Solved clean desktop / wallpaper

[PHilton]

I happen to like a clean desktop, not the general plethora of icons that install routines will pile up on you. After upgrading to Win 7 Home Premium, I seem stuck with Libraries and Homegroup as icons on the desktop. These two features are readily reached by other means than desktop icons (I have Classic Shell installed as well). How can I remove those two pesky icons? They do not appear in Control Panel \ Change Desktop Icons.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi and welcome to SevenForums,
Right click your desktop background and select Personalize
On the top left click on Change desktop icons
You'll see where to uncheck the items you don't want

 

[PHilton]

I've already stated those two icons do not appear in "Change Desktop Icons."

 

[AddRAM]

Those icons are normally not on the desktop, not sure how you managed to get them there, just delete them, shouldn`t affect anything.

 

[PHilton]

If I could delete them, I would not be asking how to delete them. (I have deleted hundreds of desktop icons over the years & these 2 will not delete.)

 

[ThrashZone]

Got me
Have you removed classic shell or looked in it's options ?

 

[PHilton]

Nothing in Classic Sell's options seems related to desktop icons, only taskbar icons. Even did a complete search of the registry - nothing there associated with either icon.

 

[ThrashZone]

Might be weird but what happens if you uncheck show desktop icons.
Do they remain or disappear :/

 

[PHilton]

I have already unchecked Computer, User, Network, Recycle Bin & Control Panel. They will reappear if checked, disappear if unchecked, and the Homegroup & Libraries icons are unaffected.

 

[AddRAM]

In hundreds of installs, I`ve never seen those icons on the desktop.

Maybe the Great and Powerful Brink will have a solution

 

[Brink]

Hello PHilton,

Please export the keys below from your Registry Editor (regedit), then upload them here. I'll be happy to take a look at them to see if I may be able to spot the culprit for those icons, and post back with a .reg file to remove them.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu

 

[PHilton]

Here are the four keys in the order listed:

 

[Brink]

The two DWORDS below are responsible for hiding or showing them. They are already set to 1 for hide, so they shouldn't be showing. See if merging the .reg file below to add them as hidden to the other locations may help.

You may need to either refresh (F5) the desktop or log out/in to fully apply.

{B4FB3F98-C1EA-428d-A78A-D1F5659CBA93} for Homegroup

{031E4825-7B94-4dc3-B131-E946B44C8DD5} for Libraries

 

[PHilton]

The icons are now hidden. Interestingly, they do not appear as options in "show/hide desktop icons" but I can easily reach them via Windows Explorer. Thank you very much for your help. There's no accounting for taste, is there?

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome.

Yeah, those two are not one of the default desktop icons.