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| Thread ID: 55302 | 2005-03-07 11:09:00 | Clearing program icons from Desktop...How? | Laura (43) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 331676 | 2005-03-07 11:09:00 | I like a clean Desktop because my wallpaper changer shows pix I want to see uncluttered. I choose Quick Launch icons, not Desktop shortcuts, & tuck those I'm stuck with out of the way. But recently I've not only had to use IE again when my Firefox played up, but downloaded quite a lot (for me) Not sure what changed, but several programmes have now plonked their icons on the Desktop instead of in Program Files. They're not Shortcuts - they're mainly exe. files with 2 Setups. (Ironically, one of those is the Firefox 1.0.1 which I had to re-install) I assume I can't just delete exe. icons without losing the programmes, so is there some way of moving them to Program Files where they should be? (I have checked & they're not duplicates of what's already there) All of these were downloaded in the same short period of time. I've done nothing different when asked where a file should be sent, but not sure I WAS asked in these cases. So is there a setting I may have changed accidentally? (Win98SE) Glad of some advice, seeing my Desktop was until recently the only tidy thing in this room.... |
Laura (43) | ||
| 331677 | 2005-03-07 11:18:00 | Yup icons on the desktop are either shortcuts, or in the case of the firefox . exe file, it may have been downloaded to the desktop from the internet . If the exe files/s have been installed/reinstalled, its safe to delete them from the desktop . The program/s you've installed , will still be on your hard drive . The files that get installed usually from exe files get installed to the c:/program files folder . You can put/copy/cut exe files (from the desktop) to a folder, if u want to keep them, and so they dont remain on the desktop . And icons for programs can also be deleted, from the desktop, after a program has been installed . The program will still be on the hard drive . With exe files, you HAVE to install them in order for them to work . You CAN'T download an exe file and just save it or put it in the program files folder . They dont work that way . |
Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 331678 | 2005-03-07 11:24:00 | You can right click them to double check that they are shortcuts. | Rob99 (151) | ||
| 331679 | 2005-03-07 11:56:00 | Sorry, Speedy Gonzales . I guess I didn't make myself clear enough . These icons aren't downloaded programmes waiting to be installed . They've been installed & they're working . Yes they were somehow installed to the desktop from the internet . instead of to the Program files folder . That's my problem in getting rid of them from my screen . Just to be sure, I've tried to delete the Firefox 1 . 0 . 1 Setup one . A dialog box tells me it's a program & if I delete it, some applications may not work . Another is AVG7 - same answer . . . I'm hoping I can MOVE them somehow to Program files? Rob99 - Yes, I do know how to identify a shortcut . As I said, they're not shortcuts . If they were, I wouldn't have a problem . . . |
Laura (43) | ||
| 331680 | 2005-03-07 12:22:00 | Right click and copy them, one at a time, then paste into Your Docs, for instance, in separate and appropriately named new files then delete the ones on the desktop, then instal at your leisure. | zqwerty (97) | ||
| 331681 | 2005-03-07 19:32:00 | I may be missing something here, but why not just hide all desktop icons depending on your windows version I think it's right click (on the desktop) then active desktop then click on the show desktop icons I went a whole year with no desktop icons and it was kinda cool seeing the whole background image with no icons messing it up. |
Morgenmuffel (187) | ||
| 331682 | 2005-03-07 21:24:00 | Sorry, Speedy Gonzales . I guess I didn't make myself clear enough . These icons aren't downloaded programmes waiting to be installed . They've been installed & they're working . Yes they were somehow installed to the desktop from the internet . instead of to the Program files folder . That's my problem in getting rid of them from my screen . Just to be sure, I've tried to delete the Firefox 1 . 0 . 1 Setup one . A dialog box tells me it's a program & if I delete it, some applications may not work . Another is AVG7 - same answer . . . I'm hoping I can MOVE them somehow to Program files? Rob99 - Yes, I do know how to identify a shortcut . As I said, they're not shortcuts . If they were, I wouldn't have a problem . . . If they're already in c:/Program files (this means you've installed them), u can delete the file off the desktop . This will NOT affect the program itself . The program will also appear in the program files menu (under start / whatever) . If you want to make sure the program will still run, select it from the program files menu . As most programs also make a menu for the program u installed . |
Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 331683 | 2005-03-08 00:36:00 | Cut and Paste the exe files into My Documents...If then you find that your program wont work...then go into my documents and click on whichever exe for the not working program is....then install that... but as the others say....exe programs are to install programs, so after installing them, the exe stays wherever it was in the first place....so its quite safe to delete them, but i'd rather make a folder and put them in there and into my documents in case.... |
csinclair83 (200) | ||
| 331684 | 2005-03-08 00:58:00 | I got a simple cure for desktop clutter.....make a folder on the desktop then call it say: ' tidy bin' then drag all the rubbish you dont want into it......then right clik and drag it to your quick launch bar.....then you'll be able to access those shortcuts with just one extra clik to open the tidybin and the desktop will be nice and 'tidy'....... :-) | drcspy (146) | ||
| 331685 | 2005-03-08 02:09:00 | I would move them to another folder, I have one called Downloads. Sounds like they are just the setup files you have downloaded, once you have installed them it is safe to delete them, it will not effect the running of the program. The warning you are getting is probally just a default one for deleting a ".exe" file. You can keep them in a downloads folder for a rainy day or just delete them, your choice. |
Rob99 (151) | ||
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