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Desktop Icons won’t stay hidden

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Hello,

I have a new ASUS laptop (i7, 8 Go Ram, Win7 64 bits) that won’t keep the Desktop Icons hidden when I un-check the View the Desktop icons. They disappear but wil return at the next reboot.
All my other computers do not show that problem.
I wonder whether this is a pecularity of Asus computers or of win7 64 bits.
Can anyone shed some light on the problem?
Thankls in advance for all input.

Topic

Clarifications

In reply to Desktop Icons won’t stay hidden

Clarifications

Desktop Icons won’t stay hidden

In reply to Desktop Icons won’t stay hidden

I use a freeware program called “Fences”. I can select fences or icons that I want to be seen or not seen. Double-clicking on the desktop hides/unhides the fences or individual icons. It works through a reboot.

Reponse To Answer

In reply to Desktop Icons won’t stay hidden

Thank you for your input. What is “Fences” and what does it do?

Reponse To Answer

In reply to Desktop Icons won’t stay hidden

Hello Isenberg,

I’ve installed Fences, do not use it otherwise than for hiding the icons. Works perfectly for that purpose. Many Thanks.
BTW incidentally what is the main purposes of Fences?

dont rely on defaults

In reply to Desktop Icons won’t stay hidden

Windows default drop down hider isnt always nice.
Find a freeware and use that. there is a really handy one out there that does what windows does and some. “attribute changer” v 6.20
Hope that helps. How long have you been using this computer and wht do you use it for?

Reponse To Answer

In reply to dont rely on defaults

Thank you for your help.
I’ll try Attribute change.
As for your questions: I’m been using this computer for 6 months already, and normally am quite used to the operation of hiding the desktop icons except for this one computer that exhibits this abnormal behaviour.
Thank you.

If you are comfortable using the Registry Editor

In reply to Desktop Icons won’t stay hidden

you can hide all Desktop Icons and still enable the right mouse click by using this registry hack :

First off you need to backup the registry before you make changes

Open regedt32 and navigate to : HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
Right mouse click on Advanced and select Export, give the new file an appropriate name and select Save

To Restore your backup open Regedt32 and select File, Import, browse to your original file and select Open and then select OK.
Close out of the Registry and restart your System.

The Registry settings can also be saved by creating a System Restore point and returned to original by Restoring your Resore point.

Now to make the required changes….

Open regedt32 and navigate to : HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
In the right hand payne double click HideIcons and change the REG_DWORD Value to 1

Close out of the Registry and restart your System.

Reponse To Answer

In reply to If you are comfortable using the Registry Editor

OT
Nice to see you around, man. 🙂

You may have a virus

In reply to Desktop Icons won’t stay hidden

Hello- it sounds exactly like the symptom a PC will get after being infected with the data restore virus, I would run a full scan of MBAM or spyware doctor and make sure that not it first. Troubleshooting is critical for issues like yours. Eliminate the possibilities first then go into your OS to make sure your settings are correct. Both of the products I mention above offer free scans so you don’t need to buy them to find out if you have an infection.

Be careful using the registry editor but the coment above is exactly right.

-Just my 2 cents

Reponse To Answer

In reply to You may have a virus

Thank you for tour input. I think that the virus issue is not likely because I’ve checked on the same computer in display at a store. It exhibits the same problem.

Fences

In reply to Desktop Icons won’t stay hidden

I also use Fences – from Stardock – the control over the desktop is great for control freak like me.

Reponse To Answer

In reply to Fences

Hello,
I would ask you the same question as to Isenberg: What exactly are the main purposes of Fences?
I’ve installed it and for my need (hiding icons) it’s perfect.

Fences (more)

In reply to Desktop Icons won’t stay hidden

one of the many things I like about Fences is the ability to resize the fences. Say you have a fence with 20 icons inside (in a 4X5 pattern) and you only want to see the top row of 4. Drag the bottom border of the fence up. Now you see a scroll bar on the right side. You can do this with all your fences. It keeps my desktop tidy. One more bit of advice… take a snapshot of your screen once you get it the way you like.

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