HomeGroup Desktop Icon - Add or Remove

Lynda · Dec 7, 2009

didn't work

I tried both of these to remove Homegroup and Libraries from my desktop. I downloaded them, ran the .reg file and all I got was a notepad with the registry entries. How do I run them?

Brink · Dec 7, 2009

Hello Lynda, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Your .reg file extension type is not associated to the correct program to be opened by. This is why it's not working for you. Check in Default Programs to "Change program" for the .reg file extension so that it has it's "Current Default" program as "Registry Editor" (C:\Windows\regedit.exe). Afterwards, you should be able to run the .reg files without Notepad opening instead.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Lynda · Dec 8, 2009

removing Homegroup and Libraries from the desktop

I have backed up my registry...changed the default program '.reg' to open with regedit. I have downloaded both programs to remove the icons (although they were listed as 'zipped' files, they were not zipped. However, I now have them both on my desktop. When I right click, there is no option to 'merge' and no option to 'run'...now what do I do?

Brink · Dec 8, 2009

Lynda,

Oh my. It seems that your ZIP file associations may not be correct either. You can download and install the ZIP option in the tutorial below to restore the default ZIP file associations. Afterwards you should be able to extract and merge the .reg files for the Homegroup and Libraries desktop icon.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19449-default-file-type-associations-restore.html

In addition, you might consider running a full scan with your antivirus and anti-malware program to be safe in case your computer may have been infected with some form of malware.

Lynda · Dec 9, 2009

OK..I have now restored my .reg to 'regedit' and my .zip to 'winzip'. The files do unzip and are on my desktop, however, there is no 'merge' option listed when I right click the unzipped program. I did run 'Spybot', 'Windows Defender' and 'Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool'....none of the programs found anything. So now where is that 'Merge' option?

Brink · Dec 9, 2009

Lynda,

Did you extract the .reg file from the ZIP file before right clicking on it, and not just open the ZIP file and right click on the .reg file? Here's the reg file itself instead of it being in a ZIP file.

Lynda · Dec 9, 2009

yes. I unzipped it to my desktop...right clicked it and there is no 'merge' option. I remember earlier when it was opening in notepad, it did have a 'merge' option.

Brink · Dec 9, 2009

Sorry Lynda, but I had to ask just to make sure. Did the .reg file I attached above have a merge option for it when you right clicked on it?

Lynda · Dec 9, 2009

no. It did not

Brink · Dec 10, 2009

It sounds like the .reg file extension still does not have "Registry Editor" set as the default program for it.

Lynda · Dec 10, 2009

I just noticed a page 2 where you said..."It sounds like the .reg file extension still does not have "Registry Editor" set as the default program for it" I don't know if that was directed to me, but I just checked and the .reg file extension has the "Registry Editor" as the default program. If I double click on the unzipped file I can run it, but there is no 'Merge' option.

when I right click the unzipped files and click on 'open with' they choices are either 'Notepad' or 'Winzip' when I try to change the program to open with 'Registry Editor' or 'regedit' or 'regedit.exe' it can not find any of those programs...despite the fact that 'Registry Editor' is listed in my 'default programs' for .reg and I can run regedit from the start menu and get to the registry.

Brink · Dec 10, 2009

Strange. When you click on "Open with", be sure to expand the "Other Programs" drop down menu to see if "Registry Editor" is there. If not, are you able to click on the "Browse" button and manually select the ""C:\Windows\regedit.exe" file instead?

Lynda · Dec 10, 2009

oops. I just did that. I clicked on open with....browsed to C:\Windows\regedit and said yes...it added it to the registry

The one I tried it on was the Default Zip...When I checked the Default Programs .zip was missing so I restored my registry using a backup I made earlier. It seems that 'Merge' option is really needed.

Since it originally had the 'Merge' option when it was opening in Notepad, I'm afraid that one of my registry cleanup's might have deleted it. I use Registry Mechanic and System Mechanic. (Probably overkill). But now I need to know how to get it back before I can run the .reg files.

Brink · Dec 10, 2009

Are you able to right click on a .reg file and click on Merge now?

If so, you can use the ZIP download from my post above to restore the default ZIP associations back. I would recommend to stay away from registry cleaning programs. They tend to do more harm than good if the wrong item is allowed to be deleted from the registry.

Lynda · Dec 10, 2009

No, still no Merge option. I restored my registry instead. I've been browsing through the restore options in both 'Registry Mechanic' and 'System Mechanic', but I'm not sure what I'm looking for. I don't know what the registry key is for that Merge command.

Brink · Dec 10, 2009

Lynda,

You might consider doing a repair install. It should fix it for you without losing anything.

Lynda · Dec 11, 2009

I don't know about that. I have an upgrade disk from Toshiba and when I tried to run it, I got some different screens that what you displayed in your tutorial on repair install. I might just go back to Vista and do the whole upgrade process again.

Lynda · Dec 12, 2009

Brink, Thank you very much. I located the Win7 32-bit folder on my Toshiba upgrade disk and ran the 'setup'. All went well...no data was missing and I was able to delete both Homegroup and Libraries from my desktop. I have removed both Registry Mechanic and System Mechanic from my pc, although I don't know if either one was the cause. Can you recommend a good registry cleaner for Windows 7?....In any case, I appreciate all your help.

Brink · Dec 12, 2009

You're welcome Lynda. Actually I would recommend to not use a registry cleaner. They tend to do more harm than good when accidentally allowed to delete a registry entry that it should not have.

HomeGroup Desktop Icon - Add or Remove

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