Problems with "show desktop" shortcut

MS Jordan · Dec 30, 2006

HI
Some guidence or solution would be greatly appreciated

Somehow I deleted the 'Show Desktop.scf" file on my computer.

I went to MS and found out how to create a new file and I put that in the
proper location.

When I try and run this I get a error
" Show Desktop.scf" is not a valid Win 32 application"

So ok, I went to the adminstrator area and copied the file there and had
the same problem.

I have another user on this computer and logged in under that name - same
problem.

So I googled - with nothing applicable comming back.

What I am assuming is that somehow I have done something to the registery -
but I don't know that for sure

Thanks

Win XP Pro - uptodate

Guest · Dec 30, 2006

have you try Doug Knox utility?

here you can try:

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_showdesktop.htm

MS Jordan · Dec 31, 2006

No Joy

same problem
Show Desktop.scf" is not a valid Win 32 application"

That's why I said it's not the scf file, its' something else

Ramesh, MS-MVP · Dec 31, 2006

See if the .SCF file association fix from this site helps.

File association fixes:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com

No Joy

same problem
Show Desktop.scf" is not a valid Win 32 application"

That's why I said it's not the scf file, its' something else

MS Jordan · Dec 31, 2006

Unfortunatly same result

Ramesh, MS-MVP · Dec 31, 2006

Click Start, Run and type:

CMD /K SET

Copy the output and include them in your reply.

Also, type the following:

%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

See if a file named Show Desktop.scf is present in the above folder.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com

Unfortunatly same result

MS Jordan · Jan 1, 2007

"Ramesh, MS-MVP"

I put the *** in where the personal information would show up
Question: what is the "path" list of files ?
- what triggers the question there is no directory or file
C:\Program Files\Eisenworld\Alohabob\

Per your instructions:CMD /K SET results are:

ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\All Users
APPDATA=C:\Documents and Settings\********\Application Data
CLASSPATH=.;C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_09\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
CLIENTNAME=Console
CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files\Common Files
COMPUTERNAME=********
ComSpec=C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe
FP_NO_HOST_CHECK=NO
HOMEDRIVE=C:
HOMEPATH=\Documents and Settings\********
LOGONSERVER=\\********
NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=2
OS=Windows_NT
Path=C:\Perl\bin\;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32
\Wbem;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\DLLShared;C:\Program
Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files\ATI
Technologies\ATI Control Panel;C:\Program Files\Eisenworld\Alohabob\;D:
\Diskeeper\;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Autodesk Shared\;C:\Program
Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\DLLShared\;E:\IronCAD\9.0\
bin\;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\AGL;D:\QuickTime\QTSystem\
PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH
PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=x86
PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 9, GenuineIntel
PROCESSOR_LEVEL=15
PROCESSOR_REVISION=0209
ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files
PROMPT=$P$G
QTJAVA=C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_09\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
RoxioCentral=C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\Roxio Central\
SESSIONNAME=Console
SystemDrive=C:
SystemRoot=C:\WINDOWS
TEMP=C:\DOCUME~1\MICHAE~1\LOCALS~1\Temp
TMP=C:\DOCUME~1\MICHAE~1\LOCALS~1\Temp
tvdumpflags=8
USERDOMAIN=********
USERNAME=********
USERPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\********
windir=C:\WINDOWS

***************************************************

Show Desktop.scf is in the quick launch directory

Ramesh, MS-MVP · Jan 2, 2007

I was looking for the AppData variable, and the it looks fine. I'm running out of ideas now.

Adding a folder to the PATH helps you launch the program (present in that folder) without mentioning the full location (directory/path name). Windows searches every folder listed in the PATH variable.

