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.
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Guided Help to re-create or remove the Show Desktop icon on the Quick Launch toolbar
 | Note If the Show Desktop icon does not appear on the Quick Launch toolbar, press Windows logo key+D to minimize or to restore all open programs and to easily view the desktop.
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 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/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: (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/190355/) |
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.
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