This program is free and very easy to use.

http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/stori...,46476,00.html

When I right click the icon in my computer tray and choose "Hide Icons", I have a nice clear desktop with just the background of my choice. To get back the icons, right click and untick the little box.
You can also choose tools and go through the procedure that way.

T2

[RandyG]

Thanx Penny, but of course with Win98 and above, you can make your Desktop an Active Desktop and view as webpage. then you would double-click My Computer to open up a window, and go to View, Folder OPtions, View tab, and put a checkmark in [i]Hide icons when desktop viewed as Web page.

Voila.

Be aware that this is a "nice-nice" not a necessity. Both the Windows standard route, and the program that Penny recommends will use system resources, and for folks that already have resource issues, it will affect the performance of your system.

Hello Randy,

Does Win2K support the Active Desktop method?

Penny

[RandyG]

Yes, you can. Sorry I did not explain that route!!

Right-click the desktop and choose Active Desktop, Show Web Content. This splits the background panel on your desktop, and and will allow you to have Web enabled pictures and info show on the background. Now that it is enabled, right-click the desktop again, go to Active desktop, remove the tick from Show Desktop Icons.

If you do not like this route, because it enables the Web Content, then there is a registry hack you can use.

from Registry Tip #48: Hide Desktop Icons :

To hide all Desktop Icons from Explorer, use the following Windows NT / Windows 2000 / Windows XP registry hack :
Hive: HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Key: Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Name: NoDesktop
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1

With this key enabled, in addition, you cannot right click on the desktop to get a context menu. This is a lockdown option.

Almost all Windows NT registry hacks work for Windows 2000 and Windows XP. Windows NT and Windows XP have the Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer key by default. Windows 2000 does not. But if you create the key with the NoDesktop value set to 1, the hack works for Windows 2000 also. When you create the Explorer key under Policies, you will be prompted for a class. Leave it blank.

To hide all Desktop Icons from Explorer but still enable right-clicking on the desktop there is the following registry hack :

Hive: HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Key: Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
Name: HideIcons
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 0

Hello Randy,

Thank you

Penny

[perris]

you know, I forgot how to get the option, so someone will come in and tell it;

in xp, you can have four desktops per user.

you can toggle between any combinations of icons you like

[perris]

ha...I thought someone would remember how to do it, but I guess not;

looked for it, and here it is...pretty simple;

rightclick on the taskbar>toolbars>desktop manager