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These icons are not short cuts, but notepad files. Why are they there? How can they be eliminated?
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
Hi AntipodeamRJ,
Enabling the Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) setting in Folder Options hides the two Desktop.ini files, as well. To access the Folder Options, open Windows Explorer, click Organize, click Folder and Search Options and select the View tab.
Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Desktop Experience]
Desktop.ini--when it appears on the actual desktop, where system files don't belong--is a VIRUS. If you don't catch it right away, it will lock you out of the administrative priviliges and any attempt to delete it will result in Permission Denied message. It won't let you do System Restore (you'll get an error that restore did not complete). Not will you be able to do much from the command prompt, because you no longer have the access to system files.
I really wish people would look up information on possible viruses before giving entirely useless advices on how hide a file that would have never be visible if everything was OK.
I have not been able to find a way to remove the virus, for the reasons mentioned above. So I could really use some help. But please--let's don't talk about Desktop.ini not being a virus because it's system file. I know it is, and it is infected. Thank you in advance
There is a virus that creates DESKTOP.INI files, and which is commonly known as "DESKTOP.INI", but the actual DESKTOP.INI file itself is not the virus.
Having DESKTOP.INI show up in your desktop folder is not a definitive indication that you have the virus.
To be sure, run a scan with your anti-virus software.
Desktop.ini--when it appears on the actual desktop, where system files don't belong--is a VIRUS. If you don't catch it right away, it will lock you out of the administrative priviliges and any attempt to delete it will result in Permission Denied message. It won't let you do System Restore (you'll get an error that restore did not complete). Not will you be able to do much from the command prompt, because you no longer have the access to system files.
I really wish people would look up information on possible viruses before giving entirely useless advices on how hide a file that would have never be visible if everything was OK.
I have not been able to find a way to remove the virus, for the reasons mentioned above. So I could really use some help. But please--let's don't talk about Desktop.ini not being a virus because it's system file. I know it is, and it is infected. Thank you in advance
Hi AntipodeamRJ,
Enabling the Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) setting in Folder Options hides the two Desktop.ini files, as well. To access the Folder Options, open Windows Explorer, click Organize, click Folder and Search Options and select the View tab.
Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Desktop Experience]
Thanks Ramesh,
Much appreciated
Thank you. very helpful and simple fix. issue started after MS update both my computer on 28 Oct 2014
