

Owner= The "Owner=" setting is set to the new user's logon name.

Personalized=

PersonalizedName= Name that Windows Explorer displays for the folder.
I.e.
Shared Music instead of My Music, My Documents instead of Documents.

ConfirmFileOp=0 avoids the You Are Deleting a System Folder warning
when deleting or moving the folder. To preserve the warning, use
ConfirmFileOp=1.

NoSharing=1 prevents the folder from being shared.

IconFile=Relative path to the icon file. If you want to specify a
custom icon for the folder, set this entry to the icon's file name.
The .ico file
extension is preferred, but it is also possible to specify .bmp files,
or
.exe and .dll files that contain icons. If you use a relative path,
the icon will be available to people who view the folder over the
network. You
must also set the IconIndex entry.

IconIndex=n Set this entry to specify the index for a custom icon. If
the file assigned to IconFile only contains a single icon, set
IconIndex to 0.

InfoTip= Set this entry to an informational text string. It will be
displayed as an infotip when the cursor hovers over the folder. If
the
user
clicks the folder in a Web view, the information text will be
displayed
in the folder's information block, below the standard information.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In Paul Mars <[email protected]> hunted and pecked:
[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll
IconIndex=-173
[email protected],-12693



The information contained in the ini file of coure would be gone.
double-click one and read it in Notepad.

Paul Mars wrote:

often I find ini files in various directories that I have made.
What
happens if I delete one? Sometimes I move, rename, delete these
directories.

Paul
 
Paul,

Your original post said nothing about .dlls.
often I find ini files in various directories that I have made. What happens
if I delete one? Sometimes I move, rename, delete these directories.

shell32.dll was mentioned in the Desktop.ini file that you posted.

But only as the PATH to the icon for the Favorites folder...
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll
IconIndex=-173

Deleting a desktop.ini does not delete the shell32.dll.

If you Customize a folder...
Right click folder | Properties | Customize tab | Change Icon button
%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll is the default path for Look for icons in
this file. You can use the Browse button to look other places.

Look for icons in this file: means...
[[Specifies the name of the file that contains the icon for this shortcut.
Some files contain more than one icon, and you can select a different icon
from the Current icon list. To use an icon from a different file, type the
file name here, or click Browse to find and select the file.]]

IconFile=Relative path to the icon file. If you want to specify a custom
icon for the folder, set this entry to the icon's file name. The .ico file
extension is preferred, but it is also possible to specify .bmp files, or
..exe and .dll files that contain icons. If you use a relative path, the
icon will be available to people who view the folder over the network. You
must also set the IconIndex entry.

In the desktop.ini that you posted, this was the path:
%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll

IconIndex=n Set this entry to specify the index for a custom icon.

And this was the IconIndex=-173, which means icon #173.

Go here and look at 173, the Star...
shell32.dll icons
http://www.glennslayden.com/shell32_icons.htm

How to Change the Default Icons for Folders in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310192

When you Customize a folder, a desktop.ini is created with the PATH to the
icon and if there are more than one in the .dll file, IconIndex=n further
points to the exact icon.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Paul Mars said:
ref: "Depends on what the directory is and what *.dll file is."

That statement takes us back to the beginning and negates all in this
thread....

Wesley Vogel said:
Depends on what the directory is and what *.dll file is.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Paul Mars said:
definatly :))

When I delete a directory, since I no longer need it, then I do not need
to worry about the lone file in it. That lone file being a dll.

p

Does it only effect the special folder that it resides in?

Yes.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In Paul Mars <[email protected]> hunted and pecked:
Wow, thanks.

Does it only effect the special folder that it resides in?



That desktop.ini file is for your Favorites folder.

If that desktop.ini file is in your Favorites folder and you delete
the
desktop.ini file, the Favorites folder will no longer be special.

And you will be back here asking...

One of my special folders (e.g. My Documents, My Music, My
Pictures, Shared Documents, etc) has lost its name, lost its icon, or
has
the wrong Task Pane template, how can I get it back?

