This is for those that what to clean up these places (or what the little bit extra performance that few few Icon to the disk top gives you) but don’t know what they can remove. First is is important to say that just about every thing that is on the Desktop, Start Menu, or Quick Launch is not the program itself but just a file that points to it, they can be deleted and you can still use the program. The most common exception to this is files that you have added to the Desktop, and unless you use them every day they can be put int the My Documents folder.
The Desktop and Quick Launch
The first move is to delete all shortcuts to programs that have been uninstalled, they are often left behind.
Now you can remove system Elements form the desktop this is done by right clicking the desktop and in the menu pressing properties in the window that comes up press the Desktop tab and then the “Customize Desktop…” button. In the general tab you can untick that those that you don’t what like “My Computer”.
You will notice that some system elements such at the recycle Bin are not there to remove then you must open the registry and go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Deskt
op\NameSpace
Here you will find Keys (Keys are like folders in Explorer) that look this one
{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}
if you press on it in the other side of the windows it will say what it belongs to, here is a list of some of them
My Briefcase:{85BBD920-42AO-1069-A2E4-08002B30309D}
Desktop: {00021400-0000-0000-C000-0000000000046}
Control Panel:{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}
Dial-Up-Networking:{992CFFA0-F557-101A-88EC-00DD01CCC48}
Fonts: {BD84B380-8CA2-1069-AB1D-08000948534}
Inbox :{00020D76-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
My Computer :{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}
Network Neighborhood: {208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-O8002B30309D}
Printers :{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-O8002B30309D}
Recycle Bin :{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}
The Microsoft Network: {00028B00-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}
History: {FF393560-C2A7-11CF-BFF4-444553540000}
Winzip :{E0D79300-84BE-11CE-9641-444553540000}
If you know one and what it is please MP about it and I will add it here.
Remember editing the registry can cause problems, if you do the wrong thing. Do not do this unless you feel safe editing the registry
Now you should only have program shortcuts plus those that you wanted to keep. Now you can delete every icon that you never use, and all those that are in both the quick launch and desktop.
Now how about have desktop icons with no name? The catch here is you can use the Space Bar to put in a name you can’t see. But if you press down the Alt key while you type 255 you get an invisible name. Just as a note you can’t have two icons with the same name so the second one that you do this to you must press the Alt key type 255 and the take you finger of the Alt key and then put it back on and type 255 again.
Ok So why not take is a step further and make icons that you can see at all, which is great for things that you don’t what other people opening, or just are sick of seeing it.
Right click the Icon that you what to hide and press properties in the menu that comes up. Now press “Change Icon…” browse to C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll and 13 columns down there are blank icons select on and press Ok and Ok again you know have an invisible icon. If you have not already done so go-back and give it a name you can see and hide the arrow.
The Start Menu
The first move as with the desktop is to delete all shortcuts to programs that have been uninstalled, they are often left behind.
Now the hard thing about the Start Menu is that you don’t really what to remove any thing form it because it is often used as the source for shortcuts. But There are ways to make it easier to find thing is in
The first is to make dividers to break the start menu in to sections. To do this find your start menu it is normally found “C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Start Menu\Programs” where Owner is your user name. In this folder right click and press New and then Shortcut. In the Windows that comes up type some thing like C:\ because the shortcut have to point to something, then press Next. In the next window do the Alt 255 trick to give it a name that you can’t see, and then give it a blank icon. You now have a divider that you can put where ever you what in the start menu. now just make as many as you need.
Another way to make things easier to find in the Start menu is to give the folders in your start menu an icon. This is hard to do unless you only have one user because it can be fiddly to do unless you combine the two start menus that are
“C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Start Menu\Programs” (where Owner is you user name)
and “C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs”
in to one first by moving every thing form one to the other. (the Startup and administrative tools will not move).
Now find a Icon that you what the folder to use (normally one that is in the folder and belongs to that program) and right click it and press properties < Change Icon, in the box under where is says “Look for Icons in the file:” there is the file that contains the icon, highlight it and right click it and press copy. Now go to the folder which you what you change the Icon of and right click it and press properties < customize tab < Folder Icons < Change Icon, now in the box under “Look for Icons in the file:” paste the path for the other icon then press Ok then OK and then Ok again. If you go to the Start Menu it will have now changed.
Hope you find this tweak useful
