Is there a way to show hidden operating system files but hide the desktop.ini files for the desktop?

Almighty1 · Aug 10, 2021

Is there a way to show hidden operation system files but hidden the desktop.ini files for the desktop?

Steve C · Aug 10, 2021

abactuon · Aug 10, 2021

Almighty1 · Aug 10, 2021

@abactuon - Thanks, any chance you can post the actual command because I think I copied it wrong:

$TargetDirectory = "C:\Users\Public\Desktop"
(Get-Item "$($TargetDirectory)\desktop.ini" -Force) .Attributes = 'Hidden, System, Archive'

Brink · Aug 10, 2021

Hello @Almighty1,

If it may help, you could add a context menu from the tutorial below to make it easy to show/hide protected OS files on demand. It still works in Windows 11.

Hidden items - Add to Context Menu in Windows 10

How to Add Hidden items to Context Menu in Windows 10

www.tenforums.com

Almighty1 · Aug 10, 2021

Brink said:
Hello @Almighty1, :)

If it may help, you could add a context menu from the tutorial below to make it easy to show/hide protected OS files on demand. It still works in Windows 11.

Hidden items - Add to Context Menu in Windows 10

How to Add Hidden items to Context Menu in Windows 10

www.tenforums.com

Thanks Shawn as always for all your great and hard work. Am I correct that I basically can right click on desktop.ini and then hide that specific file only without affecting the showing of other hidden protected OS files?

Brink · Aug 10, 2021

Almighty1 said:
Thanks Shawn as always for all your great and hard work. Am I correct that I basically can right click on desktop.ini and then hide that specific file only without affecting the showing of other hidden protected OS files?

I'm afraid it's a hide/show all or none for protected OS files.

johnlgalt · Aug 11, 2021

Almighty1 said:
@abactuon - Thanks, any chance you can post the actual command because I think I copied it wrong:

$TargetDirectory = "C:\Users\Public\Desktop"
(Get-Item "$($TargetDirectory)\desktop.ini" -Force) .Attributes = 'Hidden, System, Archive'

Hey, @Almighty1 - I copied the code you wrote and noticed something that there is a space between ) and .Attribute.

If I run the code as you have it written, I get this:

Code:

ParserError:
Line |
   1 |  … et-Item "$($TargetDirectory)\desktop.ini" -Force) .Attributes = 'Hidd …
     |                                                      ~~~~~~~~~~~
     | Unexpected token '.Attributes' in expression or statement.

If I remove the space there, so the command becomes as such:

(Get-Item "$($TargetDirectory)\desktop.ini" -Force).Attributes = 'Hidden, System, Archive'

It runs without throwing up the error.

However, I'm trying to get it to hide the desktop.ini from showing while having operating system files showing and it's not actually hiding in my Downloads folder. I haven't tried logging out / rebooting yet, though.

SIW2 · Aug 11, 2021

hidden the desktop.ini files for the desktop

delete it

TairikuOkami · Aug 11, 2021

SIW2 said:
delete it

Indeed, I always remove them after windows updates create them, no issues, but my desktop is mostly empty.

Almighty1 · Aug 12, 2021

johnlgalt said:
Hey, @Almighty1 - I copied the code you wrote and noticed something that there is a space between ) and .Attribute.

If I run the code as you have it written, I get this:

Code:

ParserError: Line | 1 | … et-Item "$($TargetDirectory)\desktop.ini" -Force) .Attributes = 'Hidd … | ~~~~~~~~~~~ | Unexpected token '.Attributes' in expression or statement.

If I remove the space there, so the command becomes as such:

(Get-Item "$($TargetDirectory)\desktop.ini" -Force).Attributes = 'Hidden, System, Archive'

It runs without throwing up the error.

However, I'm trying to get it to hide the desktop.ini from showing while having operating system files showing and it's not actually hiding in my Downloads folder. I haven't tried logging out / rebooting yet, though.

Thanks @johnlgalt for trying.

This is how I got it working which should be the same as you:


PS C:\Users\vince> $TargetDirectory = "C:\Users\Public\Desktop"
PS C:\Users\vince> (Get-Item "$($TargetDirectory)\desktop.ini" -Force).Attributes = 'Hidden, System, Archive'
PS C:\Users\vince>

Ofcourse the file never gotten hidden as I have two desktop.ini, one is for all users and another just for my account.

johnlgalt · Aug 14, 2021

Yup - that was it. Same results here as well. The files don't get hidden.

Certainly wish there was a way to hide them. In my other FM, Xplorer², I can color code files in a variety of ways, and I have all files that have system and hidden attributes showing with a red font color, boldface and italics, making it obvious this is not a file I want to accidentally delete (although, it really doesn't do a whole lot, column spacing, folder icons, and a few other general settings that can be easily recreated if it is deleted.

But, it allows me to use X² showing every file including system and leave Windows Explorer hiding the system files, giving me, effectively, the best of both worlds.

Unfortunately, this only works because I use an alternate FM, though. And I fully realize that not everyone will do that.

Wisewiz · Sep 28, 2021

TairikuOkami said:
Indeed, I always remove them after windows updates create them, no issues, but my desktop is mostly empty.

I'm with SIW2 and Tairiku: When they pop up on my desktop (usually after a major update or a repair install -- much the same thing, of course -- I just delete 'em. I've never noticed any effect after deleting them, and I've been doing it for years.

clam1952 · Sep 28, 2021

Likewise I delete the things, have done for years with no problems.

Is there a way to show hidden operating system files but hide the desktop.ini files for the desktop?

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