13 replies to this topic

[PsiMoon314]

Hi,

As many of you may know there appears to be an issue with KB943460 which causes the Control Panel -> Display -> Desktop Tab -> Customize Desktop (button) -> General Tab to loose the option to Add an Internet Explorer icon to the Desktop.

More details on this issue here and probably in Google also

As a work-around until Microsoft fixes this you can add an option to Control Panel -> Folder Options -> View to add or remove the Desktop Icon for IE.

The .REG file for this tweak looks like:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\InternetExplorerOnDesktop]
"RegPath"="Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\HideDesktopIcons\\NewStartPanel"
"Text"="Show Internet Explorer icon on the Desktop"
"Type"="checkbox"
"ValueName"="{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}"
"CheckedValue"=dword:00000000
"UncheckedValue"=dword:00000001
"DefaultValue"=dword:00000001
"HKeyRoot"=dword:80000001

This will then add a new option to the Folder Options -> View menu to "Show Internet Explorer icon on the Desktop". By default it is off however ticking this option should then reveal an Internet Explorer icon on the desktop. A refresh or reboot may be needed for this to happen on some PC's.

I have tested this in Windows XP SP2 and it works, it might be interesting to try this in Windows Vista also to see if it works there also.

Anyone who feels up to creating an AP module for this please feel free. Please do share the results here if you do create a module.

Kind Regards

Simon

[Erik Ramey]

This should be relatively easy to create. Let me test this in Vista and 2K first and I'll let you know once it's deployed.

[Cristiano]

Simon, something was supposed to be here, after that tweak?

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/3941/cu...edesktopsf9.gif

i've tested that solution at my machine and at my virtual machine. same result, in booth

[PsiMoon314]

Hi,

Cristiano, on Jan 7 2008, 11:58 PM, said:

Simon, something was supposed to be here, after that tweak?

Yes there is, if you look in the correct place

The new option will be in Control Panel -> Folder Options -> View Tab as mentioned in my OP.

The option will be near the bottom of the list as "Show Internet Explorer icon on the desktop". Tick and Untick as required.

This is only a work-around until MS fixes the original bug in XP SP3. If this does work in Vista though it may be more useful long term for that OS.

Kind Regards

Simon

[Cristiano]

funny. the option was in there, in deed. but i did't work. but maybe an restart be requiered after check that button and i didn't that yet.

edit:
nope. it didn't work, even at my virtual machine. some issue, perhaps?

[DesertJerry]

I copied the code and merged it.

The option did appear in Folder Options > View as mentioned but the box was not checked.

As I had the IE icon on my desktop prior to to the code merge shouldn't the box show with a check mark indicating the already established desktop? I checked TweakUI > Desktop and it had the box checked.

[Cristiano]

at mine, i don't have IE at desktop and i don't have it in my desktop since a long time ago. that option was checked. checking, unchecking, same result. ms solution also has the same result: no IE at desktop

[Cyrus]

Use Firefox or Opera. Better yet, use them on Linux!

[Cristiano]

Cyrus, IE is not at my desktop since long time ago. unfortunelly, WU works fine only with that

> use them on Linux
my next OS. vista doesn't belong to my machines

[Cyrus]

Cristiano, I am able to use WU under Firefox by using the IE Tab extension. (https://addons.mozil...efox/addon/1419) It basically lets you emulate IE on any FF tabs which you choose, and it will automatically kick in if you go to the WU site!

[Cristiano]

Cyrus, i have that one. it doesn't emulate: it runs IE in a tab

[PsiMoon314]

Hi Guys,

I have finally worked out what might be causing the issues for some folks when using the registry tweak I posted above.

This tweak will only work if you are using the Standard XP Desktop and not the Classic Desktop.

I assume that for those of you who are using the Classic Desktop the tweak for the View options menu did not work?

The issue here is that there are two options you can use to place an IE icon on the desktop

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons]

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu]
"{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel]
"{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}"=dword:00000000

As you can see the tweak I posted only allows for one of these, which is the NewStartPanel option. This will only work on the standard desktop.

Still I find this tweak useful as is and may be of use given that apperently XP SP3 does not appear to restore the IE on the desktop option back in Desktop Items.

I could create two registry tweaks but then you would have two options in View options, one for Standard Desktop and another for Classic Desktop which seems a little inelegent.

If anyone is has more information on how to change two registry entries when ticking an option for the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\ tree in the registry then I would be interested to hear about it.

Kind Regards

Simon

[PsiMoon314]

Hi,

OK here is a quick hack!

To add a new Internet Explorer group to the Control Panel -> Folder Options -> View Tab list.

This is the new Registry entries:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Internet Explorer]
"Bitmap"=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,\
  00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,53,00,\
  48,00,45,00,4c,00,4c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,34,00,00,\
  00
"Type"="group"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Internet Explorer\InternetExplorerOnStandardDesktop]
"RegPath"="Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\HideDesktopIcons\\NewStartPanel"
"Text"="Show Internet Explorer icon on the Standard Desktop"
"Type"="checkbox"
"ValueName"="{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}"
"CheckedValue"=dword:00000000
"UncheckedValue"=dword:00000001
"DefaultValue"=dword:00000000
"HKeyRoot"=dword:80000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Internet Explorer\InternetExplorerOnClassicDesktop]
"RegPath"="Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\HideDesktopIcons\\ClassicStartMenu"
"Text"="Show Internet Explorer icon on the Classic Desktop"
"Type"="checkbox"
"ValueName"="{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}"
"CheckedValue"=dword:00000000
"UncheckedValue"=dword:00000001
"DefaultValue"=dword:00000000
"HKeyRoot"=dword:80000001

If you are feeling brave would anyone care to test this for me? It seems to work on my PC here running Windows XP Professional OEM SP2.

Kind Regards

Simon

[Cristiano]

PsiMoon314, in deed, this last one works fine (except by the missing "Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00" at the begining), running Windows XP Professional OEM SP2 pt-br. the "view ie at standard desktop" was checked, but i'm assuming that it was checked due the last test. in deed, you are right. i run xp with classic desktop. i really don't like the standard one. too pollute in personal point of view.

thanks and sorry for my late