Eisenworld Alohabob - Google Search:
http://www.google.com/search?q=Eisenworld Alohabob

How To Manage Environment Variables in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310519

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com

"Ramesh, MS-MVP"

I put the *** in where the personal information would show up
Question: what is the "path" list of files ?
- what triggers the question there is no directory or file
C:\Program Files\Eisenworld\Alohabob\

Per your instructions:CMD /K SET results are:

ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\All Users
APPDATA=C:\Documents and Settings\********\Application Data
CLASSPATH=.;C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_09\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
CLIENTNAME=Console
CommonProgramFiles=C:\Program Files\Common Files
COMPUTERNAME=********
ComSpec=C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe
FP_NO_HOST_CHECK=NO
HOMEDRIVE=C:
HOMEPATH=\Documents and Settings\********
LOGONSERVER=\\********
NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS=2
OS=Windows_NT
Path=C:\Perl\bin\;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32
\Wbem;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\DLLShared;C:\Program
Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files\ATI
Technologies\ATI Control Panel;C:\Program Files\Eisenworld\Alohabob\;D:
\Diskeeper\;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Autodesk Shared\;C:\Program
Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\DLLShared\;E:\IronCAD\9.0\
bin\;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\AGL;D:\QuickTime\QTSystem\
PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH
PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE=x86
PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER=x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 9, GenuineIntel
PROCESSOR_LEVEL=15
PROCESSOR_REVISION=0209
ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files
PROMPT=$P$G
QTJAVA=C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_09\lib\ext\QTJava.zip
RoxioCentral=C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\Roxio Central\
SESSIONNAME=Console
SystemDrive=C:
SystemRoot=C:\WINDOWS
TEMP=C:\DOCUME~1\MICHAE~1\LOCALS~1\Temp
TMP=C:\DOCUME~1\MICHAE~1\LOCALS~1\Temp
tvdumpflags=8
USERDOMAIN=********
USERNAME=********
USERPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\********
windir=C:\WINDOWS

***************************************************

Show Desktop.scf is in the quick launch directory

MS Jordan · Jan 2, 2007

"Ramesh,

1st - thank you very much for your time and information
2nd - Any suggestions where should I go from here ?
3rd - The files listed in the path command - Where is that information
stored or gathered from ?

Michael

Ayush · Jan 2, 2007

Replied to [MS Jordan]s message :

3rd - The files listed in the path command - Where is that information
stored ?

In Environment Variables..
Right click My Computer >
PRoperties >
Advanced tab >
Environment variables button,
Path under System

MS Jordan · Jan 3, 2007

Thank You

Replied to [MS Jordan]s message :

3rd - The files listed in the path command - Where is that information
stored ?

Click to expand...

Ayush · Jan 3, 2007

Replied to [MS Jordan]s message :

Thank You

You re welcome !'

Ramesh, MS-MVP · Jan 3, 2007

Michael,

Here is a workaround:

Create a VBScript which runs the shell command.

- - -
dim objShell
Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
objShell.ToggleDesktop
Set objShell = nothing
- - -

Copy the above lines to Notepad, and the file with .VBS extension ("c:\windows\showdesktop.vbs"). Place a shortcut to the script in the Quick Launch folder. Right-click the newly created shortcut, and choose Properties. You can change the icon so that it resembles the real "Show Desktop" icon. The icon is located inside explorer.exe, and the icon index (0 based) is 3.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com

"Ramesh,

1st - thank you very much for your time and information
2nd - Any suggestions where should I go from here ?
3rd - The files listed in the path command - Where is that information
stored or gathered from ?

Michael

MS Jordan · Jan 7, 2007

"Ramesh, MS-MVP"

Work around worked just fine - Thanks for your time and input

Ramesh, MS-MVP · Jan 7, 2007

You're welcome!

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com

"Ramesh, MS-MVP"

Work around worked just fine - Thanks for your time and input

Problems with "show desktop" shortcut

MS Jordan

Guest

MS Jordan

Ramesh, MS-MVP

MS Jordan

Ramesh, MS-MVP

MS Jordan

Ramesh, MS-MVP

MS Jordan

Ayush

MS Jordan

Ayush

Ramesh, MS-MVP

MS Jordan

Ramesh, MS-MVP