How to stop Windows 7 from writing desktop.ini files everywhere?

Layback Bear · 05 Sep 2014

Sourcerer said:

@DeaconFrost, the problem with hidden files is not that they are hidden. If the average user doesn't need or shouldn't see them, that's all well and good, but the real problem is that they are there at all. If this is information the system needs, why is it scattered all over the place? Wouldn't it be better to store it in one place, like the registry, or as folder attributes... ? In other words, wouldn't it be a far better solution if this information wasn't squeezed into the file system at all? Just imagine having filing cabinets with information about what's stored in them, stored in one of the files inside every cabinet drawer, and that file just happens to be hidden among the rest of the files. It would be much better if you could stick a tag to the drawer and ditch the hidden file, don't you think?

I didn't create this thread to debate the need of hidden files, though. They constitute a ghastly solution to folder customization, but it's here to stay, it would seem. My question was simply where do I turn it off? I don't need it, and I don't feel comfortable knowing that there is stuff I don't see in places I wouldn't even think of. It may enable nice features for your average user, but I'm not your average user and this particular way of implementing these features is more a nuisance than anything else to me.

@Layback Bear,

If one wants to tinker without proper knowledge and supervision I suggest you get proficient
at Repair Install or Clean Install first.

Why do you assume that we who prefer to have hidden files shown to us don't have "proper knowledge"?

Your confusing me with someone who wants to argue.
I don't.
If you for what ever reason want to do things to your computer please do. It's your computer.

I post warnings because you are not the only reader of these post.
Thousands of people all over the world read our post.

I don't assume people don't have proper knowledge. I also don't assume they do have proper knowledge.

I do know that Windows 7 tries to protect itself and it was designed that way because Microsoft does not know the knowledge level of every one of the billions who use their systems.

XpNiNjA · 06 Sep 2014

every time i activate view super hidden files it starts sucking up disc space on the other partition were i have put a buckupimage try a full factory-reinstall

Sourcerer · 06 Sep 2014

DeaconFrost said:

It is what it is. That's how the system works. Honestly, you're just spending a lot of time and effort worrying about something that doesn't warrant it. The reason Layback Bear made that comment it, given the patterns we see on here, the people with the proper knowledge don't worry about those files. They aren't causing any issues, and we understand why they are the way they are.

Now, maybe in the future, Windows versions may lock away all system files, and give you "user space" like Linux, but that's going to require a lot of rewritten software by non-Microsoft companies to be compatible. People often bitch at Microsoft for not making huge changes, but they fail to grasp what that would mean for the industry as a whole. Vista, for example, wasn't really that bad of an OS. The biggest failure of Vista was that OEMs weren't ready for its release. People bought new computers that didn't have Nvidia drivers available for the system...so gaming wasn't an option until Nvidia released working drivers.

This is getting ridiculous beyond all reason. My one and only question as an OP in this thread was if there was an option to switch off the writing of the ridiculous desktop.ini file, which, by the way, is NOT NEEDED for the proper functioning of the system. I have stated time and again that I don't want to hide these files, but clearly this forum is the wrong place to come looking for a decent answer.

A simple "it's not possible" would have had sufficed.

avada · 06 Sep 2014

margrave said:

Agreed. Why worry about them?

Why make system files viewable anyway? What does seeing them accomplish? Do you do things differently while seeing them, vs. not seeing them?

How hard it is to comprehend that hidden files are not system files? Every stupid file/folder can be hidden. Some apps set their appdata folders hidden.

It's just misleading and stupid. And you may end up copying deleteng files/folders which you can't see or know about because of this. The hidden attribute won't stop you from doing any of these.

Pegsat · 18 Nov 2014

It is amazing how many folks did not take the time to understand what Sorcerer wrote.
Even when he explained his reasoning, which I agree with, they replied with "how to hide the files" or "why do you want...". Six pages of non-sense that could have taken one or two. This is marked as solved but I am not sure exactly what the solution was. By Sorcerer's latest post, I am to presume "It can't be done", although he seemed to have gotten it "at least for one reboot".

Sure, I'm new here, first post and all, but I wanted to know too. I too like to see all files to be able to "watch for odd things". You cannot watch if it's hidden from you, but not all things need to be seen, especially on the desktop. And that is all he was asking, to not see them there, not to have them coming back there... on the desktop.

I did learn here in the posts that if I delete the two showing up, that my computer isn't going to crash. But now I am confused, and I just have to ask Sorcerer if he comes back again...
"Is that right? It just cannot be done?"

I mean, I don't want to try filtering out and attempting some of the suggestions if it can't be done. People, If you do not know, don't answer with your opinion, just don't answer.
That is being helpful to anyone asking questions.

timboskratch · 19 Nov 2014

Pegsat said:

It is amazing how many folks did not take the time to understand what Sorcerer wrote.
Even when he explained his reasoning, which I agree with, they replied with "how to hide the files" or "why do you want...". Six pages of non-sense that could have taken one or two. This is marked as solved but I am not sure exactly what the solution was. By Sorcerer's latest post, I am to presume "It can't be done", although he seemed to have gotten it "at least for one reboot".

Sure, I'm new here, first post and all, but I wanted to know too. I too like to see all files to be able to "watch for odd things". You cannot watch if it's hidden from you, but not all things need to be seen, especially on the desktop. And that is all he was asking, to not see them there, not to have them coming back there... on the desktop.

I did learn here in the posts that if I delete the two showing up, that my computer isn't going to crash. But now I am confused, and I just have to ask Sorcerer if he comes back again...
"Is that right? It just cannot be done?"

I mean, I don't want to try filtering out and attempting some of the suggestions if it can't be done. People, If you do not know, don't answer with your opinion, just don't answer.
That is being helpful to anyone asking questions.

I couldn't agree more with the last part of this. I often read through various forums looking for information and technical advice, and the main issue is sifting through so much irrelevant information where people are arguing against the original question, or just putting something completely irrelevant. If people don't have an answer to the original question then best option is to not reply at all! This thread should have been 2 posts long - originally question and one post basically saying 'no this is not possible to turn off the creation of these files.'

CCO325 · 18 Apr 2015

I joined the forum just to put this thread to bed and answer the OP from 5 years ago properly (and so everyone ELSE who finds this thread knows what to do to solve the problem since this is the first match in all google searches).

Open the registry editor ( Start —> Run —> regedit )
Locate or add the following DWORD key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE —> SOFTWARE —> Microsoft —> Windows —> CurrentVersion —> Policies —> Explorer —> “UseDesktopIniCache”
Modify that key (or add it if it doesn't exist) so that it’s Value is 0 (zero)
This works for ALL versions of windows from XP-32 through Windows 8.1