JayCee6828 Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 I have noticed a lot of desktop.ini files appearing in my directories. Can these be deleted with no bad effects or are they actually useful for some reason. I like to keep a clean machine and hate having files all over the place that I don't know what they do. Quote
bugsy_ Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 If i remember rightly open Windows Explorer > click Organize > select Folder and Search Options > Select the View tab > check Hide protected operating system files. This will hide desktop.ini files in the directory. this is normally checked by default. Quote "It takes an intelligent fool to make things bigger and more complex...... It takes a touch of genius to move in the opposite direction"
JayCee6828 Posted January 6, 2011 Author Posted January 6, 2011 Thanks bugsy, I know you can do that but I have view set to show hidden files as there are some that I want to be able to see. I really just wanted to know the prpose of these files and if they can be safely deleted. Quote
Starbuck Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 Desktop.ini files are placed in every folder to tell the operating system how to display and customize the viewing of that specific folder. Trying to delete these files can be frustrating as the Windows operating system may rebuild them. Also deleting them may cause problems for some folders... Best left as they are, just hide them. Quote Member of:UNITE
JayCee6828 Posted January 7, 2011 Author Posted January 7, 2011 I understand now but this has caused me many hours of work checking through folders against a listing of my music as I couldn't get the number of files reported by 'properties' to agree with the number of songs listed; by chance I found it was because some of the folders had a desktop.ini file in them whilst others didn't. When I searched for all the desktop.ini folders in the directories I was counting and deleted them then the number in my listing agreed with the number from 'properties'. If I hide the .ini files does properties then show the correct count or does it include hidden files. I guess I can check that out anyway! But how would you suggest approaching such a task ie checking your listing (in a .doc file) has an equal amount of entries as the actual directories? As a supplementary isit possible just to hide particular os files or is it a blanket coverage; as I mmentioned above thee are some hiddden files that I refer to now and again and that is why I have them showing. Quote
Plastic Nev Posted January 8, 2011 Posted January 8, 2011 Hi JayCee, I assume this is really a continuation of this original thread. http://extremetechsupport.com/forum/windows-7/11093-my-machine-telling-me-porky-pies.html Probably my fault for not getting back and telling you this is what I later found. So to qualify everything, leave those .ini files where they are, they are so small to be only a worry if your drive gets absolutely choked up. Quote Need help with your computer problems? Then why not join Free PC Help. Register here. If Free PC Help has helped you then please consider a donation. Click here We are all members helping other members. Please return here where you may be able to help someone else. After all, no one knows everything and you may have the answer that someone needs. -------------------------------------------------------------------- I have installed Windows, now how do I install the curtains? 😄
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