Desktop Shortcuts and Icons
You can create shortcuts to programs, files, folders, and Web sites on the desktop to provide fast access to frequently used information and programs. Windows 2000 provides shortcuts for My Documents, My Network Places, and Internet Explorer. Using local Group Policy settings, you can prevent access to the standard Windows 2000 shortcuts or hide all the icons on a desktop.For more information about creating and using shortcuts, see Windows 2000 Professional Help.
Group Policy Settings That Affect Desktop Icons
You can set Group Policy settings to hide desktop icons. The policies listed in Table 8.1 are located in the Group Policy snap-in under Local Computer PolicyUser ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesDesktop.Table 8.1 Group Policy Settings That Can Affect Desktop Icons
Group Policy Setting | Description |
---|---|
Hide all icons on Desktop | Removes all menus, folders, and icons from the desktop. |
Hide My Documents icon on desktop | Removes the My Documents icon from the desktop. Note: The My Documents folder cannot be deleted.See also the "Start and Programs Menus" section later in this chapter for the Remove Documents menu from Start Menu Group Policy setting. |
Hide My Network Places icon on desktop | Removes the My Network Places icon from the desktop. |
Hide Internet Explorer icon on desktop | Removes the Internet Explorer icon from the desktop. |
You can use Group Policy settings to determine the method Windows 2000 Professional uses to search for the target of a shortcut. The Group Policy settings listed in Table 8.2 are located in the Group Policy snap-in under Local Computer PolicyUser ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesStart Menu & Taskbar.Table 8.2 Group Policy Settings That Can Affect Shortcut Search Methods
Group Policy Setting | Description |
---|---|
Do not use the search-based method when resolving shell shortcuts | Prevents comprehensive search of NTFS partition to locate target file. |
Do not use the tracking-based method when resolving shell shortcuts | Prevents system from using NTFS target file ID to search for files. |