These are all Special Folders...
Cookies, Control Panel, Desktop, Downloaded Program Files, Favorites,
Fonts,
History, My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, My Videos, Recycle Bin,
Shared
Documents, Shared Music, Shared Pictures, Shared Videos, SendTo,
Start Menu,
Startup, Temporary Internet Files, etc.

Some info on Desktop.ini files pieced together from many sources...

File system folders are commonly displayed with a standard icon and
set
of properties, which specify, for instance, whether or not the folder
is shared. The Desktop.ini file is a text file that specifies how a
file system folder will be viewed and handled. The most common use
of the Desktop.ini file is to assign a custom icon to a folder.

The desktop.ini can have info that lists the folder as a system file,
hidden
and if deleted, it is recreated on the next boot. The desktop.ini
can also
have info like a UICLSID line that hides the folder in Windows
Explorer. And
a CLSID line that disables the Search utility from searching through
the folder.

Also the folder name info can be listed in the desktop.ini. For
example,
the folder Shared Documents becomes just Documents if you remove the
desktop.ini.

In Windows XP, when you rename a read-only folder, a confirmation
prompt is
not displayed that asks if you are sure you want to rename the folder
and
the folder is immediately renamed.

This feature was changed because many folders that are marked as
read-only are named by the computer and not by the user. For
example, a folder may be
marked as read-only if it has a custom icon or contains a Desktop.ini
file.

The Desktop.ini file contains information regarding shell folders.
This file contains a unique Class ID (CLSID) that identifies what
portion of the
shell it is in. If the CLSID line in the Desktop.ini file is removed
or changed the folder loses its name, icon or other special feature.


[[For example, when you open the Fonts folder in Windows Explorer,
the following commands may be missing from the Fonts folder menus.
On the File menu:
* Open
* Print
* Install New Font

On the View menu:
* List Fonts By Similarity
* Hide Variations (Bold, Italics, Etc.)

Among the causes, the Desktop.ini file may be missing or damaged.
Note
that
you do not see the Desktop.ini file when you view the Fonts folder.
To
see
the file, type or paste the following into the Run command:
c:\windows\fonts\desktop.ini

c:\windows\fonts\desktop.ini

[.ShellClassInfo]
UICLSID={BD84B380-8CA2-1069-AB1D-08000948F534}

Unlike the Read-only attribute for a file, the Read-only attribute
for a folder is typically ignored by Windows, Windows components and
accessories,
and other programs. For example, you can delete, rename, and change a
folder
with the Read-only attribute by using Windows Explorer. The Read-only
and
System attributes is only used by Windows Explorer to determine
whether
the
folder is a special folder, such as a system folder that has its view
customized by Windows (for example, My Documents, Favorites, Fonts,
Downloaded Program Files), or a folder that you customized by using
the
Customize tab of the folder's Properties dialog box. As a result,
Windows
Explorer does not allow you to view or change the Read-only or System
attributes of folders. When a folder has the Read-Only attribute set
it
causes Explorer to request the Desktop.ini of that folder to see if
any
special folder settings need to be set. It has been seen where if a
network
share that has a large amount of folders set to Read-only, it can
cause
Explorer to take longer then what is expected to render the contents
of
that
share while it waits on the retrieval of the Desktop.ini files. The
slower the network connectivity to the share the longer this process
can take to the point where Explorer may timeout waiting for the data
and render nothing
or appear to hang.

Note In some previous versions of Windows, you can change the
Read-only
attribute for folders by using the Properties dialog box for the
folder, but
no versions of Windows permit you to change the System attribute by
using
Windows Explorer.

Windows may also store customization information in a hidden
Desktop.ini file in the folder. In this case, Windows sets the
read-only attribute on
the folder to instruct Windows to look for the Desktop.ini file. The
read-only attribute does not prevent you from performing common file
and folder tasks (such as copy, move, delete, and rename), but the
read-only attribute can cause problems for some older programs.

The read-only attribute is not set, and Desktop.ini is not created,
when you
customize a network share or a folder on a mapped network drive.

