Solved Managed to delete the Desktop App in the Metro interface...

johnpombrio

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It took some fiddling around with a replacement Start menu program, but the desktop app in Metro (along with the Store app) is gone. I wonder how I am supposed to get these back?
 

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You could try
1.System restore
2.Run in cmd sfc /scannow
3. Refresh( as a last resort because you have to re-install the drivers but your docs and pics will be safe)
HTH.
 

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Nah. It is just going to be a matter of replacing the app located in C:\Users\John\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Application Shortcuts\ called microsoft.desktop_8wekyb3d8bbwe or something and has an app shortcut inside... Just got to figure out how and where to load it from
 

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That was easy... Went to C:\Users\John\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Application Shortcuts\ and created a folder called microsoft.desktop_8wekyb3d8bbwe.

I did a search inside windows and found an desktop shortcut icon that is at

C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft-windows-twinui_31bf3856ad364e35_6.2.8250.0_none_57dee59f178a579d

I dragged and copied that icon into the folder and I had my desktop shortcut back.

I did the same thing with the Wondows Store app. Created a folder called microsoft.Store_8wekyb3d8bbwe and copied in a Store shortcut I found inside the Windows folder

C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft-windows-store-client-ui_31bf3856ad364e35_6.2.8250.0_none_9c947011c1a490 cf

Well, maybe not EASY but doable, heh.
 
Last edited:

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I managed to somehow delete the desktop app on the developer preview. I tried sfc but it did not restore the desktop. I eventually install the consumer edition over it.
 

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I managed to somehow delete the desktop app on the developer preview. I tried sfc but it did not restore the desktop. I eventually install the consumer edition over it.

Hopefully MS can get the word out that we should backup:

C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Application Shortcuts folder and the
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs folder

before fooling around with the Metro interface. If something goes wrong, just copy the old folders/files back in place...
 
Last edited:

My Computer

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    Windows 8.1 Pro 64 bit GA
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    i7-4770K Haswell
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    ASUS Z87-PRO
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    16 GB of Corsair 1866
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    GTX 780
    Sound Card
    Cooler Master Storm Headphones
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    2560 by 1440
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    Samsung 840 Pro 250GB SSD plus 2 3 TB drives
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Are you 100% sure you deleted it and didn't just unpin it?
Anything you unpin can still be accessed in the Metro interface via right-clicking and viewing all apps.
 

My Computer

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    win 7 & 8
I managed to somehow delete the desktop app on the developer preview. I tried sfc but it did not restore the desktop. I eventually install the consumer edition over it.

Hopefully MS can get the word out that we should backup:

C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Application Shortcuts folder and the
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs folder

before fooling around with the Metro interface. If something goes wrong, just copy the old folders/files back in place...


Hi there
Never mind MS -- you should ALWAYS take backups -- no matter how trivial the chnge might seem.

These days backing up the OS image woon't take long and HDD space is cheap -- I hope you keep your OS and apps on the OS disk and all your data - multimedia etc on other disks. Even on a laptop at least keep it on a separate partition.

A typical W8 OS backup is around 15 mins max.

Cheers
jimbo
 

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Roland, No, I definitely DELETED it. I found a Start Globe Replacement (Vista Start Menu ver 3.88) for the desktop and there was a desktop icon in the list of programs that did not work. I deleted it from the start menu list and the Desktop Icon was missing from BOTH the usual spot in Metro AND in the Apps list search. It was definitely gone.

Jimbo, After 25 years working for HP test and measurement system support, I know full well that backups are ESSENTIAL and I do a complete clone once a month and weekly backups of critical files (I tried WHS 2008? and was severely disappointed with it and stopped using it). I just had not gotten around to cloning the drive (heck, it was only 6 hours old) and not yet in any sort of working order. Besides, I have a couple of folders that I keep multiple copies of on other computers that have EVERYTHING I need to build an op sys from scratch. Adding just a couple of folders to it was child's play. Thanks for the suggestion tho as I should create a clean clone pretty soon now. Supposedly Win8 will be able to restore a clean copy of Win8 op sys on demand with having to reload everything.
 

My Computer

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  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro 64 bit GA
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    i7-4770K Haswell
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    ASUS Z87-PRO
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    16 GB of Corsair 1866
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    GTX 780
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    Cooler Master Storm Headphones
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    Dell 27 inch U2711 IPS
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They hide the imaging options well in W8CP. You have to type windows 7 in search settings and open Windows 7 File Recovery. It seems M$ doesn't want you to image. Macrium Reflect doesn't work either. It causes startup BSODS.
 

