Where does DESKTOP.INI belong?

I just went into Winword2000 (part of MS Office 2000) to retrieve a document. In Winword2000\My Documents, below the 20 folders I've created I found a file called "desktop ". Clicking on Properties, I see it's really DESKTOP.INI, a configuration settings file. I've never seen it there before, and I considered deleting it, but I'm wondering if it's a necessary file that just belongs somewhere else, but I don't know where. Opening the file shows:

[.ShellClassInfo]
CLSID2={450d8fba-ad25-11d0-98a8-0800361b1103}
InfoTip=Stores your documents, graphics, and other files.

If it makes any difference, my OS is Windows98.

Any ideas?

 

BOBBO Perhaps you have just recently selected to view hidden files since most copies of desktop.ini have the hidden attribute.

Apparently desktop.ini is like the 1200 pound gorilla, it goes anywhere it want to! I did a search on my XP system and it revealed over 100 copies at various locations. I think only two of them did not have the hidden attribute.

 

This probably won't serve any real purpose other than to demonstrate that I have a freeware program that copies the complete path to any files I wish.

These are the results I referred to above:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Entertainment\desktop.ini
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Accessibility\desktop.ini
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\C8A72ME5\desktop.ini
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\6QENFBH5\desktop.ini
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\0LYB8PAR\desktop.ini
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\0DM7GTYB\desktop.ini
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\desktop.ini
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\desktop.ini
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\desktop.ini
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\desktop.ini
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\History\History.IE5\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\Temp\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\WTQV4XY7\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\Temp\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\UD8FANU7\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\Temp\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\KTMJG1Q3\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\Temp\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\H0A234NF\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Communications\Fax\desktop.ini
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Start Menu\Programs\desktop.ini
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\My Documents\My Pictures\Desktop.ini
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\My Documents\My Music\Desktop.ini
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\desktop.ini
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\History\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Entertainment\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Accessibility\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\WBEWCOVJ\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\N2XR76PJ\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\ITOH8JYZ\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\C2O6VZ8V\desktop.ini
Today
Thursday
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\NetworkService\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\C8A72ME5\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\NetworkService\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\6QENFBH5\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\NetworkService\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\0LYB8PAR\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\NetworkService\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\0DM7GTYB\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\RST3M5XP\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\QFABUJWL\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\MNO7KXSZ\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\CVKR4BCD\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\Temp\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\Temp\History\History.IE5\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Guest\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Entertainment\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Guest\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Accessibility\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Guest\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\C8A72ME5\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Guest\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\6QENFBH5\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Guest\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\0LYB8PAR\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Guest\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\0DM7GTYB\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Guest\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Entertainment\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Accessibility\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\C8A72ME5\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\6QENFBH5\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\0LYB8PAR\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\0DM7GTYB\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\System Tools\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Entertainment\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Communications\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Accessibility\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Entertainment\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Accessibility\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\C8A72ME5\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\6QENFBH5\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\0LYB8PAR\desktop.ini
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\0DM7GTYB\desktop.ini

There were more but the message size limit here is 10000 characters and I ran over that. I think you got the picture though.

 

Thanks for the reply, Zephyr.

I went back into Winword2000\My Documents and changed Files of type: from All files to Word Documents. That removed the "desktop" file from view, so now it's the way I want it.

Out of curiosity, I did what you did and a Find search for desktop.ini produced 20 different ones on my system.

Thanks again for the tip.

 

This explains what desktop.ini is used for and why there are so many.