Special folders (such as hard disk folders, CD/DVD disc folders,
Program Files, My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, your Windows
folder, Fonts, Downloaded Program Files, and other similar folders)
have their default appearances set by Windows using a desktop.ini
file.

SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to add a file to your Favorites folder, you may
experience
one of the following symptoms:

* The OK button in the Add Favorite dialog box may be unavailable.
* The Add To Favorites command on the Favorites menu may be
unavailable.
* Your Favorites may be displayed, but you cannot use them.

This behavior can occur if the Favorites folder or the desktop.ini
file
in the folder is damaged.

By design, Windows Explorer uses the Desktop.ini and Index.dat files
to
provide the functionality of the Temporary Internet Files shell
extension.

The Desktop.ini in that folder contains a line named
LocalizedResourceName which specifies a resource module and the
string ID to use as the name of the folder to display when viewed
using the File Explorer or the Shell. When
viewed in Windows Explorer, the Documents folder (above location) is
displayed as Shared Documents.
=================

[DeleteOnCopy] means that if you copy a desktop.ini and paste it into
another folder, the copy of the desktop.ini will be blank. Or if you
copy the folder elsewhere – for instance, to back up the contents –
these
entries
will not be copied.

Owner= The "Owner=" setting is set to the new user's logon name.

Personalized=

PersonalizedName= Name that Windows Explorer displays for the folder.
I.e.
Shared Music instead of My Music, My Documents instead of Documents.

ConfirmFileOp=0 avoids the You Are Deleting a System Folder warning
when deleting or moving the folder. To preserve the warning, use
ConfirmFileOp=1.

NoSharing=1 prevents the folder from being shared.

IconFile=Relative path to the icon file. If you want to specify a
custom icon for the folder, set this entry to the icon's file name.
The .ico file
extension is preferred, but it is also possible to specify .bmp
files, or
.exe and .dll files that contain icons. If you use a relative path,
the icon will be available to people who view the folder over the
network. You
must also set the IconIndex entry.

IconIndex=n Set this entry to specify the index for a custom icon.
If the file assigned to IconFile only contains a single icon, set
IconIndex to 0.

InfoTip= Set this entry to an informational text string. It will be
displayed as an infotip when the cursor hovers over the folder. If
the
user
clicks the folder in a Web view, the information text will be
displayed
in the folder's information block, below the standard information.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In Paul Mars <[email protected]> hunted and pecked:
[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll
IconIndex=-173
[email protected],-12693



The information contained in the ini file of coure would be gone.
double-click one and read it in Notepad.

Paul Mars wrote:

often I find ini files in various directories that I have made.
What
happens if I delete one? Sometimes I move, rename, delete these
directories.

Paul
 
Thanks

Wesley Vogel said:
Paul,

Your original post said nothing about .dlls.
often I find ini files in various directories that I have made. What happens
if I delete one? Sometimes I move, rename, delete these directories.

shell32.dll was mentioned in the Desktop.ini file that you posted.

But only as the PATH to the icon for the Favorites folder...
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll
IconIndex=-173

Deleting a desktop.ini does not delete the shell32.dll.

If you Customize a folder...
Right click folder | Properties | Customize tab | Change Icon button
%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll is the default path for Look for icons
in
this file. You can use the Browse button to look other places.

Look for icons in this file: means...
[[Specifies the name of the file that contains the icon for this shortcut.
Some files contain more than one icon, and you can select a different icon
from the Current icon list. To use an icon from a different file, type the
file name here, or click Browse to find and select the file.]]

IconFile=Relative path to the icon file. If you want to specify a custom
icon for the folder, set this entry to the icon's file name. The .ico
file
extension is preferred, but it is also possible to specify .bmp files, or
.exe and .dll files that contain icons. If you use a relative path, the
icon will be available to people who view the folder over the network.
You
must also set the IconIndex entry.

In the desktop.ini that you posted, this was the path:
%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll

IconIndex=n Set this entry to specify the index for a custom icon.

And this was the IconIndex=-173, which means icon #173.

