What are desktop.ini files?

[Guest]

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Running XP Pro SP2 on a new system. Seems almost every file folder or group
in Windows Explorer contains a desktop.ini file.
When deleting Temp Internet Files, the Content IE.5 as well as each of the 4
subfolders contain this file. When trying to delete the TIF tree, Windows
complains about deleting the desktop.ini.
What do these do, does it hurt to delete them or should I leave the folders
with the .ini in them? Do these track info similar to the index.dats?

thanks

 

[Ted Zieglar]

Desktop.ini describes the characteristics of the folder. For example, it
describes the appearance of the folder's icon. It doesn't "track" you - and
neither does content.ie5, lol.

If you delete desktop.ini you will lose any customizations you have made to
the folder. If you delete desktop.ini in a Windows system folder, it will
just be recreated at the next restart.

For more information:
http://www.google.com/search?q=desktop.ini

 

[Wesley Vogel]

In the case of TIFs, deleting the desktop.ini files does no harm.

Windows complains because normally desktop.ini files are System files.

No tracking involved with desktop.ini files.

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.