Removing/Hiding Desktop Icons (WME)

[smileyjoe]

I can't remove "My Computer" and "My Network Places" icons by deleting their keys in [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\
Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace]

I deleted every key at that location, but these two icons remain. How do I remove them as well? I don't want to use the desktop-hiding tweq as I want the wallpaper feature to still function.

[Deke]

Remove Icons</font color=red> (http://www.activewin.com/tips/reg/desktop_4.shtml><font)
This works on W98SE. Hope it helps you to.

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Deke on 03/26/02 21:23.</FONT></P>

[smileyjoe]

Thanks, but I've already removed every value from "Namespace." It's completely empty, but those two icons are still on my desktop.

How else can I remove the icons? That method isn't working.

[TonyKlein]

It is possible to remove the My Computer Icon from the desktop, although this is generally not recommended.
First, make certain you have a good backup, then delete the following Registry Key (along with its subkeys):

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

To pinpoint the location of the Network Places CLSID, do a keyword search for it.

When you find it, you can also edit it by putting a little minus sign in front of it like this (example):

-{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

That ought to hide it effectively as well.

Good luck, Tony

[POBrien]

I don't know about My Network Places... But you can't remove My Computer as it's built into explorer itself. As you've probably figured out, you can stop access to My Computer (double clicking the icon does nothing) by removing the class id in the namespace subkey.

Pat

[smileyjoe]

TonyKlein, deleting the CLSID or adding the minus key to the CLSID of either icon only sets its name to "Folder" and does not remove or hide the icon from the desktop. Thank you anway. At least I got a result of some kind.:)

Does anyone else have any tricks to try? I'm only trying to hide or remove these desktop icons, not the features themselves.

[reghakr]

If I keep posting this, my special "security" feature will be public knowledge.

Find or create yourself a blank icon. Right-cklick on the desktop, choose properties, click the Effects tab, select My computer, click the Change Icon button. Browse to the directory with the blank.ico and select it. Now, on the desktop, rename the My Computer icon to a period and drag it to the VERY outer edge of the screen untill it is almost invisible.

There supposedly is a trick using the numeric keypad to make a nameless icon.

Here it is:

For the icon(s) that you wish to be nameless, for the name of the shortcut hold down ALT key and type 0160

You MUST have num lock on and use the numeric keypad, NOT the keyboard numbers.

Then add the following DWORD with a decimal value of 4 to hide the c: drive.

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Policies\Explorer]

NoDrives

reghakr<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by reghakr on 03/27/02 17:22.</FONT></P>

[smileyjoe]

Reghakr, thank you so much! That's such a great trick and it works just fine for the My Computer icon.

However, I can't seem to change the "My Network Places" icon using the "Effects" tab in the desktop properties menu. How can I find what icon that shortcut uses?

[reghakr]

I haven't used ME in a long time, but see if this works:

backup the registry and/or export the following keys:
go to Start&gt;Run, type regedit. Navigate to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Policies\Explorer
Right-click on the Explorer key, choose new&gt;Key, name it NoNetHood and give it a value of 1.

reghakr

[smileyjoe]

Using the NoNetHood Feature hides my the network feature from Windows Explorer as well. I just want it off of the desktop.

What I really need is to find out how to change the network icon.

[reghakr]

If you can't remove it using the namespace key, you could TRY manually editting the registry and add a DefaultIcon entry with the path to the blank.ico.

I don't use ME anymore, so I'm guessing as to the location
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\explorer\??My Network Places??

reghakr

[Sweeed]

Note: This has only been tested under W2K

Try this for "My Computer":
Create a key under [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}] and name it "ShellFolder".
Create a binary value and name it "Attributes", set the value to hex:00 00 10 00

"My Network Places" has CLSID {208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}. Do the same here.

Undo this before you try the next one.


Another nice feature could be to have this in the "Tools/Folder Options..." dialog. Here you are able to set whether you want to see the icon or not by a klick in a checkbox.
Create a key under [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder] and name it "MyComputerOnDesktop".
Create and set these values:
"RegPath"="Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer \CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\ShellFolder"
"Text"="Show My Computer on the Desktop"
"Type"="checkbox"
"ValueName"="Attributes"
"CheckedValue"=dword:f0400174
"UncheckedValue"=dword:f0500174
"DefaultValue"=dword:f0400174
"HKeyRoot"=dword:80000001

Do the same for "My Network Places" (change above values as appropriate).


However, I don't think it's possible to remove the icon for "My Network Places" from the desktop and still have it in the explorer window. The reason is that what you see on your desktop is generated by explorer from the point of the desktop, so are the explorer window. Explorer is the shell program. In other words they are the same.



Happy Reghacking

[gangsta]

well, I understand you want to keep the Networking functional and at the same time hide the icon from the desktop?

I am no expert but I can tell you it is kind of hard to do that , without active desktop, as many of the experts here have explained this to you.

But if you can use active desktop , at least this is possible in w98, there is an option to hide all the desktop icons.

before you begin make sure you have enabled active desktop from the DISPLAY Properties icon&gt;WEB tab.

When done with that, go to :
FOLDER OPTIONS&gt;VIEW tab&gt;scroll down to VISUAL SETTINGS, and select (check) "Hide icons when Desktop is viewed as a web page" , and click OK.

Another way (not using Active Desktop):

You don't have to edit the reg to remove the Network icon (I don't know if this is true in w2k, try & see);
In TweakUI -Desktop tab you can simply uncheck any icons you dont want displayed (keeps it functional in windows explorer).

But some times this doesn't work, and some icons only get converted to a folder. The folders then can be moved to another location.

Alternativly, if you do not need the network functionality, just go to the network icon in CP & delete " Client for MS Network" protocol then reboot.
This solution is effective in removing the Network icon & file sharing in Win 98 but I cannot speak for W2k ; I don't know.

Your best bet is to view Desktop as a web page and use the visual settings to hide the icons as mentioned above.