Go here and look at 173, the Star...
shell32.dll icons
http://www.glennslayden.com/shell32_icons.htm

How to Change the Default Icons for Folders in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310192

When you Customize a folder, a desktop.ini is created with the PATH to the
icon and if there are more than one in the .dll file, IconIndex=n further
points to the exact icon.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Paul Mars said:
ref: "Depends on what the directory is and what *.dll file is."

That statement takes us back to the beginning and negates all in this
thread....

Wesley Vogel said:
Depends on what the directory is and what *.dll file is.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In Paul Mars <[email protected]> hunted and pecked:
definatly :))

When I delete a directory, since I no longer need it, then I do not
need
to worry about the lone file in it. That lone file being a dll.

p

Does it only effect the special folder that it resides in?

Yes.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In Paul Mars <[email protected]> hunted and pecked:
Wow, thanks.

Does it only effect the special folder that it resides in?



That desktop.ini file is for your Favorites folder.

If that desktop.ini file is in your Favorites folder and you delete
the
desktop.ini file, the Favorites folder will no longer be special.

And you will be back here asking...

One of my special folders (e.g. My Documents, My Music, My
Pictures, Shared Documents, etc) has lost its name, lost its icon,
or
has
the wrong Task Pane template, how can I get it back?

These are all Special Folders...
Cookies, Control Panel, Desktop, Downloaded Program Files,
Favorites,
Fonts,
History, My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, My Videos, Recycle
Bin,
Shared
Documents, Shared Music, Shared Pictures, Shared Videos, SendTo,
Start Menu,
Startup, Temporary Internet Files, etc.

Some info on Desktop.ini files pieced together from many sources...

File system folders are commonly displayed with a standard icon and
set

of properties, which specify, for instance, whether or not the
folder
is shared. The Desktop.ini file is a text file that specifies how a
file system folder will be viewed and handled. The most common use
of the Desktop.ini file is to assign a custom icon to a folder.

The desktop.ini can have info that lists the folder as a system
file,
hidden
and if deleted, it is recreated on the next boot. The desktop.ini
can also
have info like a UICLSID line that hides the folder in Windows
Explorer. And
a CLSID line that disables the Search utility from searching through
the folder.

Also the folder name info can be listed in the desktop.ini. For
example,
the folder Shared Documents becomes just Documents if you remove the
desktop.ini.

In Windows XP, when you rename a read-only folder, a confirmation
prompt is
not displayed that asks if you are sure you want to rename the
folder
and
the folder is immediately renamed.

This feature was changed because many folders that are marked as
read-only are named by the computer and not by the user. For
example, a folder may be
marked as read-only if it has a custom icon or contains a
Desktop.ini
file.

The Desktop.ini file contains information regarding shell folders.
This file contains a unique Class ID (CLSID) that identifies what
portion of the
shell it is in. If the CLSID line in the Desktop.ini file is
removed
or changed the folder loses its name, icon or other special feature.


[[For example, when you open the Fonts folder in Windows Explorer,
the following commands may be missing from the Fonts folder menus.
On the File menu:
* Open
* Print
* Install New Font

On the View menu:
* List Fonts By Similarity
* Hide Variations (Bold, Italics, Etc.)

Among the causes, the Desktop.ini file may be missing or damaged.
Note
that
you do not see the Desktop.ini file when you view the Fonts folder.
To
see
the file, type or paste the following into the Run command:
c:\windows\fonts\desktop.ini

