Knowledge Base

How to re-create the Show Desktop icon on the Quick Launch toolbar

Article ID: 190355

Article Last Modified on 4/16/2007

APPLIES TO

This article was previously published under Q190355
Note The information in this article applies to Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 only if the Windows Desktop Update component is installed. This component is installed with Microsoft Windows 98 or can be installed with Internet Explorer 4. For more information about adding or removing the Windows Desktop Update component, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

165695 How to add or remove Windows Desktop Update

INTRODUCTION

This article describes how to re-create the Show Desktop icon on the Quick Launch toolbar. You may want to use this method if the Show Desktop icon has been deleted.

MORE INFORMATION

ACW

Guided Help to re-create or remove the Show Desktop icon on the Quick Launch toolbar

Guided Help is available to re-create or to remove the Show Desktop icon on the Quick Launch toolbar. Guided Help can automatically perform the steps for you.

The actions that this Guided Help performs can be undone after Guided Help is finished. To undo this Guided Help, run Guided Help again. When you are prompted by Guided Help, select either the Yes, re-create the icon option or the No, delete the icon option.

For more information about Guided Help, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

915092 Description of Guided Help for Microsoft Knowledge Base articles

Requirements to install and to use this Guided Help

  • You must be logged on to Windows by using a computer administrator account to install Guided Help.
  • You must be running Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Media Center Edition, or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition to install and to use this Guided Help.
You must first download Guided Help. To start, click the following link: Download Guided Help

Manual steps to re-create the Show Desktop icon on the Quick Launch toolbar

The Show Desktop icon is not an ordinary program shortcut. If the icon is deleted, the procedure for re-creating the icon is not obvious. To manually re-create the Show Desktop icon, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start , click Run, type notepad, and then click OK.
  2. In Notepad, type the following text on individual lines:

    [Shell]
    Command=2
    IconFile=explorer.exe,3
    [Taskbar]
    Command=ToggleDesktop

  3. On the File menu, click Save As, and then save the file to your desktop as Show Desktop.scf.

    Note Notepad might automatically append a .txt extension to the file name. Remove this extension if present. The file name should be Show Desktop.scf.
The file must now be moved to the correct folder in the user profile to appear in the Quick Launch toolbar. To manually do this, use one of the following methods.

Method 1

  1. Use the mouse to drag the Show Desktop.scf icon to the Quick Launch toolbar or another location where you want the shortcut to appear.
  2. Click Move Here.

Method 2

  1. Use Windows Explorer to locate the following folders:

    Microsoft Windows 95 and Microsoft Windows 98
    Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

    Microsoft Windows NT, Microsoft Windows 2000, and Microsoft Windows XP
    C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

    Note Username refers to the account name where you want to put the icon.
  2. Use the mouse to drag the Show Desktop.scf file to the Quick Launch folder.
  3. Click Move Here.
Note By default, the Application Data folder for Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP is a hidden folder. You may have to unhide this folder by using the Advanced Settings in Internet Explorer. Click the Show hidden files and folders option.

Keywords: kbacw kbhowto kbui kbacwsurvey KB190355


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