My Computer

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    Hewlett-Packard/G62 Notebook
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    Intel(R) Core(TM) i3 CPU M 330 @ 2.13GHz
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They hide the imaging options well in W8CP. You have to type windows 7 in search settings and open Windows 7 File Recovery. It seems M$ doesn't want you to image. Macrium Reflect doesn't work either. It causes startup BSODS.


WTF??? One of the best features of Vista and Win 7, so they HIDE it away? I do an image every month or two, and whenever I make changes/additions. Haven't had to do a re-install since Feb 2009, I just restore from the latest image.
 

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I Always try Run in cmd sfc /scannow first
 

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If you search for 'Shows Desktop.lnk'- there are several - then copy the link to:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

It will add the option back to Metro. Just go to Start/Search Desktop then add it. This also applies to other missing options, such as Store.

However, as johnpombrio mentioned, some of the shortcuts are stored in

C:\Users\{User Name}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Application Shortcuts

Microsoft.BingMaps_8wekyb3d8bbwe
Microsoft.BingWeather_8wekyb3d8bbwe
Microsoft.Camera_8wekyb3d8bbwe

etc.
 

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Yes the shortcuts are there unless I delete them, heh. It turns out that I managed to delete enough of the core Metro apps that the "More PC Settings" in the Charms Bar no longer worked. I was curious about the Win8 "Recovery" mode so I tried it out. It worked pretty good but uninstalled all of my programs that I had installed (just like a fresh install). The curious thing was that the recovery made a folder "image" of my hard drive called Windows.old. Mind you, the folder was huge as it had all of my original data in it. Unfortunately, just copying the folder fro the program back into the "new" Programs folder did not work and so I have been reinstalling everything I just finished installing. Recovery works, just make sure you have enough disk space.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro 64 bit GA
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i7-4770K Haswell
    Motherboard
    ASUS Z87-PRO
    Memory
    16 GB of Corsair 1866
    Graphics Card(s)
    GTX 780
    Sound Card
    Cooler Master Storm Headphones
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell 27 inch U2711 IPS
    Screen Resolution
    2560 by 1440
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 840 Pro 250GB SSD plus 2 3 TB drives
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    Corsair-750
    Case
    Corsair White Graphite Series 600T
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    Corsair H00i Water
    Keyboard
    Corsair K90
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Laser
    Internet Speed
    6.3 MBps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    MS
They hide the imaging options well in W8CP. You have to type windows 7 in search settings and open Windows 7 File Recovery. It seems M$ doesn't want you to image. Macrium Reflect doesn't work either. It causes startup BSODS.


WTF??? One of the best features of Vista and Win 7, so they HIDE it away? I do an image every month or two, and whenever I make changes/additions. Haven't had to do a re-install since Feb 2009, I just restore from the latest image.

I suppose the thinking goes. Who backs up a phone or a tablet?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 x64 SP1 Home Premium/Win 8.1 in VBox
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Hewlett-Packard/G62 Notebook
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i3 CPU M 330 @ 2.13GHz
    Motherboard
    Hewlett-Packard 1425
    Memory
    8 GB DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel(R) HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Builtin
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768 x 32 bits (4294967296 colors) @ 60 Hz
    Hard Drives
    250 GB SATA Hard Disk Drive 7200 rpm
    2TB Seagate GoFlex USB 2 Drive
    1TB Iomega Prestige USB 2 Drive
    1.5TB Iomega Prestige USB 2 Drive (Samsung)
    1TB Iomega NAS.
    Mouse
    Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000
    Internet Speed
    20Mb/sec
They hide the imaging options well in W8CP. You have to type windows 7 in search settings and open Windows 7 File Recovery. It seems M$ doesn't want you to image. Macrium Reflect doesn't work either. It causes startup BSODS.


WTF??? One of the best features of Vista and Win 7, so they HIDE it away? I do an image every month or two, and whenever I make changes/additions. Haven't had to do a re-install since Feb 2009, I just restore from the latest image.

I suppose the thinking goes. Who backs up a phone or a tablet?

Could be that they hope to have most people use Metro apps, which are kept after doing a refresh, so back ups won't be too much of a problem. And they hope people will use Skydrive for Documents and Pictures.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
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    HP dv5250us
    CPU
    Intel Centrino Duo
    Memory
    2GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia GeForce Go 7400
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800
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