how to disable desktop picture and desktop icons when a program is started? (in windows 8.1)

Question

i have heard that if you disable the desktop background and hide the desktop icons, your pc will run faster.

is there any way i can disable both the desktop background and hide the desktop icons when i start a specific program (and enable it when it closes), by using a batch file or something like that?

(can be something else too)

Unfortunately, we are not a code-writing service. Instead of simply asking for code to perform a particular task, please show us what you've tried so far (including any code you currently have) and where you're stuck so that we can help you with your specific problem. Questions that only ask for code are too broad and are likely to be put on hold or closed. — bwDraco, Jun 24 '15 at 22:48

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 24 '15 at 20:53

Both can be changed by editing the registry. You can also save bits of the registry to a .reg file so you could make two reg files and run something to flip/flop between them.

If you are not a programmer, you might find that something like AutoHotKey would work for you. That lets you record and run macro's that you can easily play back via keyboard shortcuts and it has access to many of Windows' internal features such as direct registry editing. That would probably be more seamless than running a batch file to switch the registry files but either would work.

However. Unless you are really short of memory I very much doubt this would really help much. So here is the deal ...

Everything you put on your desktop is loaded into memory at startup. So to improve matters, simply get rid of all the rubbish, especially any large files and folders from the desktop and put them away tidily. If you want to use the desktop as a "menu", learn how to create shortcuts to the things that matter. shortcut .lnk files are small and so have little impact.

Then, if you are still short on memory, ditch the background image altogether. This will also help if you have a slow graphics card as less redrawing will take place - or rather less "stuff" has to be shifted around as you move windows around over the top of the image.

Thanks a lot :D im first going to simply try to use that autohotkey program, and if that does not work for me ill try to program it in batch! — QuackyTheFish, Jun 24 '15 at 21:03
and also thanks for that info about how stuff on your desktop is loaded into memory, now i think i understand it a lot better :D — QuackyTheFish, Jun 24 '15 at 21:05
Is that true that if you keep bulky files on the Desktop then Windows slow down? — Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007, Jun 24 '15 at 21:42

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 24 '15 at 20:55

0

I don't think you will be getting the performance upgrade you are expecting by disabling your desktop. you can force the matter by running a script to force stop explorer.exe
@echo off
taskkill /f /IM explorer.exe

answered Jun 24 '15 at 20:55

Joey Guerassio

7

thanks for your answer but it was not actually that i was looking for... :) – QuackyTheFish Jun 24 '15 at 21:08
1

I cant post up on the other guys comment but stuff on your desktop is not loaded into memory... my work environment would be unusable if that were the case ><. – Joey Guerassio Jun 24 '15 at 21:13

how to disable desktop picture and desktop icons when a program is started? (in windows 8.1)

2 Answers2