So techies,

At work, the windows that we use has this little icon on the small icon thing at the bottom. It allows me to minimize everything that I have open so I can see the desktop. Is that something that is only on Professional or is it on Home as well? If so, where can I find it and use it?

Did they turn off Google in Virginia?

thanks again for all your help, yet again.

what am I going to type into the google search, "that little icon thing that lets me minimize everything to see the desktop"?

It's a shame that there are retarded people out there who manage to achieve extraordinary things with a limited brain while people like you leave your brain running in the parking lot with the keys locked inside.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,12416 ... ticle.html


It's in there

Tip: Just hold the windows key, and hit m

Just hover your mouse over it, it'll show you what it's called like any other icon in Windows: "Show Desktop," available in both flavors of Windows. Also you can use the Windows key on your keyboard in conjuction with the D key for an even quicker to-Desktop jump.

Awesome. Thanks a lot. Also, though, the icon isn't on my computer at home. I was trying to locate it to put it in my tray. The windows kep plus D is great, but I wanted the icon in my tray so I could use that instead of the windows key plus D.

Just to be clear, they tell you exactly how to do it in my link.

i had to do this manually, but it only takes 30 seconds. you can change the icon, by right clicking once its in there:

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.

Not sure why it would be missing, but it must be common because I found this on my first search: Restore Show Desktop Icon or you can use this VB script which will automatically set it up for you: http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_ed ... esktop.vbs (it's safe, but your virus scanner may tell you it's malicious - it's just telling you that something is trying to change the registry, and it is, but that's what you want.

hey thanks. Your post didn't show up previously when I saw simpleton's. my bad.

I appreciate it. You too, tt.

ok. now the problem is that I have found the quick launch folder and the show desktop icon was there already. I hit open and then it obviously just makes me go to the desktop. However, I can't figure out how to actually get it to show up on the toolbar. any more help?

right-click on a blank area of the Taskbar, a menu should pop up including the word “Toolbars.” Regular left-click on Toolbars to see the Toolbar Menu. Quick Launch is one of the menu options – click on it to activate.

alright. thanks again. I got it.