c:\windows\fonts\desktop.ini

[.ShellClassInfo]
UICLSID={BD84B380-8CA2-1069-AB1D-08000948F534}

Unlike the Read-only attribute for a file, the Read-only attribute
for a folder is typically ignored by Windows, Windows components and
accessories,
and other programs. For example, you can delete, rename, and change
a
folder
with the Read-only attribute by using Windows Explorer. The
Read-only
and
System attributes is only used by Windows Explorer to determine
whether
the
folder is a special folder, such as a system folder that has its
view
customized by Windows (for example, My Documents, Favorites, Fonts,
Downloaded Program Files), or a folder that you customized by using
the
Customize tab of the folder's Properties dialog box. As a result,
Windows
Explorer does not allow you to view or change the Read-only or
System
attributes of folders. When a folder has the Read-Only attribute set
it
causes Explorer to request the Desktop.ini of that folder to see if
any
special folder settings need to be set. It has been seen where if a
network
share that has a large amount of folders set to Read-only, it can
cause
Explorer to take longer then what is expected to render the contents
of
that
share while it waits on the retrieval of the Desktop.ini files. The
slower the network connectivity to the share the longer this process
can take to the point where Explorer may timeout waiting for the
data
and render nothing
or appear to hang.

Note In some previous versions of Windows, you can change the
Read-only
attribute for folders by using the Properties dialog box for the
folder, but
no versions of Windows permit you to change the System attribute by
using
Windows Explorer.

Windows may also store customization information in a hidden
Desktop.ini file in the folder. In this case, Windows sets the
read-only attribute on
the folder to instruct Windows to look for the Desktop.ini file. The
read-only attribute does not prevent you from performing common file
and folder tasks (such as copy, move, delete, and rename), but the
read-only attribute can cause problems for some older programs.

The read-only attribute is not set, and Desktop.ini is not created,
when you
customize a network share or a folder on a mapped network drive.

Special folders (such as hard disk folders, CD/DVD disc folders,
Program Files, My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, your Windows
folder, Fonts, Downloaded Program Files, and other similar folders)
have their default appearances set by Windows using a desktop.ini
file.

SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to add a file to your Favorites folder, you may
experience
one of the following symptoms:

* The OK button in the Add Favorite dialog box may be unavailable.
* The Add To Favorites command on the Favorites menu may be
unavailable.
* Your Favorites may be displayed, but you cannot use them.

This behavior can occur if the Favorites folder or the desktop.ini
file
in the folder is damaged.

By design, Windows Explorer uses the Desktop.ini and Index.dat files
to
provide the functionality of the Temporary Internet Files shell
extension.

The Desktop.ini in that folder contains a line named
LocalizedResourceName which specifies a resource module and the
string ID to use as the name of the folder to display when viewed
using the File Explorer or the Shell. When
viewed in Windows Explorer, the Documents folder (above location) is
displayed as Shared Documents.
=================

[DeleteOnCopy] means that if you copy a desktop.ini and paste it
into
another folder, the copy of the desktop.ini will be blank. Or if
you
copy the folder elsewhere – for instance, to back up the contents –
these
entries
will not be copied.

Owner= The "Owner=" setting is set to the new user's logon name.

Personalized=

PersonalizedName= Name that Windows Explorer displays for the
folder.
I.e.
Shared Music instead of My Music, My Documents instead of Documents.

ConfirmFileOp=0 avoids the You Are Deleting a System Folder warning
when deleting or moving the folder. To preserve the warning, use
ConfirmFileOp=1.

NoSharing=1 prevents the folder from being shared.

IconFile=Relative path to the icon file. If you want to specify a
custom icon for the folder, set this entry to the icon's file name.
The .ico file
extension is preferred, but it is also possible to specify .bmp
files, or
.exe and .dll files that contain icons. If you use a relative path,
the icon will be available to people who view the folder over the
network. You
must also set the IconIndex entry.

IconIndex=n Set this entry to specify the index for a custom icon.
If the file assigned to IconFile only contains a single icon, set
IconIndex to 0.

InfoTip= Set this entry to an informational text string. It will be
displayed as an infotip when the cursor hovers over the folder. If
the
user
clicks the folder in a Web view, the information text will be
displayed
in the folder's information block, below the standard information.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In Paul Mars <[email protected]> hunted and pecked:
[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll
IconIndex=-173
[email protected],-12693



The information contained in the ini file of coure would be gone.
double-click one and read it in Notepad.

Paul Mars wrote:

often I find ini files in various directories that I have made.
What
happens if I delete one? Sometimes I move, rename, delete these
directories.

Paul
 
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