Unwanted Icon on Desktop

  • Thread starter Thread starter gram pappy
  • Start date Start date
G

gram pappy

On XP Pro SP2, IE 6 SP2

Setting up my Destop:
I added a "shortcut to desktop" to the Quick Launch bar with the Toolbar
locked at the time.(dummy!)

But....., I also got a "Show Desktop" Icon appearing on the Desktop.
This Icon is not a shortcut, but is a "Windows Explorer Command" file.

How do I remove this "Show Desktop" Icon without destroying my desktop?
-
gram
 
Left click the Show Desktop icon and drag it to the Recycle Bin. Your
Desktop will probably not disappear. ;-)

The Show Desktop icon on the Quick Launch toolbar is normally an .scf file.
..scf files are Windows Explorer Command files. .scf files normally do not
display any extension at all. It is a Super-Duper Hidden extension.

But doing a Search for Hidden files will locate all .scf files.

I have these four .scf files...
C:\WINDOWS\explorer
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet
Explorer\Quick Launch\Show Desktop
C:\Documents and Settings\Wesley P. Vogel\Application
Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Show Desktop
C:\WINDOWS\system32\View Channels

The Desktop you see is a combination of two folders.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop
or
%userprofile%\Desktop
and
C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Desktop
or
%allusersprofile%\Desktop

Do a Search for *.scf using this as a guide...

HOW TO: Search For Hidden Or System Files In Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302347

Because the Application Data folder is Hidden and anything beyond that is
also Hidden.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Thanks Wes, for the quick response...
Problem is fixed... and still have my desktop.
-
gram

Left click the Show Desktop icon and drag it to the Recycle Bin. Your
Desktop will probably not disappear. ;-)

The Show Desktop icon on the Quick Launch toolbar is normally an .scf file.
..scf files are Windows Explorer Command files. .scf files normally do not
display any extension at all. It is a Super-Duper Hidden extension.

But doing a Search for Hidden files will locate all .scf files.

I have these four .scf files...
C:\WINDOWS\explorer
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet
Explorer\Quick Launch\Show Desktop
C:\Documents and Settings\Wesley P. Vogel\Application
Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Show Desktop
C:\WINDOWS\system32\View Channels

The Desktop you see is a combination of two folders.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop
or
%userprofile%\Desktop
and
C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Desktop
or
%allusersprofile%\Desktop

Do a Search for *.scf using this as a guide...

HOW TO: Search For Hidden Or System Files In Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302347

Because the Application Data folder is Hidden and anything beyond that is
also Hidden.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
I'm very new at this but i have a small red and white rectangular box sitting
in the middle of my desktop. How do i get rid of it?
 
Glad to hear it, gram.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Right click the small red and white rectangular box, click on Properties and
look around to see if you can discover what it is.

Right click the Start button, click on Explore, click on Desktop in the left
hand pane and see if you can see if something is listed for the red and
white rectangular box.

Right click the Start button, click on Explore All Users, click on Desktop
in the left hand pane and see if you can see if something is listed for the
red and white rectangular box.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
#1 suggestion Display properties screen comes up
Themes
Windows XP theme( modified)
Changing things on this screen does not get rid
of the annoying rectangle. If i hold down the left mouse button and drag the
red/white box , I can draw dotted boxes with it.

Suggestion #2 nothing is listed for the red/white box

Thank you for your time. I wouldn't care about the box except it is right in
the middle of my dog wallpaper's eye!!
 
Casey,

Since Display Properties comes up when right clicking and selecting
Properties, the annoying rectangle is not an object, like a shortcut or file
or folder, but some kind of wallpaper.

I suspect that it is from some sort of malware.

Try this.

Right click a blank area of the Desktop | Click Properties | Display
Properties opens | Click the Desktop tab | Click the Customize Desktop
button | Click the Web tab |

UNCheck: Lock items on Desktop if it is checked.

In the Web pages window, is there anything listed besides My Current Home
Page?

If there is, and it looks like something that you do not want, does it have
a checkmark in the box?

If so, click on it to remove the checkmark, then click the Delete button.

Then Apply and OK your way back out of Display Properties.

If the above did not help, you may have some sort of malware.

If you change your Desktop wallpaper, does the annoying rectangle still
appear?

UPDATE your antivirus software and run a full system scan.

UPDATE whatever anti-spyware applications that you have and run a full
system scan with each one.

You might want to start in Safe Mode to run your antivirus and anti-spyware
software.

Running a full system antivirus scan or anti-spyware scan in Safe Mode can
be a good idea. Some viruses and other malware like to conceal themselves
in areas Windows protects while using them. Safe mode will prevent those
applications access and therefore unprotect the viruses or other malware
allowing for easier removal.

How to start Windows in Safe Mode Windows XP
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/index.php?showtutorial=61#winxo

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Wow!!! That did it. Thanks, Wes!!

Wesley Vogel said:
Casey,

Since Display Properties comes up when right clicking and selecting
Properties, the annoying rectangle is not an object, like a shortcut or file
or folder, but some kind of wallpaper.

I suspect that it is from some sort of malware.

Try this.

Right click a blank area of the Desktop | Click Properties | Display
Properties opens | Click the Desktop tab | Click the Customize Desktop
button | Click the Web tab |

UNCheck: Lock items on Desktop if it is checked.

In the Web pages window, is there anything listed besides My Current Home
Page?

If there is, and it looks like something that you do not want, does it have
a checkmark in the box?

If so, click on it to remove the checkmark, then click the Delete button.

Then Apply and OK your way back out of Display Properties.

If the above did not help, you may have some sort of malware.

If you change your Desktop wallpaper, does the annoying rectangle still
appear?

UPDATE your antivirus software and run a full system scan.

UPDATE whatever anti-spyware applications that you have and run a full
system scan with each one.

You might want to start in Safe Mode to run your antivirus and anti-spyware
software.

Running a full system antivirus scan or anti-spyware scan in Safe Mode can
be a good idea. Some viruses and other malware like to conceal themselves
in areas Windows protects while using them. Safe mode will prevent those
applications access and therefore unprotect the viruses or other malware
allowing for easier removal.

How to start Windows in Safe Mode Windows XP
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/index.php?showtutorial=61#winxo

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
Click to expand...
 
I love it when a plan comes together. Keep having fun.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
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