Resetting desktop folder defaults

Question

I wanted to change the location of my personal(user) files from the C: drive to another one. By mistake, I gave the location of the desktop folder as D:. The outcome was not of my liking(instead of the desktop folder, I saw the drive folder(same icon and the blue used % bar). I tried to change the registry settings which was advised by another site. They told me to do the following changes:

"

For this, go to Start > Run, enter "regedit" and search the keys listed below. You can create an expandable string value "Desktop" in "User Shell Folders" key, if this value does not exist.

Now, double-click the Value Name "Desktop" under "Shell Folders" and "User Shell Folders" keys respectively, to define a new path in their Value Data fields for your "Desktop" folder.

Registry entries:

• Registry Entry 1 :

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]

Key Type :Current User

Value Name :Desktop

Data Type :REG_SZ (String Value)

Enabled Value :

Disabled value :

Other value :Define new path for Desktop folder.

• Registry Entry 2 :

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders]

Key Type :Current User

Value Name :Desktop

Data Type :REG_EXPAND_SZ (Expandable String Value)

Enabled Value :

Disabled value :

Other value :Define new path for Desktop folder.

"

I did this, and it has come back to normal. However, the desktop folder in the user directory remains hidden , even when I set the default path(the check-box for the hidden option is greyed). The default icon for Desktop has also changed to the default folder icon.

I want the Desktop folder as it is. How do I go about doing this?

Note: All this has been done in the administrator account.

Answer 1

I solved the "hidden folder" problem by changing the attributes of the desktop folder. It was set to RHSD, I changed it to RD, removing the hidden and system attributes using the "attrib" command.

However, there is NO "desktop.ini" file in the desktop folder, or it is hidden in such a way that I cannot view it in 7-Zip file manager. Does this create a problem?. How do I go about doing this? All I know is that there is [.ShellClassInfo] written on top, and there are two other things, namely LocalizedResourceName and IconResource. What do I have to write in these two?

Do help.

Answer 2

Hi,

It is not essential to have a desktop.ini file in that folder, it only exists for view customizations. Nor do you need anything in the other files listed.

---

Best of Luck, Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP http://mvp.support.microsoft.com Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

Answer 3

Hi,

A much simpler method is to simply right click the Desktop folder in Windows Explorer (not from the upper left links section, but rather from the Folder View) and go to Properties. On the Location tab, click on 'restore default'. This should not only move it to the correct location, but restore it's correct attributes as well.

---

Best of Luck, Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP http://mvp.support.microsoft.com Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

Rick,

Clicking properties in the topmost "Desktop" in folder view brings up the Windows personalization window. Doing that to the desktop folder in the user's personal folder does not make any difference, and the folder remains unchangeably hidden.

Please do help.

Answer 4

Hi,

A much simpler method is to simply right click the Desktop folder in Windows Explorer (not from the upper left links section, but rather from the Folder View) and go to Properties. On the Location tab, click on 'restore default'. This should not only move it to the correct location, but restore it's correct attributes as well.

---

Best of Luck, Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP http://mvp.support.microsoft.com Windows help - www.rickrogers.org