Desktop Icons are Doubling

[Gilbert]

One day i decided to move some of my desktop icons from
All Users to Owner (in C:\Documents and Setting) because
there werent any other users. When i did that all the
icons started doubling, then if i put them into back into
All Users they wouldnt even show up. If you know the
solution to this problem, plz email me and remember to
remove the _removethis_ from the email address.

Thx in advance!

 

[Kelly]

Hi Gilbert,

Go to Start/Run/Regedit and navigate to this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersi
on\Explorer\User Shell Folders

Change CommonDesktop from:
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Desktop

To:

CommonDesktop
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop

 

[Keith Miller]

Kelly,
Just curious, why does that work? They both resolve to the same path....
Keith

 

[Kelly]

Hi Keith,

This particular post of mine stems from David C's findings. To better
explain his reasoning behind it:

"Prior to WinME/Win2000 programs read the registry direct to find out what
paths. This is the Shell Folders key. From 2000 onwards programs make a
function call and ask windows what path.

The info Windows uses are stored under User Shell Folders. Shell Folders has
to still exist for old programs to read paths from but XP only uses User
Shell Folders. XP programs don't read the registry at all but make a
function call - eg namespace in vbs.

That's also why Shell Folders is not Reg_Expand_SZ because 95/98/NT4
programs wouldn't have a clue what %systemroot% meant."

Special thanks to David Candy for all of his help throughout the years. )